Here is everything you need to know about dexamethasone being discovered as a potential COVID-19 cure.
A much-needed breakthrough was reported in coronavirus treatment as scientists in the UK claimed that a common steroid drug dexamethasone successfully reduced deaths by one-third in severely-ill coronavirus patients.
This UK based RECOVERY trial is one of the largest randomized trials being conducted in the world. This news comes after hydroxychloroquine failed to work against coronavirus.
The trial was led by a team from Oxford University, and 2,104 patients were given dexamethasone and the results were compared with patients who did not receive the drug.
“This is the only drug so far that has been shown to reduce mortality – and it reduces it significantly. It’s a major breakthrough,” Prof Peter Horby, Chief Investigator, BBC, said.
Dexamethasone is a generic and easily accessible drug. It is also inexpensive and is widely used to reduce inflammation caused by other diseases. Here is everything you need to know about this drug.
- It is a generic steroid used to reduce inflammation caused by diseases like rheumatism, asthma, and even cancer. It has been in use for decades but is now being recognized for its potential to cure coronavirus patients.
- The trial has shown the administration of this drug to severely ill coronavirus patients has reduced by a third and the risk of death for patients on ventilators has been cut from 40 percent to 28 percent.
- This drug is widely sold in the US and UK and its average retail price is $50. This drug is sold globally.
