Cheap drug shows results in COVID patients: study-THE HINDU-17-06-2020

Context:Dexamethasone is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19.

Details:

*Based on these results, one death would be prevented by treatment of around eight ventilated patients or around 25 patients requiring oxygen alone.

*The same trial had earlier reported no benefit from hydroxychloroquine in treating sick COVID-19 patients.

*Dexamethasone is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19.

*Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide,” Peter Horby, Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, and one of the Chief Investigators for the trial, said .

*Indian doctors have said the dexamethasone is an inexpensive steroid that retails for less than Rs10 for 10 ml and is made by several Indian manufacturers.

*The Indian Council for Medical Research revised the protocol for clinical management of COVID-19 and allowed the use of remdesivir, tocilizumab and convalescent plasma therapy on certain groups of patients.

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Paper- GS-02

Category: HEALTH