Posted by Michael Wonder on 18 Jun 2020
Government authorises use of dexamethasone for COVID-19
18 June 2020 - The UK has authorised immediate use of dexamethasone on the NHS, widening access to the first coronavirus treatment proven to reduce the risk of death.
Doctors can now administer the an anti-inflammatory to all UK hospitalised COVID-19 patients requiring oxygen, including those on ventilators.
The move follows data from the UK RECOVERY trial showing that the drug cut the risk death in COVID-19 patients on ventilation by as much as 35% and patients on oxygen by 20%, reducing the total 28-day mortality rate by 17%.
