WHO says use 'breakthrough' Covid drug Dexamethasone only under supervision; cautions

After the initial success of the new drug Dexamethasone which is said to have potency against COVID-19 as per UK based researchers, World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed caution on the use of the drug.

WHO Executive Director Dr Michael Ryan has said that although the drug has proved to be beneficial against COVID-19, it is to be used only under close clinical supervision and only on the critically ill COVID-19 patients who are on a ventilator or those who are in need of oxygen.

The drug has proven to be successful, but data is still preliminary and further comprehensive study is required on the drug, Michael Ryan opined.

WHO on June 16 welcomed the preliminary clinical trial results from the United Kingdom that show Dexamethasone, a steroid, can be lifesaving for coronavirus patients under ventilator or oxygen support. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom congratulated the government of the United Kingdom, which partially funded the trials that were led by Oxford University.

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Researchers in the UK have claimed that generic steroid drug dexamethasone significantly reduces the death rate of seriously ill COVID-19 patients requiring respiratory intervention. The RECOVERY (Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY) study, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), said that low doses of the cheaply available drug improve survival rates in certain coronavirus patients.

This is the first treatment to be shown to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen or ventilator support. This is great news and I congratulate the Government of the UK, the University of Oxford, and the many hospitals and patients in the UK who have contributed to this lifesaving scientific breakthrough," Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General was quoted as saying on its official website.

Dexamethasone is used to treat conditions such as arthritis, blood/hormone/immune system disorders, allergic reactions, certain skin and eye conditions, breathing problems, certain bowel disorders, and certain cancers. It is also used as a test for an adrenal gland disorder.

The recent trial conducted by scientists suggests that dexamethasone, which is an easily available drug can be used in the treatment of coronavirus patients. According to the study, 2,100 patients who were given dexamethasone were compared with over 4,000 others who did not receive the drug. The results showed that one-third of deaths were prevented in patients under ventilator support and one fifth for patients under oxygen support. 

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