Samuel Case, FISM News

A new weapon has been found for the fight against COVID-19; trials in the UK have shown that low doses of the anti-inflammatory steroid dexamethasone have shown a significant reduction in the mortality rate. Doctors from the study are now suggesting that the drug should become part of standard care considering it’s inexpensive, readily available, and proven to be effective. 

Dexamethasone is a steroid typically used to reduce inflammation in numerous diseases such as arthritis. The trial compared the outcomes of around 2,100 patients who were randomly assigned the drug, with those of around 4,300 patients who did not receive it. The results showed that for those on ventilators it dropped the mortality rate from 40% to 28% and for those on oxygen the rate dropped from 25% to 20%. 

Oxford University professor Martin Landray who is co-leading the trial said, “This is a result that shows that if patients who have COVID-19 and are on ventilators or are on oxygen are given dexamethasone, it will save lives, and it will do so at a remarkably low cost,” He went on to say, “It’s going to be very hard for any drug really to replace this, given that for less than 50 pounds ($63.26), you can treat eight patients and save a life,”. 

Sourced from Reuters, BBC