Dexamethasone is being championed as the first coronavirus Drug that saves lives and while there is plenty of optimism. Some scientists say further testing still needs to be done.

The steroid, which is used to reduce inflammation, has lowered the death rate of severely ill Covid-19 patients by a third in trial results announced recently.

What is dexamethasone?

It is primarily a drug that is used to reduce inflammation, dexamethasone has been used in the treatment of conditions including allergies, asthma, eczema and arthritis. It is also administered in end-of-life care and is effective in preventing the immune system from destroying blood platelets in people with blood disorders.

Who conducted the COVID-19 trial using dexamethasone?

The Oxford University RECOVERY trial was launched in April as a randomized clinical trial to test a range of potential treatments for COVID-19, including low-dose dexamethasone and the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine.

The hydroxychloroquine arm was halted earlier this month after it was found to be ineffective in the treatment of the coronavirus.

How big a breakthrough is this?

The trial has found that the drug reduces the mortality rate by around a third for patients who are critically ill with COVID-19.

It means that for those put on ventilators, one death would be prevented in eight, while one in 25 for people who require oxygen alone.

A big bonus of the drug is that it is available and relatively cheap.

What do fellow scientists say?

There has been plenty of positivity about the use of the drug but also caution.

“We have been burned before, not just during the coronavirus pandemic but even pre-COVID-19. With exciting results that when we have access to the data are not as convincing”, said Kathryn Hibbert, director of the medical intensive care unit at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital.

Hibbert said, published data would help her evaluate the findings and see which patients benefited the most and at what dose.

“I am very hopeful this is true because it would be a huge step forward in being able to help our patients,” she said. Further added she would not change practice at this point.

What other treatment plans are being used?

Other medicines, such as the anti-viral drug Favipilavir were to be exported from Japan, which is the main producer of the drug. Remdesivir is also one drug which is being used to treat coronavirus. Plasma therapy has also shown promising results.

Apart from this, China and Russia are leading clinical trials to work on treatment drugs for COVID-19, which are at advanced stages of studies.

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