"Major Breakthrough" in COVID-19 fight: Dexamethasone proves first life-saving drug

According to a recent trial data, giving low doses of the generic steroid drug dexamethasone cut the risk of death by a third for COVID-19 patients on ventilators. For those on oxygen it cut deaths by a fifth.

The results of the UK-based RECOVERY trial, one of the world's largest randomised trial of drugs to treat COVID-19 patients, were published on June 16. It is being termed a "major breakthrough" by experts leading the trial.

"This is tremendous news today from the Recovery trial showing that dexamethasone is the first drug to reduce mortality from COVID-19. It is particularly exciting as this is an inexpensive widely available medicine," the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance was quoted as saying by Moneycontrol.com.

Peter Horby, one of the Chief Investigators for the trial and a professor at Oxford University said: "Dexamethasone is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19. This is an extremely welcome result. The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment, so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients. Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide."

"Since the appearance of COVID-19 six months ago, the search has been on for treatments that can improve survival, particularly in the sickest patients. These preliminary results from the RECOVERY trial are very clear – dexamethasone reduces the risk of death among patients with severe respiratory complications," said Martin Landray, another Oxford University professor who is co-leading the trial.

There are  currently no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19.