The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulated this Wednesday, June 17, the first results of clinical trials conducted in the United Kingdom that show that dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, could save the lives of seriously ill patients from COVVI-19.
“Treatment has demonstrated its ability to reduce the mortality of approximately one third for patients under respirator, while for patients only needing oxygen, mortality has been reduced by about a fifth,” read the official UN organization site.
“This is the first time that treatment has demonstrated its ability to reduce mortality in COVVI-19 patients needing oxygen or mechanical ventilation,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, OMS Managing Director.
“This is a great news and I would like to thank the government of the United Kingdom, the University of Oxford and the many hospitals and patients in the United Kingdom who contributed to this scientific advance of vital importance. »»
Note that dexamethasone is a steroid used since the 1960s to reduce inflammation, including inflammatory disorders and certain cancers. This medication has appeared since 1977 on the WHO model list of essential drugs, under multiple formulations. Now in the public field, it is available at an affordable price in most countries.
