UK Authorizes Dexamethasone as COVID-19 Treatment

The UK has authorized the use of the corticosteroid dexamethasone to reduce the risk of death in COVID-19 patients requiring ventilation or oxygen.

The UK government cited preliminary results from Oxford University’s RECOVERY trial, which showed that dexamethasone reduced the risk of death in ventilated patients by one-third and by one-fifth in patients on oxygen (DID, June 17).

The government said it is securing a supply of the drug for the treatment of more than 200,000 COVID-19 patients in case further trial results confirm its benefit.

Dexamethasone is a widely used anti-inflammatory for a variety of conditions such as arthritis, allergic reactions and certain cancers.

Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization’s Emergency Program, cautioned that the data from the Oxford trial, although “very significant,” is preliminary data from a single study, and that the full data from the trial needs to be seen.

Dexamethasone is “purely for use under close supervision” for severely ill COVID-19 patients requiring oxygen or mechanical ventilation, he said. — Jordan Williams