Dexamethasone: WHO Welcomes Results But Advises Cautious Use; Know Why It Is Not Advisable For All Patients

After researchers in the UK said that the steroid drug dexamethasone has proved to be a lifesaving drug, the WHO has welcomed the positive results. But warned that the powerful anti-inflammatory drug can only be taken under medical supervision.

(Representative Image/ Getty)

New Delhi: After several hits and misses it seems that scientists in the UK may have made progress in the search for an effective drug for coronavirus. This week researchers in the UK claimed that the steroid drug Dexamethasone has proved to be a lifesaving drug. Researchers have said that Dexamethasone has saved up to 5,000 lives in the UK. In a trial run by the Oxford University, about 2,000 hospital patients were given dexamethasone and compared with more than 4,000 who were not. The results showed that in patients on ventilators, Dexamethasone cut the risk of death from 40% to 28% while patients needing oxygen the risk of death was cut from 25% to 20%. The drug which is used to reduce inflammation in conditions like arthritis, asthma, and some skin conditions, appears to help stop the damage that can happen when the body's immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight off coronavirus. The University had started the RECOVERY (Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY) trial to test a range of potential treatments for COVID-19 in March. In a statement, Oxford University has said that over 11,500 patients have been enrolled from over 175 United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. Now the World Health Organization (WHO) has also welcomed the positive results of the drug but has also emphasised on the need to exercise caution. "This is very welcome news for those patients with severe illness," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General in a report by IANS.  Not advised for all: However, the WHO has also warned that drug has not shown much effect on mild cases especially for patients who do not need respiratory support. The powerful anti-inflammatory drug can only be taken under medical supervision. "In fact, steroids -- particularly powerful steroids -- can be associated with viral replication. In other words, they can facilitate the division and replication of viruses in human bodies. It is not a treatment for the virus itself. It is not prevention for the virus," he said, adding: "It's exceptionally important in this case that this drug is reserved for use in severely ill," said Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO Health Emergencies Program. He also added that this just ‘preliminary data from one study’ and that WHO is yet to see the final data. Earlier the Oxford University had announced that hydroxychloroquine has shown no significant benefit towards COVID-19 recovery. Also Watch: