UK Starts World’s Largest Trial Of Potential Coronavirus Treatments
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The UK is undertaking the largest randomised clinical trial of potential treatments for COVID-19, with a number of treatments being tested in the hope that one will be able to help the NHS fight the coronavirus outbreak effectively.
According to the Department of Health, almost 1,000 patients from 132 different hospitals across the country were recruited in the first two weeks, with the aim to recruit thousands more in the coming weeks.
Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock said: “The UK is leading the way on research in the race to find treatments and we have now launched the largest trial in the world, pooling resources with our world-leading life science sector.”
He also described the trial as “a major milestone in our battle against Coronavirus”. Among the medications that the trial is testing are Lopinavir-Ritonavir, which is commonly used to treat HIV; Dexamethasone, a kind of steroid that’s used to reduce inflammation in a variety of conditions; and Hydroxychloroquine, which is a malaria treatment.
The medications included in the trial have been recommended by an expert panel who are advising the Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty.
Professor Whitty commented: “The UK has world-leading life sciences and research sectors and, because of our joined-up healthcare and health research system, we have been able to get hundreds of patients involved in this clinical trial in just two weeks.”
The National Institute for Health Research highlighted the importance of continuing to recruit patients to the clinical trials. It pointed to a letter written by the UK’s five most senior doctors, who have asked all NHS Trusts to make every effort to enrol as many patients as possible.
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