Former coronavirus patient Pete Herring, 69, from Ely in Cambridgeshire, was treated with dexamethasone. The UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, hailed the drug today as the "biggest breakthrough yet" in the UK's coronavirus fight.
Herring was among the 6,000 participants of the trials of dexamethasone, a cheap steroid drug known for its efficacy in increasing the survival rate of COVID-19 patients. Study lead author, Professor Peter Horby, from Oxford University, said that life could be saved with every eight patients.
Mr. Herring's Incredible Recovery
Mr. Herring, who was 24 hours away from being placed on a ventilator, praised the experimental treatment.
He told The Sun: "When I went into the hospital, my breathing was pretty bad, and the doctors put me on oxygen. I was quite worried, as I have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, and had bowel cancer 15 years ago, so I was high risk."
He claims that the drug saved his life as his breathing was getting worse, but then he was able to recover fast. After spending five days in the intensive care unit and just over a week after he was hospitalized, Mr. Herring was able to go home.
"I am feeling absolutely wonderful now. I have bounced back and am full of energy," Mr. Herring said.
He said that he felt lucky that he was given dexamethasone, and he is sure that it was the drug that made the difference in his case. Mr. Herring expressed his gratitude to the team at Addenbrooke's Hospital and the standard of care they gave.
He is also happy that the drug will be distributed across the UK to save more lives.
His incredible recovery comes as PM Boris Johnson praised the drug. Professor Peter Horby said at a Downing Street briefing that one of eight people treated with the medication could be saved. Approximately 35% of patients relying on ventilators reduced the odds of dying by a fifth for all patients needing oxygen.
Dexamethasone: The Second Drug to Treat COVID-19
The breakthrough drug was first created in the 1950s, usually for treating ulcerative colitis, arthritis, and some types of cancer. Dexamethasone is already licensed and proven to be safe. It means that it can be given directly to patients and can be manufactured cheaply and mass-produced by companies all over the world.
The RECOVERY TRIAL conducted by scientists from Oxford University suggests that the steroid can prevent death in one in eight coronavirus patients using ventilators and one in 25 on breathing support. It is the first trial to show that treatment provides a significant impact in reducing the risk of death.
However, the drug did not seem to affect patients admitted to the hospital with the virus but did not require oxygen. Dexamethasone is now the second drug in the NHS arsenal to treat COVID-19, aside from the Ebola drug remdisivir, which was given the green light last month.
Health officials have already imposed a ban on the exportation of dexamethasone to other countries to protect the UK's supply. They have already stockpiled 200,000 courses of the drug for British patients.
The UK is the first to approve dexamethasone for COVID-19 patients, but clinical trials are ongoing in other countries such as France, Spain, Iran, and America.
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