On the 16th local time, the WHO said that the results of preliminary clinical trials in the United Kingdom showed that dexamethasone can save the lives of critically ill patients with new coronary pneumonia. For patients who use ventilators, their mortality rate can be reduced by about one third. Oxygen patients can reduce their mortality by about one-fifth. The study pointed out that the improvement effect of dexamethasone was only seen in severe patients, but not in mild patients.
WHO Director-General Tan Desai said that this is the first treatment that can reduce the mortality of patients with new coronary pneumonia who require oxygen or ventilators. This is good news. Congratulations to the British government, Oxford University and for this Breakthrough hospitals and patients who contribute.
Dexamethasone is a steroid that has been used to reduce inflammation in many diseases since the 1960s. Since 1977, it has been included in the "World Health Organization Essential Medicines Standard List" in various formulations. (Headquarters reporter Zhu He)