This week, the Department of Health and Social Care have rolled out a drug that has been been hailed an ‘astounding breakthough’ by the Health Secretary Matt Hancock in a move that will help save thousands of lives.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust at St Mary’s hospital in Newport was one of the NHS Trusts across the UK that led on the Covid-19 Recovery clinical trial into the drug dexamethasone. It has proven to reduce mortality by over one third in patients ventilated with Covid-19.
Isle of Wight patients have contributed to outcome
Alastair Flowerdew, Medical Director at the Isle of Wight NHS Trust commented,
“The Isle of Wight NHS Trust was part of the clinical trial for dexamethasone and today brings good news as this drug has been found to show positive results for hospitalised patients with Covid-19. Patients on the Island have contributed to this outcome, having access to this medicine which has shown signs of being effective in Covid-19 recovery.
“This is great news for our Island Community and a testament to the Trust’s staff in implementing new approaches to treatment during very challenging times.”
Adaptive randomised controlled clinical trial
The clinical trial known as ‘Recovery Trial’ is an adaptive randomised controlled clinical trial that was set up purely to identify treatment options for patients hospitalised with Covid-19.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust opened this trial in mid-April with a number of patients recruited and randomised into it.
Alastair Flowerdew continued,
“Opening this trial has only been possible due to a continued collaboration of teams within the Trust’s Pharmacy Department, Intensive Therapy Unit, Research Department and Medical Admissions Unit.”
News shared by Isle of Wight NHS Trust, in their own words. Ed
