health

First drug proves able to improve survival from COVID-19

8 Comments
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE

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8 Comments
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Good news!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

This is the same study that earlier this month showed the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine was not working against the coronavirus.

This is a little unclear, but I think this is not the same study that featured in Lancet and was later withdrawn. The withdrawn study was based on data from a company called Surgisphere.

(From what I understand, the marketing executive of Surgisphere is not "a hired call girl" but "an adult model and events hostess". In the interests of science, we must try to be accurate. :-) )

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The news is not so much about a drug being discovered as effective, but about the specific way it can be used with efficacy.

Since the complications of the disease are already identified as immunity related it was obvious that anything that usually is effective to treat immune problems had a chance of improving the COVID patients, the problem is that just switching off the immune system during any infection risks making things worse by letting the bug do as it pleased. So the most important part of using immunomodulators is getting the details right. When to use? how much? for how long?

Dexamethasone is a well studied steroid and this allows for doctors to adjust dosage to get its effects exactly in the degree they want, and as predicted this allows for patients with immune related pathology to improve.

Maybe other steroids will be better, maybe dosage can be further improved, maybe other kinds of immunomodulation can protect the patients even more. Even if nobody is exactly surprised it works it is still a very nice first step in a hopefully long chain of better and better options for treatments.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Media pumped hope story with little accuracy or proof.

It seems quality care will prevent you from being put on ventilator and save your life. Doc Hansen explains it better so subscribe to him for accurate reports https://youtu.be/jrwSo9ZDZEg

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

"...Researchers in England..."

No, researchers in the UK. You only use England if it's needed to distinguish it from the actual country, which in this case, you do not.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

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