The fact that a study from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that the drug has no effect on patients’ chances of survival does not have any immediate effect on the use of the drug Remdesivir in severely affected corona patients in Denmark.
This is what Jens Lundgren, professor and chief physician in infectious disease medicine at Rigshospitalet, says.
– As it looks now, I do not think we will change our treatment guidelines and the way we use the drug, because there is a feeling that it works.
During the corona crisis, it has been known since the spring that Remdesivir can make the affected patients recover faster. This was also pointed out by a study with Danish participation in the spring.
But the new WHO study shows that the drug can not save patients’ lives, writes the Financial Times.
The WHO has not itself commented on the result.
According to Jens Lundgren, treatment with the remedy gives good results if used correctly.
– The study, which we ourselves helped to do, showed that the effect of the treatment was quite narrow. So it depends a lot on who you give it to.
– It should be given to patients very early after they become ill. This is where it has its effect, because if you enter too late in the course of the disease, the effect disappears, says Jens Lundgren.
Christian Wamberg, who is chief physician at the intensive care unit at Bispebjerg Hospital, also says that treatment with Remdesivir will continue.
– We do not necessarily save the most seriously ill, but it is one of the means we have. So I think then, based on the studies and numbers we have so far, we will continue to use it.
– It is used for virtually all hospitalized corona patients. But we still do not know exactly whether this is what makes them better, he says.
The WHO has tested four different drugs on 11,266 inpatients. These are Remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, anti-HIV drugs and interferon.
As early as June, however, the use of hydroxychloroquine and the anti-HIV drug was stopped, as it proved ineffective according to the WHO.
Remdesivir and interferon were therefore continued in 500 hospitals in 30 countries, WHO chief Soumya Swaminathan said on Wednesday.
The new study shows that neither of the two drugs “significantly affected mortality” or reduced the need for a respirator for patients.
This is what Jens Lundgren, professor and chief physician in infectious disease medicine at Rigshospitalet, says.
– As it looks now, I do not think we will change our treatment guidelines and the way we use the drug, because there is a feeling that it works.
During the corona crisis, it has been known since the spring that Remdesivir can make the affected patients recover faster. This was also pointed out by a study with Danish participation in the spring.
But the new WHO study shows that the drug can not save patients’ lives, writes the Financial Times.
The WHO has not itself commented on the result.
According to Jens Lundgren, treatment with the remedy gives good results if used correctly.
– The study, which we ourselves helped to do, showed that the effect of the treatment was quite narrow. So it depends a lot on who you give it to.
– It should be given to patients very early after they become ill. This is where it has its effect, because if you enter too late in the course of the disease, the effect disappears, says Jens Lundgren.
Christian Wamberg, who is chief physician at the intensive care unit at Bispebjerg Hospital, also says that treatment with Remdesivir will continue.
– We do not necessarily save the most seriously ill, but it is one of the means we have. So I think then, based on the studies and numbers we have so far, we will continue to use it.
– It is used for virtually all hospitalized corona patients. But we still do not know exactly whether this is what makes them better, he says.
The WHO has tested four different drugs on 11,266 inpatients. These are Remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, anti-HIV drugs and interferon.
As early as June, however, the use of hydroxychloroquine and the anti-HIV drug was stopped, as it proved ineffective according to the WHO.
Remdesivir and interferon were therefore continued in 500 hospitals in 30 countries, WHO chief Soumya Swaminathan said on Wednesday.
The new study shows that neither of the two drugs “significantly affected mortality” or reduced the need for a respirator for patients.