May 6, 2022
2 mins read

Health service rolls out arthritis drug Baricitinib to treat Covid

It will be the seventh COVID treatment approved in total for use on the NHS…reports Asian Lite News

The UK’s state-funded National Health Service (NHS) said that from Thursday it is rolling out the use of arthritis drug Baricitinib after it has proven to save lives when given to the most seriously ill COVID patients in hospital.

A trial carried out through the NHS and University of Oxford found that 13 per cent fewer severely ill patients died of COVID-19 when treated with Baricitinib compared to existing treatment options. Typically used to treat arthritis to reduce pain and inflammation, the NHS said Baricitinib can now be given to hospitalised COVID patients in addition to current treatments.

The more effective COVID treatments within the NHS arsenal, the more options doctors have to help patients who become seriously ill with COVID, preventing hospital admissions and saving lives, said NHS Medical Director Professor Steve Powis.

This is the fourth drug that has been fast-tracked for use on the NHS thanks to the world-leading RECOVERY [Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy] trial and is just as important because it gives our hard-working clinicians another life-saving treatment option and strengthens our defence against COVID-19, he said.

Arthritis drugs work by reducing inflammation caused by COVID-19 by blocking signals to the immune system that are causing it to attack the body. Patients given Baricitinib will receive a daily dose for 10 days, or until they are discharged from hospital, whichever comes first.

According to the NHS, the drug bolsters the options at doctors disposal when looking to treat hospitalised patients in the most effective way and can be used to supplement other COVID treatments in patients aged two and over. It will be the seventh COVID treatment approved in total for use on the NHS.

The move is described as the latest in an armoury of COVID treatments that the NHS has at its disposal, which now includes three repurposed arthritis drugs with Baricitinib joining Tocilizumab and Sarilumab that have treated an estimated 32,000 of the most severely ill COVID patients in England’s hospital.

The NHS says it has led the rollout of COVID medicines, from the discovery of Dexamethasone as the world’s first effective treatment to the first vaccination outside of a clinical trial in December 2020.

As well as these arthritis drugs, the NHS says it will continue to use other monoclonal antibody and antiviral treatments.

ALSO READ-MENA healthcare projects on track

Previous Story

With eye on Indo-Pacific, Britain agrees reciprocal defence pact with Japan

Next Story

Industrialist Lord Swraj Paul’s wife passes away

Latest from -Top News

India-EU Trade Talks Resume

The proposed India-EU FTA covers 23 policy areas, or chapters, of which at least two – market access and rules of origin – have yet to be resolved….reports Asian Lite News India

India Launches Relief Ops in Bhutan

The Royal Government of Bhutan has expressed sincere gratitude to the Indian Army…reports Asian Lite News Amid unprecedented floods caused by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, relentless rainfall has

Jaishankar Hints at Tariff Deal with US

Jaishankar explained that the ongoing trade tensions largely stem from the inability of both sides to reach a common ground on several issues….reports Asian Lite News External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on

Rajnath Singh Heads to Australia for Key Defence Talks

The visit comes at a historic moment when India and Australia commemorate five years of establishment of India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership…reports Asian Lite News Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Australia from
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Jaishankar: Covid solidified India’s position as ‘pharmacy of the world’

Jaishankar’s Colombia visit marks the first Foreign Ministerial level visit

Santosh Trophy postponed due to pandemic

The tournament was scheduled to be held at Malappuram in