Cheap Drug Shown to Improve COVID-19 Survival

DMM英会話のdaily newsに対する自分なりの意見を備忘録としてまとめています。今回取り上げるテーマはCheap Drug Shown to Improve COVID-19 Survivalです。

Cheap Drug Shown to Improve COVID-19 Survival

Researchers in England say they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 survival: A cheap, widely available steroid reduced deaths by up to one third in very ill, hospitalized patients.

The British government immediately authorized the drug's use across the United Kingdom for coronavirus patients like those who did well in the study. Researchers said they would publish results soon in a medical journal, and several independent experts said it's important to see details to know how much of a difference the drug, dexamethasone, might make.

The study, led by the University of Oxford, gave the drug to 2,104 patients and compared them with 4,321 patients getting regular care.

The drug was given for 10 days. After four weeks, it had reduced deaths by 35% in patients who needed treatment with breathing machines, and by 20% in those only needing extra oxygen. It did not appear to help patients that were less ill.

"Those are big effects," said one study leader, Dr. Martin Landray at Oxford. He also said that the drug is very cheap, perhaps $20 or $30 for the full treatment.

Although the Oxford researchers talked only about dexamethasone, the plans for the study say that hospitals could also use two other steroids. According to Dr. Francisco Marty at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, there's no reason to think any particular steroid works better than another.

Until now, the only drug shown to help fight COVID-19 is remdesivir, an experimental drug from Gilead Sciences. It shortened the time to recovery for very ill hospitalized patients to 11 days on average compared to 15 days for those just given regular care.

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Discussion:

■1:What are your thoughts on this discovery?

I think it's a great discovery.
Until now, Remdesivir was the only effective drug for patients infected with COVID-19, and the discovery of more effective drugs was expected worldwide.

On the other hand, steroids are also a type of drug that suppresses immunity, and it is known that side effects associated with long-term medication include easy infection, insomnia, and diabetes and so on.

This study reports that the most promising characters were patients with particularly severe conditions. The development of effective drugs at an early stage and drugs that can be used to prevent the onset of the disease (vaccines) is expected in the future.

■2:Do you think a COVID-19 vaccine will be developed in the near future? Why? Why not?

I don't think the vaccine will be developed soon.

As Dr Fauci said in a press conference, it will take at least 1.5-2 years to develop. Vaccine development started around January 2020, so I think it will take time at least until the end of 2021.

Furthermore, the above period is an assumption that all phases of the study could be achieved without any problems, and in fact there may be side effects or the vaccine considered as a candidate may not be effective for all human beings. I'm worried about it.
In this case, we think that it will take several years more.

■3:Have you ever thought about studying medicine? If so, what area would you like to focus on? If not, why not?

I have thought about studying medicine.

I'm particularly interested in immunology. In this pandemic case, I would like to learn about the process by which coronavirus invades, destroys and propagates in the cells of the body.
This is because studying the behavioral patterns of viruses will lead to the establishment of appropriate treatment methods.

■4:If you were a medical researcher, what diseases would you focus on finding a cure for? Why?

My answer is similar to the previous question.

■5:Would you ever consider taking part in a medical trial or experiment?

I feel like participating in clinical trials, but in reality I would decline.
This is because the drugs used in clinical trials are not safe.

In addition, if side effects of the therapeutic drug appear immediately, it may be said that they are related to medication.
However, if side effects appear after a long period of time, it may not be recognized as a side effect of the investigational drug.
Therefore, I think that you should participate only if you are aware of these risks.

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Further Discussion:

■1:In your opinion, what are the most important medical inventions or discoveries of all time?

I think the answer depends on what you are interested in.
Personally, I am interested in advanced treatment using a combination of medicine and engineering.

For example, artificial joints and pacemakers were able to overcome illness at a level that could not be resolved by drugs and natural healing. At present, it is technically possible to create human organs using regenerative medicine technology.

■2:What changes do you hope to see in medicine and healthcare over your lifetime? Please explain your answer.

I think that genetic research may make a dramatic evolution in the future.

For example, if you know that you will be genetically more likely to have diabetes in the future, you will be able to be careful about your diet when you are young.
Also, if you have a genetic trait that makes you vulnerable to cancer, we may be able to change your body's constitution to make it less likely to become cancer by making a drug that acts on it.

■3:Is medicine expensive where you live? Please explain your answer.

Globally, I think Japan's medical costs are extremely low.
Japan has a universal health insurance system, and all people are free to choose a hospital or doctor to receive medical examination.

Since the out-of-pocket cost is 10 to 30% of medical expenses, the risk of bankruptcy due to medical expenses is extremely low compared to the United States.

Furthermore, I am proud that Japan has the highest level of medical technology in the world. I believe that good medical care can be obtained at a low price.

■4:Have you ever gotten sick or been to hospital in a foreign country?

I have never visited an overseas hospital.
In the case of an emergency, I have no choice but to rely on overseas medical institutions, but in the case of a disease that can be treated on a stand-by basis, I hope to treat it in Japan.

■5:When was the last time you were sick? How long did it take you to recover?

When I was about 20 years old, I was injured in a ligament of the knee in sports and had surgery.
The surgery itself was performed endoscopically, but I needed to rehabilitate for about two weeks after surgery until I was able to walk.