Study led by Professor Martin Landray finds treatment that reduces COVID-19 deaths

The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy RECOVERY trial led by Senior Research Fellow Professor Martin Landray, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology and Deputy Director of the Big Data Institute at Nuffield Department of Population Health and Director of Health Data Research UK, has been working to identify treatments that may be beneficial for adults hospitalised with confirmed COVID-19.

The study has found that low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone reduces the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators. For those on oxygen, it cut deaths by a fifth. This is the first treatment found to reduce mortality in hospitalised patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19, and is widely available around the world.

Trial lead Professor Landray said ‘Since the appearance of COVID-19 six months ago, the search has been on for treatments that can improve survival, particularly in the sickest patients. These preliminary results from the RECOVERY trial are very clear – dexamethasone reduces the risk of death among patients with severe respiratory complications. COVID-19 is a global disease – it is fantastic that the first treatment demonstrated to reduce mortality is one that is instantly available and affordable worldwide.’

Read more about RECOVERY trial’s breakthrough finding