According to The Daily Mail's latest report, a new study has shown that arthritis drugs can reduce the risk of death in severely ill coronavirus patients in half. Actemra is now being eyed by medical experts to be used in a treatment cocktail together with remdesivir.
Experts claimed that a rheumatoid arthritis drug can potentially improve the conditions of severely ill COVID-19 patients. Scientists believe that the immune system's overreaction to the novel coronavirus can be controlled by a medication called Tocilizumab, sold under the brand names Actemra and RoAcemtra, that have anti-inflammatory properties.
The coronavirus patients that were given doses of the drugs cut their risk of dying by half compared with those who didn't receive the treatment. However, there is a pressing need to test both experimental therapies and existing medicines to stop the viral disease since there are no treatments specifically approved for the virus, aside from emergency use authorization.
Severe coronavirus patient's risk of death cut in half by arthritis drug; Controversial COVID-19 papers found by The Lancet
The report explained that Tocilizumab belongs to a class of drugs called interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitors that can mitigate a dangerous overreaction of the body's immune system against the virus.
Meanwhile, controversial COVID-19 documents were acquired from Lancet, and the New England Medical Journal. According to Fox News' latest report, controversial papers on COVID-19 treatments were retracted by the influential New England Medical Journal and the Lancet.
The acquired database was used by the Chicago company Surgisphere Corp., conducting an observational study of nearly 100,000 patients. The results were published on May 22 in the Lancet that tied chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, anti-malaria drugs, to a higher risk of death in hospitalized coronavirus patients.
"Today, three of the authors have retracted 'Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without a macrolide for treatment of COVID-19: a multinational registry analysis," tweeted the Lancet on Thursday, June 4, expressing its concern with the results of the study.
Today, three of the authors have retracted "Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without a macrolide for treatment of COVID-19: a multinational registry analysis" Read the Retraction notice and statement from The Lancet https://t.co/pPNCJ3nO8n pic.twitter.com/pB0FBj6EXr — The Lancet (@TheLancet) June 4, 2020
The Lancet stated that the company that conducted the study was unable to complete an independent audit of the data underpinning their analysis.
"As a result, they have concluded that they 'can no longer vouch for the veracity of the primary data sources.' The Lancet takes issues of scientific integrity extremely seriously, and there are many outstanding questions about Surgisphere and the data that were allegedly included in this study," stated the Lancet.
The study conducted by the Lancet had wide influence because of its size, although the experiment wasn't a rigorous one that could give definitive answers. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that it would temporarily stop a study of hydroxychloroquine, while hospitals in France will stop allowing the use of the medicine.
