Painkiller Ibuprofen May Boost Coronavirus Survival Rate -UK Scientists

Painkiller Ibuprofen could be vital in the treatment of severe cases of Coronavirus, some scientists  in the United Kingdom have suggested. 

According to a report by The Sun, the  scientists said that the cheap painkiller could help improve survival rates by up to 80 per cent, and reduce the need for patients to be treated in intensive care.
Already, a team of scientists in London have begun a clinical trial aimed at seeing  if the anti-inflammatory could in fact help speed up recovery in some patients.

Animal studies have shown that the treatment can increase survival rates by 80 per cent.

Prof Mitul Mehta, who’s leading the trial at KCL, told PA: “This is very promising, but of course it is an animal study, so we want to translate that really compelling result into humans.

“It’s a trial for patients with Covid-19 disease to see if giving them an anti-inflammatory drug – a specific form of ibuprofen – will reduce the respiratory problems they have.”

Prof Mehta stressed that the trial was for patients already in hospital, not those with mild or suspected Covid-19.

Volunteers will be selected from patients who are in hospital, but that are not so ill they need intensive care.

Prof Mehta said: “If we can reduce their symptoms at that stage we have a number of benefits.

“We could reduce the amount of time someone spends in hospital – they might recover quicker and go home, that’s obviously a fantastic outcome.

“We also might reduce the degree of respiratory distress so that it can be managed in the hospital setting, without needing to go to ICU, and that’s a fantastic outcome as well.

“Theoretically, this treatment, given at this time, should be beneficial.

“But, of course, this is based on animal studies. It’s based on case reports, we need to do a trial to show that the evidence actually matches what we expect to happen.”

The report said that the  trial was being carried out at KCL as well as Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust, along with the pharmaceutical organisation, the SEEK Group.

Half of the patients taking part will be given standard care, while the other half will receive standard care as well as the special ibuprofen formulation.

Prof Matthew Hotopf, director of the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, said: “This highly innovative therapeutic approach seeks to rapidly advance a potentially important new treatment.

“If successful, the global public health value of this trial would be immense given the low cost and availability of this medicine.”