First coronavirus drug to be rolled out to seriously ill patients this week

The first drug for coronavirus will be rolled out to seriously ill patients, the Government has announced. From this week, some patients will be given remdesivir to help speed up their recovery. The drug is currently undergoing clinical trials around the world, including in the UK, with early data showing that it can shorten the time to recovery by about four days. Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said: "This is probably the biggest step forward in the treatment of coronavirus since the crisis began." The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has cleared the treatment to be used as part of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS). Commenting on the announcement, Dr Stephen Griffin, an associate professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds, said "The news that remdesivir will be available via the EAMS is welcome indeed. "It will likely mean that the most severe patients will receive it first. It is a welcome boost to the current repertoire of Covid-19 therapies, and it could be important for the longer-term management of the pandemic"

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