There is good news in the fight against COVID-19. Canadian researchers say they have found the world’s first oral drug that can be used to help fight the virus.
Quebec researchers say they have found an “effective” drug that can help millions of outpatients, according to the Montreal Heart Institute.
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reduction in COVID-19-related deaths with colchicine
The medical institute announced the results on Friday and believes it has stumbled upon a key resource that could be an essential tool in the treatment of outpatients – colchicine.
The oral pill has also been reportedly used for other illnesses in the past, by CTV.
According to the researchers, the clinical trial to test the drug showed encouraging results.
The study concluded that colchicine reduced the risk of death or hospitalization by 21% in people with COVID-19 compared to placebo.
In addition, in patients who tested positive for COVID-19, the drug not only reduced hospitalizations by 25%, but also deaths by 44% and the need for a ventilator by 50%.
“This important scientific discovery makes colchicine the first oral drug in the world that could be used to treat outpatients with COVID-19,” says the report.
Cover photo used for illustrative purposes.