Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Cheap asthma drug reduces recovery time in Covid-19 patients: Oxford study

A widely available and inexpensive corticosteroid has been found to reduce recovery time in Covid-19 patients, according to a large clinical study led by Oxford university.

The Platform Randomised Trial of Interventions against Covid-19 in Older People (PRINCIPLE) trial found that early treatment with inhaled budesonide shortened recovery time by a median of three days in patients with coronavirus who were at higher risk of more severe illness and were treated in the community.


The trial's joint chief investigator Professor Chris Butler said: "Medical practitioners around the world caring for people with Covid-19 in the community may wish to consider this evidence when making treatment decisions."

As the UK government’s national priority platform trials, PRINCIPLE is the world’s largest Phase 3 platform randomised controlled trial to find clear evidence of an effective Covid-19 treatment for use in the community that can significantly shorten recovery time.

Inhaled budesonide is a safe, relatively inexpensive and readily available corticosteroid commonly used around the world in inhalers to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It was added to the PRINCIPLE trial in November last year.

For the interim report, a total of 961 patients were randomly assigned to receive inhaled budesonide at home and were compared with 1,819 patients randomly assigned to the usual standard of NHS care alone.

Of these, 751 people in the budesonide group and 1,028 in the usual care group were SARS-CoV-2 positive and included in the primary interim analysis.

Based on the interim analysis using the latest data from March 25, 2021, the results showed the estimated median time to self-reported recovery for inhaled budesonide was 3.011 days shorter compared to usual care.

Patients with COVID-19 symptoms that started within 14 days and who are at higher risk of a poor outcome from the illness could join the trial and those with a positive SARS-CoV-2 result were included in the main analysis.

Patients treated with inhaled budesonide were asked to inhale 800 micrograms twice a day for 14 days and were followed-up for 28 days. All patients were aged over 50 with an underlying health condition that put them at more risk of serious Covid-19 illness, or aged over 65.

Joint chief investigator Professor Richard Hobbs said: "For the first time we have high-quality evidence of an effective treatment that can be rolled out across the community for people who are at most risk of developing more severe illness from Covid-19."

Professor Mona Bafadhel is a consultant respiratory physician who led the Phase 2 efficacy study of inhaled budesonide for early Covid-19 and led the development of the budesonide study arm for PRINCIPLE.

She said: "The news that the findings of the earlier-phase STOIC trial, which reported at the beginning of the year, have been replicated at scale here in the PRINCIPLE trial is outstanding. We are now sure that we have a treatment that will benefit patients with early COVID-19 worldwide Inhaled budesonide is readily available worldwide and commonly used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."

Professor Fiona Watt, executive chair of the Medical Research Council, which co-funded the study, said: "Researchers involved in the PRINCIPLE trial have overcome considerable logistical hurdles to set up a world-leading rigorous drug trial in people’s homes. We are now rewarded with the first inexpensive and widely available drug that can shorten recovery times for Covid-19 patients in the community. People around the world will be helped to recover faster thanks to these exciting new results."

PRINCIPLE is funded by a grant to the University of Oxford from UK Research and Innovation and the Department of Health and Social Care through the National Institute for Health Research as part of the UK government’s rapid research response fund.

More For You

NHS pharmacy funding not enough 2025: £3.073B deal with £1.99B gap fuels reform debate.

Funding alone isn’t going to be enough to save community pharmacy

Photo credit: gettyimages

New funding contract ‘not enough’ to release the sector from financial blackhole

After almost a year without an agreement, a new funding contract for community pharmacy was finally announced yesterday (31 March).

The settlement raises the baseline annual funding for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) in 2025/26 to £3.073 billion, with an additional £215 million secured to continue Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Recovery Plan services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pharmacy First: Government confirms £215 million boost to realise its full potential

From April 2025, the consultation fee for Pharmacy First Minor Illness and Clinical Pathways will rise from £15 to £17.

‘Pharmacy First hasn't realised its full potential,’ says Stephen Kinnock

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock has acknowledged that Pharmacy First has huge potential, noting that the service “hasn't realised its full potential.”

As part of efforts to enhance the service, Kinnock yesterday (30) announced £215 million in additional funding for Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Access Recovery Plan services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Free morning-after pill at pharmacies to end postcode lottery for patients

Pharmacy technicians will be allowed to supply of drospirenone for contraception under PGD,

gettyimages

Pharmacy contract: Free morning-after pill to be available at pharmacies soon

The UK government has announced that, for the first time ever, the ‘morning-after pill’ or emergency contraceptive pill will be available free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS, ending the postcode lottery women face in accessing the medicine and reducing inequalities.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed a record £3.073 billion funding package for community pharmacies in 2025/26, alongside an additional £215 million to sustain Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Recovery Plan services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Royal College status: The PDA calls for ‘meaningful and collaborative dialogue’

The profession’s success will depend on collaboration across all sectors, says PDA.

gettyimages

Royal College vote: Less than 7% of GB pharmacists in favour, says PDA

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has criticised the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) for moving too quickly to a ballot on its proposed transition to a Royal College, arguing that it resulted in low participation from pharmacists in Great Britain.

Announcing the results of the special resolution vote, the RPS said that the outcome was a “clear mandate” in favour of the transformative change.

Keep ReadingShow less
RPS Wales calls for urgent investment in pharmacy workforce at Senedd meeting

Third from the left: Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales

Photo credit: RPS

Invest in pharmacy workforce: RPS Wales urges Senedd members

Members of the Senedd (MSs) were briefed on the increasing pressures facing pharmacy teams and the urgent need for action to support their health and wellbeing at an event hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Wales.

The event, held on Wednesday, brought together MSs, including first minister Eluned Morgan, to discuss the findings of RPS’ latest Workforce Wellbeing Survey.

Keep ReadingShow less