New British Medicine Reduces Corona Mortality – VG

– The drug is called Tocilizumab and it will reduce the mortality of a critically ill patient by nearly 25 percent, Boris Johnson said during a news conference Thursday night.

According to Johnson, the new drug will also cut time in intensive care by up to ten days.

– It is now approved and will be used by the UK National Health Authorities (NHS) immediately.

Not evaluated for this purpose in Norway

Karen Marie Ulshagen from the Norwegian Medicines Agency says the medicine is already used in Norway to treat, for example, arthritis, but is not currently considered for use in the EU for coronary treatment.

– The British believe that the drug reduces mortality, but they have chosen to base a study that has not been peer reviewed, says Ulshagen.

Therefore, he cannot comment on how quickly and if it will be available to Norwegian crown patients.

One and a half million Britons have been vaccinated

1.5 million Britons have received the first dose of the corona vaccine, Johnson continues.

They are waiting for a vaccine that can be stored at room temperature, which will allow them to pace the vaccination.

Johnson also says that within a month he wants to have all the elderly in nursing homes vaccinated with the new vaccine.

– It is vitally important that we trust these vaccines, he says.

Johnson further said that he would like to thank everyone involved in the vaccination process.

– We do everything possible to ensure that the vaccination is as fast as possible.

Here is an overview of the deaths reported in the UK so far:

Ebola drug “Remdesivir” was unsuccessful

This is not the first time that a drug that will improve the course of corona disease has been approved. In July, the European Commission approved the drug Remdesivir for use in the treatment of COVID-19.

Area Director Karen Marie Ulshagen from the Norwegian Medicines Agency told VG in July that Remdesivir was rapidly treated through the system in the EU and that national treatment would also be an urgent procedure in Norway.

Shortly after, several studies were conducted on the effect of Remdesivir in patients with coronary heart disease. The experiments yielded different results, but the WHO concluded in October that the drug was not an effective treatment for patients with coronary heart disease.