Clinical Trial Found World’s First Oral Medication that is Effective for Treating COVID-19

A clinical trial has provided clinically persuasive results of colchicine’s efficacy to treat COVID-19, the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI), a hospital affiliated with Université de Montréal, announced on January 22, 2021.

According to the institute, the study results have shown that colchicine has reduced by twenty-one percent (21%) the risk of death or hospitalizations in patients with COVID-19 compared to placebo. The said result was obtained from a population of 4,488 patients.

“The analysis of the 4159 patients in whom the diagnosis of COVID-19 was proven by a naso-pharyngeal PCR test has shown that the use of colchicine was associated with statistically significant reductions in the risk of death or hospitalization compared to placebo. In these patients with a proven diagnosis of COVID-19, colchicine reduced hospitalizations by 25%, the need for mechanical ventilation by 50%, and deaths by 44%,” the institute also explained.

Thus, it was claimed by the MHI that the scientific discovery “makes colchicine the world’s first oral drug that could be used to treat non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19.”

The clinical trial was conducted in Canada, the United States, Europe, South America and South Africa. It was said that the trial has been contact-less, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and has taken place at home.

Furthermore, Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, the Director of the MHI Research Center, Professor of Medicine at the Université de Montréal and Principal Investigator of the trial, stated that they are to offer the medication to the world.

“We are pleased to offer the first oral medication in the world whose use could have a significant impact on public health and potentially prevent COVID-19 complications for millions of patients,” said Dr. Tardif.

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Source: Montreal Heart Institute/Institut De Cardiologie De Montreal