Coronavirus: Addenbrooke’s patient takes part in national trial; hospital ‘in need of masks and eyewear’

The individual is the first at the hospital in Cambridge - which treats patients from Peterborough - to take part in the Randomised Evaluation of Covid-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) Trial which is being led by Oxford researchers and will test several medications that are safely used for other conditions and have shown promise in other countries.

A hospital spokesperson said: “The opportunity to join this trial will be offered to adults who are hospitalised with Covid-19 at Addenbrooke’s and other participating NHS hospitals across the country and who do not have health conditions that would interact with the trial drugs.

“There are three drugs being tested in the first stages of the trial, including hydroxychloroquine, which is similar to a drug used to treat malaria. However, the trial follows an adaptive design, which means that if further drugs show promise they can be added to this trial.

“The trial results will be regularly reviewed so that any treatments that are found to be effective can be made available to all patients.

“Local principal investigator, Dr Martin Knolle, said: “This is an example of Cambridge researchers, as part of a national effort, pulling together to deliver potentially life-saving treatments in record time in the most difficult of circumstances. I am very proud of our team and research community for this response.”

Meanwhile, vice chancellor of the University of Cambridge Professor Stephen Toope has stated that staff at Addenbrooke’s have been inundated with donations of PPE equipment, but that more eyewear is urgently needed.

He wrote on the university’s website: “Many people across the university have continued to offer support to our local and national health services in countless ways – including medical students signing up to the NHS Taskforce.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those across our community who continue to use our dedicated email address ([email protected]) with offers of support for local and national health services.

“We are receiving a large number of donations of PPE equipment, and we now have a process in place that enable us to store them and send them to our hospital. At the moment, the hospital is particularly in need of masks (FFP2 and FFP3), visors, reusable goggles and protective glasses.

“No more gloves are needed at this stage. If you can help, please continue to use the university’s dedicated webpage (https://www.cam.ac.uk/business-and-enterprise/help-us-tackle-covid-19) as that will ensure that we can provide a coordinated ongoing response.

For the latest coronavirus articles, visit: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/health/coronavirus.