A commonly used arthritis drug has
shown "excellent results" in two coronavirus patients and a
national protocol for its extensive use against the virus should
be drawn up, oncologist Paolo Ascierto of Naples' Pascale
Hospital said Wednesday.
The drug, tocilizumab, "has shown it is effective against
pneumonia caused by COVID-29," he said.
One of the two patients will be taken off life support
Thursday because of the improvement in his condition, Ascierto
said.
He called for a "national protocol to immediately extend the
use of tocilizumab in an emergency that has killed 631 people
and infected over 10,000 in Italy".
Ascierto said the hospital had started treating two other
patients with the virus on Tuesday and will begin treating
another two Wednesday.
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