The Medical Advisor

Update from the Chief Investigators of the Platform Randomised trial of INterventions against COVID-19 In older peoPLE (PRINCIPLE), 25 January 2021 In March 2020, the UK-wide Platform Randomised trial of INterventions against COVID-19 In older people (PRINCIPLE) trial was established as a flexible, platform randomised clinical trial to test a range of potential treatments for COVID-19 that might be suitable for use in the community to help people recover more quickly and prevent the need for hospital admission. The trial is one of three national platform trials for COVID-19 treatments, and complements the RECOVERY and REMAP-CAP trials that focus on hospitalised patients. Azithromycin and doxycycline are two commonly used antibiotics investigated as separate treatments in the trial. Both drugs are being used by some doctors in the hope of treating COVID-19 in the early stages of the illness. After reviewing interim analyses of both the azithromycin and doxycycline arms of the PRINCIPLE

What will you do if you get COVID while waiting in line for the vaccine, or even after? If you are in Mexico City, you will be treated with ivermectin. As of Dec 29, this long-established drug has been used in COVID-positive patients, and soon thereafter death rates started to plummet, as  the graphic shows . By Jan 22, about 50,000 doses had been delivered. Mexico City is following the example of the state of Chiapas, which saw cases drop by two-thirds after it started using ivermectin on Aug 1, as  Dr. Pierre Kory told the U.S. Senate  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Dec 8. It is too soon to see whether vaccinations decrease the rate of COVID hospitalizations or deaths. In the U.S., these are still rising, and the official policy on early treatment is still therapeutic nihilism. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) did update its long-standing recommendation against ivermectin to “neutral.” It considers the  evidence from 39 trials , all favorable, to be

Collecting data on oxygen levels is crucial because people with COVID-19 may suffer from "silent hypoxia", a dangerous condition in which they do not outwardly appear to be short of breath, but are confirmed to be so through a pulse oximeter test. Pulse oximeters , or pulse ox, measure the amount of oxygenated blood (SpO2) in your body, giving medical professionals an idea of how much oxygen your body is carrying to vital organs and tissues.  Patients with COVID-19 who don’t need immediate hospital attention but are at high risk of developing serious symptoms are to be given pulse oximeters to use at home to reduce the risk of serious deterioration, The BMJ has learnt ( BMJ, published 27 October 2020 ). NHS England is believed to have purchased around 200,000 pulse oximeters for the scheme, which clinical commissioning groups across England will be able to access. As suggested by a social media posting by University Malaya Medical Centre (PPUM), the usage of pulse oximeter i

In 2020 - or the year that drew so many parallels to the dystopian sci-fi show Black Mirror that its creators  decided to write a comedy  instead - we were all in a race. A race to curb the novel coronavirus’ spread and “flatten the curve”; with dismal results. In 2021, we are yet in another race. A race to vaccinate the world. It was the news (or more likely, the miracle) we were eagerly waiting for: to have a functional vaccine against COVID-19 as soon as possible. And in less than a year since the WHO declared the state of pandemic, we have more than one such vaccine. Records  were broken in vaccine development rates , we have the hope we were looking for and the unspoken prophecy was fulfilled. Now, several vaccines are approved in many countries and even by leading healthcare authorities; with millions of people already having been vaccinated. But this is not enough. We need billions to get their shot, or  around 60-70% of the global population , to achieve herd immunity and stop

Are you looking for a product to treat your acne in Malaysia? With tons of low quality information out there on acne treatment, I am not surprised if you are confused and over-whelmed with acne treatment information or rather mis-information i.e. recommendations from Facebook friends, neighbours, emails, forum recommendations, search engine results etc. Another K-beauty innovation is popping up everywhere: acne patches. Instead of popping and picking your blemishes, slap a pimple patch on top of it. Unlike some spot treatments, the sticker won't leave your skin dry and flaky. Most are small, circular hydrocolloid bandages, meaning they absorb fluid from the pimple. You'll know it's working because you can see the process happening: The clear patch turns white and expands, and the skin (where your zit once was) flattens out and becomes redness-free. After a couple of hours (or a good night's sleep), peel it off to see your results. Acne stickers also have the added benef

This has been a devastating year. More than 1.6 million people have died in the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 75 million cases and tens of trillions of dollars in economic damages. Millions of people are out of work and struggling to pay their bills, and more than a billion children are missing out on crucial time in school. In the U.S., this year also saw the horrifying killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, ruinous wildfires, and a presidential election unlike any other in modern times. But there is good news coming in 2021. I spent most of my time this year working with colleagues at the foundation and around the world on ways to test for, treat, and prevent COVID-19. When I think back on the pace of scientific advances in 2020, I am stunned. Humans have never made more progress on any disease in a year than the world did on COVID-19 this year. Under normal circumstances, creating a vaccine can take 10 years. This time, multiple vaccines were created in less than one year