U.K. approves steroid after master protocol shows survival benefit in COVID-19

The U.K. has approved dexamethasone to treat COVID-19, the same day an adaptive trial based in the country demonstrated the anti-inflammatory steroid increased survival. It is the first therapy to show a mortality benefit in a randomized, controlled trial.

The approval covers patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who require oxygen. The U.K. said it has stockpiled enough doses of the steroid to treat over 200,000 patients...