Dewsbury GP surgery to take part in the Covid-19 drug trial

Nearly 100 GP practices across Yorkshire are participating in a drugs trial testing whether treatment in the community can help people at higher risk of complications from coronavirus get better quicker, reducing the need for them to go to hospital.

GPs surgeries spread across the region are recruiting people aged over 65, or over 50 with a pre-existing illness, into the study, run by Oxford University.

The Platform Randomised trial of Interventions against COVID-19 in older peoPLE (PRINCIPLE) trial is testing pre-existing drugs for older patients in the community who show signs of the disease.

Blackburn Road Medical Centre in Birstall, Eightlands Surgery in Dewsbury and Sunnybank Medical Centre in Wyke will be taking part in the trials

Members of the public who do not have access to one of these surgeries may still be able to take part by filling out an online form.

Professor Chris Butler, from Oxford University, who is leading the trial, said: “The PRINCIPLE trial platform is enabling us to rapidly evaluate potential treatments for COVID-19 in older people who are most at risk of serious complications from the illness.

“With enough people recruited, this trial will give us the vital information we need to understand whether existing drugs can help people recover sooner and at home, without needing to be admitted to hospital – a significant milestone in the course of this pandemic.

“As soon as we find that any one of the drugs in our trial is making a critical difference to people’s health, we want it to be part of clinical practice as soon as it can be introduced.”

Chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty said: “The Government is working with researchers to find proven, effective treatments for COVID-19. This PRINCIPLE trial is a vital part of this research effort and it’s being scaled up by GP surgeries across the country.

“I would urge anyone who is contacted to take part in this trial to do so and contribute to helping our world class scientists find a treatment that will save lives.”

Participants will be closely monitored for the first 28 days of the trial, with a review taking place for up to three months to understand the longer-term effects of the illness on their health.

Professor Fiona Watt, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said: “This trial is very important. It is focussed on older people and those with co-morbidities, who are much more likely to be hospitalised with COVID-19. We need more people to join the trial to see if we can identify a drug that helps prevent people reaching hospital and speeds up their recovery.”

For details of participating GP surgeries, and a link to the online screening questionnaire, visit the PRINCIPLE trial website. PRINCIPLE is led from the Primary Care Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Oxford.