De Montfort University students join clinical study to find Covid-19 treatments

Students from De Montfort University have become the first in the country to help drive a nationwide clinical study to find Covid-19 treatments for the over 50’s that can help speed up recovery.

The study known as the PRINCIPLE trial and led by a team from University of Oxford, is evaluating whether treatment prescribed in the first 14 days of Covid-19 illness can speed up recovery in people aged over 50 and prevent the need for hospital admission.

Over 3,000 volunteers have so far been recruited into the trial, which works on a randomised trial of interventions against Covid-19 and is open across the UK for people over 50 with certain underlying health conditions, or anyone aged over 65.

Those in the first 14 days of Covid19 symptoms or with a positive test result can join easily from home, with an aim to reduce symptoms, speed up recovery and avoid hospital admission.

Welcoming DMU students on board, Professor Mahendra Patel, the national BAME community and pharmacy research lead on the trial said: “The PRINCIPLE trial provides a great opportunity in reaching out to the public in different and innovative ways. And now with the student cohort from DMU championing this urgent public health trial by acting as ambassadors, this is just excellent news."