Coronavirus: Optimism over use of gout drug in virus treatment

The health ministry is optimistic regarding the possibility of administering a gout drug called Colchicine as part of its protocol for treating Covid-19 patients, according to the head of the advisory committee on coronavirus Constantinos Tsioutis.

Following announcements in Greece and Canada over the use of Colchicine, the health ministry health on Sunday said it will study all the facts and decide whether to use it in treatment here.

A recent study carried out in Canada showed significant benefits for patients who were given the drug.

“Colchicine is a safe anti-inflammatory drug that has been administered to people for a long time,” Tsioutis told the Cyprus News Agency on Monday.

“There is plenty of clinical proof in the scientific community that shows how the drug is both safe to use and how it will actually help recovering patients,” he said.

“Colchicine has been widely used in recent years to treat several common diseases, like pericarditis, arthritis and Mediterranean fever. We know this medicine. What remains to be done, though, is to look at the effects of the drug on Covid-19 patients in more detail,” he said.

Greece has already approved the use of the drug. It will be given to patients over 60 years old and to those younger than that who have an underlying health problem.
Colchicine, however, will only be given on prescription and not in combination with a number of other drugs, such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, cyclosporine and verapamil.