High-doses of Covid medicines not effective in India than Europe

According to a new study published in The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia journal higher doses of the COVID-19 drug, dexamethasone, may have less beneficial effects for patients in India as compared with those in Europe,

The researchers in the study evaluated how strong dose of dexamethasone worked for COVID-19 patients. It considered factors like patient differences and health systems.

Their team, including researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Denmark found that bigger dose of dexamethasone (12 mg) did not seem to be as good as the usual dose (6 mg) for COVID-19 patients in India.

''Our analysis suggests higher dose dexamethasone may have less beneficial effects for patients in India as compared with those in Europe; however, the evidence is weak, and this could represent a chance finding,'' the authors of the study noted.

The study emphasises that where patients are from can affect how well treatments work. It pointed out that in lower-middle-income countries like India, there are unique challenges that might make the treatment not work as well.