RECOVERY

This study is one of a number of research studies undertaken quickly within Barts Health NHS Trust in 2020 to further knowledge and best treatment of COVID-19.

The urgent studies that every hospital was strongly encouraged to recruit into were the research priority in Barts Health — despite being in the eye of the storm and running the Nightingale Hospital. Everyone hoped that by focusing much effort on a small number of studies that there would be the best chance of getting important and useful answers about best treatments.

National trials like RECOVERY were assembled in roughly 9 days calling upon the national resources of the NIHR (the research arm of the NHS) and research staff who were rapidly moved from other areas and stepped in to help.

Large numbers of nurses, doctors, pharmacists, administrators, regulators helped with this effort — many of whom had never worked together before

RECOVERY included drugs that were relatively easy to get hold of, but some doctors just didn't think would help with COVID-19... It has now given us two hugely important answers:
1) Hydroxychloroquine does not help and, now
2) Dexamethasone is effective.

All of the Barts Health and Queen Mary University of London staff involved in this national effort should be very proud of their achievement —  the UK producing robust answers that the world needs.

Dr Simon Tiberi, who is leading the RECOVERY study team at Barts Health, emphasises that, “The trial is still open, we are still recruiting patients and aim to bring mortality down further… We will not stop until we can save everyone from this scourge of a disease.”