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Can Colchicine be used to treat COVID-19 (coronavirus)?

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on July 4, 2024.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

As of the 8 July 2021 the NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel:

Colchicine has been used in clinical trials for patients with COVID-19.

The trials have been to find out whether short-term treatment with colchicine will reduce lung complications, length of hospital stays and the rate of death in COVID-19 patients.

What is Colchicine?

Colchicine is an inexpensive anti-inflammatory medication that has been in use in the United States since 1969.

It is used to decrease inflammation in gout and used for familial Mediterranean fever to reduce signs and symptoms during bout or attacks.

How is Colchicine thought to work in treating COVID-19?

COVID-19

COLCORONA Trial results

In the clinical study called COLCORONA colchicine was trialled to see whether it would reduce the excessive inflammatory reaction caused by coronavirus that may lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), organ failure and death.

At the time of the COLCORONA Trial there was a shortage of reagents for PCR tests and there were restrictions in use of these tests, so that initially in the study diagnosis of probable COVID-19 was through an epidemiological link or if the patient had compatible symptoms.

Results from the COLCORONA Trial were published in May 2021.

Related questions

RECOVERY Colchicine Trial

Is Colchicine an approved medicine by the FDA?

What happens next?

There are more clinical trials currently underway using colchicine to treat COVID-19.

We need to wait for more trials to be completed to have sufficient clinical evidence whether or not colchicine reduces the rate of death and complications related to COVID-19.

Related information: COVID-19: Prevention & Investigational Treatments

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