Cheap drugs can save lives

Filed in archive Drugs on June 30, 2010

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In a world plagued by huge drug costs it's refreshing to hear of a study using a cheap drug, and proving that it is effective. Tranexamic acid, or TXA, a drug that can stop bleeding, was given to half of a study group within 8 hours of them receiving trauma. Over 10,000 people were treated with TXA while their counterparts were treated with a placebo.

When over 6 million people die as a result of injuries every year, having a drug that can stop bleeding could save 100,000 lives. Not only did the study prove that TXA reduced the risk of dying by 15%, but it also reduced the risk of dying from anything else by 10% compared to people who didn't get the drug.

TXA has been around for a long time but it has never been used before for trauma injuries, it was has only used as an elective during some surgeries.

A push is on to try and get the World Health Organization to include TXA on its list of essential drugs. Once it is on the list there is a greater chance of it being available to countries in the developing world where death from loss of blood is frequent.