AUK-coordinated clinical trial involving up to 20,000 patients across the globe is testing a new way of stopping blood loss in patients who have suffered a major injury (trauma). Trauma is the second biggest cause of death in young people worldwide, claiming about three million lives each year. The CRASH-2 trial has been funded by the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme, part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), to examine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of using tranexamic acid.
Led by Professor Ian Roberts of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the research involves more than 200 hospitals spanning 47 countries. He commented: “Tranexamic acid is a simple and inexpensive treatment, and it is also light and remains stable in hot conditions making it ideal for use across the world. It has the potential to save thousands of lives as well as reducing exposure to the risks of blood transfusion.”
