Share This The FINANCIAL -- Early treatment with an asthma drug budesonide shortens recovery time in COVID-19 patients aged over 50 who are treated at home or in other community settings. The Platform Randomised Trial of Interventions against COVID-19 in Older People (PRINCIPLE) trial is led by the University of Oxford. It is funded by UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) through the COVID-19 Rapid Response rolling call. It is the world’s largest Phase 3 platform randomised controlled trial to find clear evidence of an effective COVID-19 treatment for use in primary care that can significantly shorten recovery time.