Hey there. Former chemotherapy patient for breast cancer here. When I was receiving chemo every week at the oncology clinic, one of the drugs they gave me so my body wouldn't freak out from the anticancer poisons was Dexamethasone. It's a really important drug for many cancer patients.
Some people are going to misinterpret news of a clinical trial making the rounds today today as meaning that they should get a hold of some dexamethasone right away and start taking it as a prophylaxis, or preventative, against COVID-19. Don't do this.
No no no. No.
Please do not do this.
That's not how this works.
Do not take Dexamethasone to prevent COVID-19.
Ask a medical professional for advice, first.
The news involved some hopeful news from a clinical trial.
Don't take drugs based on Facebook headlines or do anything like this without a doctor's guidance.
The researchers shared initial insights about the #dexamethasone results of the trial with WHO, and we are looking forward to the full data analysis in the coming days.https://t.co/CmNea2G3m7
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 16, 2020
Please, please, don't start taking dexamethasone as an attempt at COVID prophylaxis; the entire medical profession implores you.
— Ed Hutchison (@EdHutchison) June 16, 2020
OH DEAR GOD this hadn't even occurred to me
FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, DON'T TAKE DEXAMETHASONE UNLESS IT IS PRESCRIBED BY A QUALIFIED CLINICIAN!!!!!!!!! https://t.co/1BMDFniTaB
— NYSuri (@nysuri) June 16, 2020
Lots of hype about Dexamethasone, no doubt to be followed by demands for prescriptions. Please don't. There's no evidence (or reason to even suspect) it PREVENTS Covid-19. Current study is about supporting severely respiratory compromised patients who are already infected.
— matt blaze (@mattblaze) June 16, 2020
Yes. I, too, would like to see the #dexamethasone paper. But.
1) It is plausible,
2) It's a respected research team
3) We gave the Remdesivir team ≈ weeks.
4) it is an RCT.
I will stay optimistic and hopeful, and appraise the paper when it comes out. #COVID19— John Mandrola, MD (@drjohnm) June 16, 2020
Yup – dont imbibe #dexamethasone without doctor's prescription and certainly not at the behest of a passing president #COVID19 https://t.co/nH2UxJu7Ti
— Mukesh Kapila (@mukeshkapila) June 16, 2020
Prof. Landry, the lead investigator of "major breakthrough" trial of Dexamethasone, explains the treatment's use: "The patients on ventilation [and oxygen] received this big reduction in the risk. But in other patients we do not see a reduction." https://t.co/bcGg6sCEvh pic.twitter.com/5jcT596pAS
— CNBC (@CNBC) June 16, 2020
Today we are seeing tons of hype around the corticosteroid dexamethasone, prompted by this press release.
It does indeed look like good news, but it is important to recognize the limitations of what was found.https://t.co/CPtMSH1VY7 pic.twitter.com/ltms7wfTvH
— Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) June 16, 2020
