DoH warns against use of dexamethasone

THE Department of Health (DoH) has warned people against the use of anti- inflammatory drug dexamethasone as a possible cure for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) amid the “breakthrough” reported by researchers in England.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the warning after researchers said the use of dexamethasone reduced deaths in severely ill and critical patients.

She said while the discovery was a “breakthrough in science,” the release of the findings could be scary as people might think it would be the cure for the virus.

“People might think this could be the magic pill parasa (for) Covid, it is not,” she told reporters.

Vergeire emphasized that the drug was only used on severely ill and critical patients, and was only used as a supportive treatment for intubated patients.

“Itoaymakakatulongsapagsuporta (The drug would help in the support for those with) severe and critical [infection].” she said, adding that the DoH would wait for the peer review of the study before making any recommendations.

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the initial clinical trial results of the drug.

“This is the first treatment to be shown to reduce mortality in patients with Covid-19 requiring oxygen or ventilator support,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO directorgeneral, said in a statement.

The WHO said it was looking forward to a meta-analysis of the findings and that their clinical guidance would be updated to reflect how and when the drug should be used for Covid-19 .