Trump is the only patient to have received the Covid-19 treatment he did
Oct 5, 2020
If you contract the coronavirus in the United States, you may get a similar behavioural treatment the president -- Donald Trump -- received. But not the same kind of medical treatment.
"I feel better than I did 20 years ago!" Trump tweeted Monday. And why not, for the treatment he received is one-of-a-kind.
Before he was hospitalised Friday, Trump reportedly received Regeneron's experimental antibody therapy -- which may reduce levels of coronavirus and has shown promising results in a trial involving 275 patients.
But the treatment has not yet received emergency use authorisation from the Food and Drug Administration.
For many, getting access to not-yet-approved drugs through a compassionate use request can be a long and challenging process.
In addition to the experimental antibody therapy, Trump was also given remdesivir and dexamethasone.
Again, remdesivir has not received FDA approval for the treatment of Covid-19, but it's gotten an emergency use authorisation from the agency.
Clinical trials have shown that a five-day course of remdesivir can speed recovery times in some patients. But the antiviral can also cause side effects such as anemia, liver toxicity and kidney toxicity.
Remdesivir is administered by IV, so patients are typically hospitalised when getting the five-day course.
Trump has also received dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available corticosteroid that can reduce inflammation. But it also suppresses the immune system, so it's generally not recommended for Covid-19 patients unless the situation is severe.
Some patients who have benefited from dexamethasone still die less than a month later.
While many Americans have struggled to get Covid-19 tests or test results without massive delays, Trump has been the most tested man in America -- a stark contrast to the availability for most Americans.
The White House has cited Trump's frequent testing as a reason why he didn't need to wear a mask in public. But health experts have said that's flawed logic.