Prognosis

Trump Doctors Add Steroid That’s Used in More Severe Patients

New England Journal of Medicine sees limited benefit
WHO also sees potential risks, but not for short-term use

Watch: Johns Hopkins' Dr. Brian Garibaldi, who is on President Donald Trump's medical team, said that “our hope is that we can plan for a discharge as early as tomorrow to the White House.”(Source: Bloomberg)

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By Drew Armstrong and Robert Langreth

October 4, 2020 at 1:58 PM EDT

This article is for subscribers only.

President Donald Trump’s doctors added a steroid called dexamethasone to his treatment, a drug that’s typically used in more severe Covid-19 patients.

Dexamethasone can control the inflammatory and immune effects of the virus. Considered a potential breakthrough for patients whose Covid-19 cases have gotten significantly worse, it was found in one study to help significantly reduce the likelihood of death in those who need oxygen support or are on a ventilator.