THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
July 22, 2020 at 14:21 JST
The health ministry’s building (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
The health ministry has approved the steroid drug dexamethasone for treating COVID-19 patients after it proved effective in a British clinical trial.
Dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory medication, is the second added to the ministry's treatment guidebook for the novel coronavirus by July 21 following the antiviral drug remdesivir, which was approved in May.
In June, Oxford University in Britain announced that dexamethasone reduced the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients showing severe symptoms in a clinical trial.
Since dexamethasone is an approved drug for treating severe infectious diseases, including the new coronavirus, a new approval procedure is unnecessary, according to health officials.
With the health ministry's approval, more medical staff may utilize the steroid drug in their treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Currently, when drugs are used to treat patients with the new coronavirus, the medical treatment costs are covered by the government.
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