Dexamethasone Claimed to be Covid-19 Drug, BPOM Kepri Reveals Instead, Here are the Side Effects

TRIBUNBATAM.id - Dexamethasone is touted as one of the drugs for treating Covid-19.

What is the response of the Food and Drug Monitoring Department (BPOM)?

The Head of BPOM Kepri, Yosef Dwi Irawan explained that Dexamethasone is a steroid class of drugs, and includes potent drugs that are registered with the Indonesian National Drug and Food Control Department.

The purchase must be with a doctor's prescription and its use must be under a doctor's supervision.

"Dexamethasone cannot be used for Covid-19 prevention," Yosef said recently.

He continued, at present, there is no specific drug for Covid-19, although several drugs have been used for the handling of Covid-19 as a test drug.

Yosef said that the use of the drug Dexamethasone must be in accordance with the doctor's prescription and cannot be carelessly consumed.

"Dexamethasone which is used without medical indication and without a doctor's prescription, which is used for a long period of time, can cause side effects to decrease endurance, increase blood pressure, diabetes, moon face, and masking effects and other dangerous side effects," he explained. 

Yosef said Oxford University research related to the use of Dexamethasone showed a reduction in mortality only in cases of severe Covid-19 patients, where patients used ventilators or needed oxygen.

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"This drug will not be useful for patients with mild Covid-19 cases or those not treated in hospitals," he said.

Yosef said, his party would continue to monitor and follow up on further results related to this study as well as information related to the use of drugs for handling Covid-19 by communicating with related health professions, such as WHO and the Drug Authorities of other countries. 

"We will routinely supervise the distribution of these drugs starting in distribution channels (large pharmaceutical traders and Provincial/Regency/City Pharmacy Installations) to ensure distribution to authorized facilities, namely pharmaceutical service facilities (hospitals, health centers, pharmacies, clinics), "he explained.

BPOM Kepri asks the public not to buy Dexamethasone and other steroids freely and without a doctor's prescription, including buying through an online platform.

"For the sale of Dexamethasone drugs and other steroids, including online without a doctor's prescription, it will be subject to sanctions in accordance with applicable regulations," he said. (Tribunbatam.id/Alamudin Hamapu) 

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