
First US Covid-19 patient recovered just one day after Remdesivir antiviral - ck2
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191
======
aaron695
Did an experimental drug help a U.S. coronavirus patient?

[https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/did-experimental-
dru...](https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/did-experimental-drug-help-us-
coronavirus-patient)

As the coronavirus spreads, a drug that once raised the world’s hopes is given
a second shot

[https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/16/remdesivir-surges-
ahead-...](https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/16/remdesivir-surges-ahead-
against-coronavirus/)

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ck2
Why aren't we using that drug anywhere else and just having people die?

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remdesivir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remdesivir)

~~~
icedchai
Sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease. What if there can be long
term side effects? Now you have at least two problems...

~~~
ck2
Well you aren't wrong but if the person is at death's door and this has been
used in several cases already for other viruses (and China is rushing it on
1000 people?!) why not?

~~~
wahern
Doctors _are_ using it. From a story published last week:

> While awaiting these results, doctors in the US, China and Italy are already
> using remdesivir on a compassionate basis to treat small numbers of patients
> with severe Covid-19.

[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/10/hopes-rise-
ove...](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/10/hopes-rise-over-
experimental-drugs-effectiveness-against-coronavirus)

~~~
ramblerman
> on a compassionate basis

Is this medical speak? What do they mean by that.

~~~
bourgoin
Something like "Some threshold of official approval/proven safety has not been
met, but we'll break the rule this time and give it to them anyway since
they're very sick and we don't have any other options."

