Thread by @DrMattMcCarthy

Antibody treatments from Lilly and Regeneron have become a standard of care for U.S. politicians, many of whom tout them as a “miracle cure” for #COVID19. They’re not. I don’t know a single doctor who routinely prescribes them. 1/

https://twitter.com/megtirrell/status/1338904717066432512

It’s created a disconnect where patients and their families are understandably frustrated that they don’t have access to the “best” #COVID treatments. I hear from them all the time. 2/
google.com/amp/s/www.nyti…

Antibody treatments are not FDA approved. They have an emergency authorization for high-risk outpatients and can actually be harmful for some hospitalized patients. 3/
google.com/amp/s/www.nyti…

During the Q&A of any COVID talk, I am invariably asked about antibodies and what we can do to address such profound inequality. The truth is that there is only one drug that actually saves (some) lives: dexamethasone. It’s cheap and widely available. nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…

If you have COVID and you’re very sick, the one drug you want is dexamethasone. It’s costs about as much as a slurpee.

There may be a market for antibodies some day, but it’s narrow. The drug is meant for high-risk outpatients, some of whom seem more comfortable quarantining after diagnosis or seeking care in an ER or urgent care. Antibodies aren’t yet given in these places.

Takeaway: When we design #COVID drug trials, we often compare a new treatment to the existing “standard of care.” We would never consider antibodies to be a standard of care, yet many people have been led to believe they are.