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Tag: molnupiravir

  • COVID: Maharashtra executive says Molnupiravir should be used with warning

    By means of PTI

    PUNE: The Maharashtra executive on Monday issued a letter to the district, civic administrations and well being departments within the state asking them to make use of oral anti-viral drug ‘Molnupiravir’ for remedy of symptomatic, grownup COVID-19 sufferers with “ample warning and in sure stipulations”.

    Dr Pradeep Vyas, further leader secretary (well being), within the letter, asked district and civic government to make use of Molnupiravir with “ample warning and in sure stipulations and in complete instructed dose”.

    He mentioned this drug has won emergency use authorization (from the Drug Controller Normal of India) and in response to the opinion of a few mavens it has additionally been integrated in remedy protocol circulated on January 6, 2022, within the state topic to sure stipulations.

    “Due to this fact, sure state governments like Odisha have withdrawn this drug from the marketplace. ICMR has additionally now not advisable its use within the remedy of SARS-CoV-2 an infection (which reasons COVID-19). Molnupiravir has now not been integrated within the Usual Remedy Protocol launched via the Executive of India on January 17, 2022,” Dr Vyas mentioned within the letter.

    Molnupiravir has been proven to scale back hospitalization in a medical trial and thus has won emergency use authorization, now not an FDA approval, the letter mentioned.

    “Until additional readability is won, you might be asked to thrill use Molnupiravir with ample warning and in sure stipulations and that still in complete instructed dose,” the senior bureaucrat mentioned.

    The letter-cum advisory mentioned the drug could also be “prescribed for the remedy of COVID-19 in sufferers who’ve delicate sickness now not requiring oxygen, a number of chance elements that can motive hospitalization and coming near near critical illness, in whom there are not any different choices to be had, the place there are not any contra-indications to the usage of Molnupiravir’ and within the first 5 days of the sickness”.

    On the other hand, sufferers below the age of 18 and pregnant ladies will have to now not be given this drug, it maintained.

    But even so district and civic heads and well being departments, the letter has been marked to district civil surgeons and well being officials.

  • Molnupiravir to not be integrated in COVID-19 scientific control protocol as of now

    By way of PTI

    NEW DELHI: The ICMR’s Nationwide Process Pressure for COVID-19 has made up our minds towards together with antiviral drug Molnupiravir within the Medical Control Protocol for COVID-19 as of now, professional assets stated on Tuesday.

    The mavens of the duty pressure cited protection considerations and argued that Molnupiravir was once no longer of a lot receive advantages in Covid remedy to reach on the determination in a gathering hung on Monday.

    In keeping with the Well being Ministry, Molnupiravir is an antiviral drug that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication via viral mutagenesis.

    This anti-Covid tablet were given the Drug Regulator Common of India’s approval on December 28 for limited use in emergencies.

    Mutagenesis is a procedure through which the genetic data of an organism is modified via the manufacturing of mutation.

    “Individuals of the Nationwide Process Pressure for COVID-19 weren’t in favour of together with the drug within the nationwide remedy tips bringing up that it does no longer have a lot receive advantages within the remedy of coronavirus an infection and that there have been protection considerations,” an professional supply informed PTI.

    Indian Council of Scientific Analysis (ICMR) leader Dr Balram Bhargava had remaining week stated that Molnupiravir has primary protection considerations.

    He added that WHO and the United Kingdom have no longer integrated it for remedy.

    “We need to remember the fact that this drug has primary protection considerations,” he stated, including, it could reason defects in a growing fetus and will harm the muscle tissue additionally.

    “Birth control must be achieved for 3 months for female and male if this drug is given since the kid born might be problematic because of teratogenic affect,” Dr Bhargava had stated.

    The United Kingdom Medications and Healthcare merchandise Regulatory Company had on December 4 granted popularity of Molnupiravir beneath particular stipulations for remedy of light to average COVID-19 in adults who’ve a minimum of one possibility issue for growing serious sickness.

    USFDA on December 23 granted Emergency Use Authorisation for the drug for treating mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults at prime possibility for development to serious illness, together with hospitalization or demise, and for whom selection remedy choices aren’t obtainable or clinically suitable.

    In keeping with stipulations, the drug must be bought via retail handiest beneath the prescription of clinical consultants and the advisable dose must be 800 mg two times day by day for 5 days.

  • Gentle COVID circumstances may also be controlled at house, Molnupiravir no magic drug, says AIIMS physician

    By way of PTI

    NEW DELHI: A majority of Covid sufferers right through this Omicron-driven surge of infections have to this point proven delicate signs that may be controlled at house with symptomatic remedy, an AIIMS physician mentioned on Monday and stressed out that antiviral tablet Molnupiravir isn’t any magic drug for the illness.

    There’s no explicit drug towards COVID-19 as of now and the remedy nonetheless stays symptomatic, Dr Neeraj Nischal, an extra professor within the Division of Medication at AIIMS, instructed PTI.

    All this is wanted is shut supervision of sufferers, particularly those that are in peril such because the aged with comorbidities and those that are nonetheless no longer vaccinated, he mentioned.

    Dr Nischal mentioned, “Pandemic does no longer imply that until your physician prescribes a couple of medication or fancy capsules you aren’t going to get ok.

    On the finish of the day, endurance, a positivity of thoughts and paracetamol will see a majority of sufferers via.”

    “A majority of the inflamed sufferers right through the 3rd wave of Covid to this point have proven delicate signs which may also be simply controlled at house with symptomatic remedy,” he mentioned.

    The Union govt on Monday mentioned 5 to ten consistent with cent of the energetic Covid circumstances this time to this point wanted hospitalisation however the state of affairs is dynamic and would possibly trade abruptly.

    All the way through the second one wave of Covid infections within the nation, the proportion of energetic circumstances that wanted medical institution care have been within the vary of 20-23 consistent with cent, it mentioned.

    In regards to the not too long ago licensed drug Molnupiravir, Dr Nischal mentioned it’s being touted as a magic tablet, which isn’t the case.

    “Information of this actual molecule isn’t that powerful as is being claimed. Most significantly, the inhabitants during which the trial was once performed and the kind of virus variant prevalent at the moment is solely other from these days’s situations,” he instructed PTI.

    A big portion of the inhabitants is now vaccinated and the prevalent coronavirus variant is Omicron.

    Molnupiravir works through inducing mutation within the virus through substituting some of the elements that also is found in human genetic subject matter.

    “So, with the exception of theoretical risk of deciding on a mutant virus which may well be extra bad, it may possibly additionally impact abruptly dividing cells of human beings like cells of reproductive organs in male, foetus in pregnant ladies, bone and cartilage of younger adults and youngsters,” the physician defined.

    Other folks will have to understand that this drug has been given limited emergency use authorisation in an excessively selective team of sufferers who’re vulnerable to creating severe illness and haven’t any different healing choices, he mentioned.

    “So efforts will have to be made to limit the usage of this drug because the identified and unknown hurt is a lot more than the restricted receive advantages it is going to be offering. It will have to no longer develop into an over the counter drugs and will have to be prescribed with due diligence.”

    Indian Council of Scientific Analysis Director-Normal Dr Balram Bhargava had remaining week mentioned Molnupiravir has main protection issues and has no longer been incorporated within the nationwide protocol for the remedy of COVID-19.

    Some other drug this is being prescribed to sufferers is a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies (casirivimab and imdevimab).

    It will have to be remembered that this isn’t efficient towards Omicron and its use within the in the past inflamed/vaccinated inhabitants could also be no longer transparent, Dr Nischal mentioned.

    So, within the provide context it will have to no longer be used irrationally, he underlined.

    One will have to stay religion of their immune reaction which may also be boosted through a wholesome way of life, vaccination and following covid suitable behaviour, Dr Nischal mentioned.

  • Docs have other perspectives on new drug

    By way of Categorical Information Carrier

    NEW DELHI: Molnupiravir, the antiviral drug for Covid-19, has hit the marketplace inside every week of receiving emergency use authorisation. There may be blended reaction amongst docs in prescribing it to sufferers in spite of a pointy upward push in instances.

    The drug, initially advanced by means of Merck and Ridgeback, is manufactured in India by means of 13 firms, of which Mankind Pharma has introduced it at a price of Rs 1,399 for the total direction on Monday. A minimum of 5 different drug makers are slated to release their variations at the price of Rs 1,400-Rs 2,500 in the following couple of days. 

    The medication is for adults with comorbidities inside 5 days of unveiling signs, having blood oxygen ranges of 93% and a high-risk development of the an infection together with hospitalisation or dying. It’s not approved to be used in sufferers not up to 18 years and initiation of remedy in sufferers requiring speedy hospitalisation. 

    Anjan Trikha, head of vital care at AIIMS, New Delhi, mentioned each sufferers and physicians must “workout warning” in the usage of it.

    “The drug has been licensed for emergency use however there are barriers and even if information from trials glance positive, I want to see extra impartial information,” mentioned Trikha. 

    Dhruva Chowdhary, an intensivist in PGI, Rohtak, mentioned he has prescribed the medication to 8 sufferers, together with VIPs.

    “Even if there is not any explicit information that molnupiravir is valuable in opposition to Omicron, it has proven just right attainable in arresting illness development by means of a number of different traces,” he mentioned however cautioned that its indiscriminate use must be have shyed away from.

    At Medanta Medical institution in Gurugram,  vital care specialist Yatin Mehta mentioned it can be used to reduce drive on healthcare infrastructure.

    “Simplest gentle to reasonable sufferers will also be given this  and most effective on prescription.”