In the global fight against COVID-19, Merck's experimental antiviral pill may largely contribute to reducing COVID-19 hospital deaths. Once authorised, the pill designed to introduce errors in the RNA of the virus will be a very effective and convenient option for both doctors and patients. 

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Merck said on the 1st of October that an experimental antiviral tablet decreased hospitalisation rates for patients newly diagnosed with COVID-19 by nearly half, a result that may provide physicians with a much-needed new treatment option.

Findings from the study

1. 90 per cent of the 1,500 participants were recruited in the research, but only 762 of them were used in making the decision to discontinue it. The study was performed in nations all over the globe, including Argentina, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, although a breakdown of the participants' backgrounds, race, and gender was not immediately available.
2. Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics' five-day molnupiravir treatment decreased hospitalisation and mortality when compared to a placebo. 53 individuals (14.1 per cent) in the placebo group were hospitalised or died. 28 people (7.3%) hospitalised or died after using the medication.
3. The study's findings were released in a press release without being vetted by other scientists. The bottom line numbers, on the other hand, were promising. There were no fatalities in the molnupiravir group in the first 29 days of the trial, while there were eight deaths among patients who got a placebo.
4. There were patients in the trial with mild to moderate COVID-19 who were dosed five days after the start of symptoms and had at least one risk factor for poor illness outcomes.
5. Merck said that the FDA and an independent data monitoring committee recommended that the trial be halted early. These committees are tasked with ensuring that studies are conducted in the best interest of patients and recommending that they be halted if it becomes apparent that medication is successful in treating a certain condition or disease.
6. The press statement included only a limited amount of information on side effects, but the businesses claimed that the rates were comparable between the placebo group and the treatment group.
7. More than a third of those on molnupiravir and almost half of the people taking the placebo had an unwanted occurrence. The medication was discontinued by only 1.3 per cent of molnupiravir-treated patients due to an adverse event, compared to the 3.4 per cent of placebo-treated patients who stopped taking it.

What happens when you use it

He also expressed scepticism about the drug's usage in expectant women. The research didn't include any of them. 40% of the 81 patients had accessible DNA sequencing data on which version of the SARS-CoV-2 produced COVID-19. In tests, the medication was shown to be effective against a variety of viruses, including those with known mutations such as Gamma, Delta, and Mu.

Since the onset of the epidemic, a simple oral medicine to treat COVID-19 has remained elusive. Gilead's remdesivir, for example, has been proven to decrease hospitalisations when used early in the course of illness, but it must be administered intravenously.

Disclaimer- The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of M3 India.

The author is a practising super specialist from New Delhi.