A panel of health advisers from the FDA from USA narrowly supported the benefits of a pill from the pharmaceutical company Merck to treat COVID-19, paving the way for a likely authorization of the first drug that Americans could take at home to fight the disease.
With a vote of 13 in favor and 10 against, a group of experts from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA for its acronym in English) endorsed that the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks, including possible birth defects if it is used during pregnancy.
The group’s recommendation came after hours of debate about the drug’s modest benefits and potential safety concerns. Experts backing the treatment insisted that it should not be used by pregnant women and asked the FDA to recommend additional precautions, such as testing women for pregnancy before using the drug.
The group specifically endorsed the drug for adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 who face the greatest risks, including those with conditions such as obesity, asthma and advanced age.
The FDA is not required to follow the group’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision before the end of the year.
FDA clearance for the drug, called molnupiravir, could be an important step in treating disease caused by the virus. It would give doctors the first drug they could prescribe for patients to take on their own, easing the burden on hospitals and helping curb deaths.
The pill is already licensed in the UK.
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