'Unquestionably a game changer!' Antiviral pill cuts COVID-19 hospitalization risk

[Judi Lynn]

Researchers excited about Merck drug, but caution data are preliminary and price is high

1 OCT 2021 1:00 PM BY ROBERT F. SERVICE, KAI KUPFERSCHMIDT

A pill given early after infection with SARS-CoV-2 cuts in half a person’s risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, according to results announced today by the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. The treatment marks the first oral antiviral that has proved to be effective against SARS-CoV-2, though several others remain in development. In a statement, Merck said it plans to apply soon for emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“As a researcher deeply involved on outpatient studies to treat mild Covid-19 to reduce progression and hospitalization, the Merck announcement is to me one of the Top Biggest News Stories of the year 2021,” Oriol Mitjà, of the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, wrote to ScienceInsider in a direct message. “Molnupiravir is unquestionably a game changer! The large effect size, and the ease of administration change the paradigm of mild COVID-19 treatment with a potential to reduce COVID-19 death rates.”

Two other antiviral options are already available: remdesivir, which has been shown to reduce hospital stays in some patients, and monoclonal antibodies. Unlike molnupiravir, both of these options must be given intravenously.

The new results stem from data from 775 nonhospitalized patients who joined the study within 5 days of symptoms starting and had at least one risk factor for developing severe disease. The patients received a 5-day course of the medication, which lab studies have shown disrupts the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to replicate its genome. Merck had planned to include 1550 patients, but an independent data monitoring committee halted the study when it became clear the medicine was effective.

More:
https://www.science.org/content/article/unquestionably-game-changer-antiviral-pill-cuts-covid-19-hospitalization-risk

[Lunabell]

1. Well, I hope these dumbassed antivaxxers trust THIS science.

I guess it depends on what fox news says.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

3. "My body, my choice!"

"I don't care how they're trying to get their poison in my body, I don't trust the government. I don't trust science. I believe what I read on Facebook. Freedom!!! Gotta go now -- there's a funeral for my wife and kids I gotta get to."

You can lose weight, buy a new wardrobe or get plastic surgery to look prettier, but you can't fix stupid.

[JoeOtterbein]

2. K n R

Thanks for posting!

[Pobeka]

4. Gamechanger? I think not so much.

A gamechanger would be to get the whole population vaxxed, in order to prevent infection in the first place, protect those who cannot be vaxxed, and reduce or eliminate the possibility of variants that can escape current vaccines.

[Duppers]

5. But of course! However, given the lower IQ of...

too large a sector of the U.S. population, that's not gonna happen.

This medication will help tremendously. And should we not welcome all help?

Btw, the *gamechanger" was part of the article's title.

[Pobeka]

6. The devil is in the behavioural details.

If antivaxxers view this as an addional rationale to not get vaxxed, it can set us back as a whole. This pandemic doesn't end with treatments, it ends with long term immunity from vaccinations.

I can see real benefit to folks who can't get vaxxed due to medical reasons.

Yes, I realize gamechanger is part of the article title, and not Judy Lynn's phrase.