The ICMR’s national task force for Covid-19 has decided against including antiviral drug molnupiravir in the clinical management protocol for Covid as of now, official sources said on Tuesday.
Task force experts cited safety concerns and argued that molnupiravir was not of much benefit in Covid treatment to arrive at the decision in a meeting held on Monday. “Members of the national task force for Covid were not in favour of including the drug in the national treatment guidelines citing that it does not have much benefit in the treatment of coronavirus infection and that there were safety concerns,” an official source saidI. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) chief Dr Balram Bhargava had last week said that molnupiravir has major safety concerns. He added that the WHO and the UK have not included it for treatment.
“We have to remember that this drug has major safety concerns,” he had said, adding, it can cause defects in a developing fetus and can damage the muscles also. “Contraception will have to be done for three months… if this drug is given,” he had said.
Task force experts cited safety concerns and argued that molnupiravir was not of much benefit in Covid treatment to arrive at the decision in a meeting held on Monday. “Members of the national task force for Covid were not in favour of including the drug in the national treatment guidelines citing that it does not have much benefit in the treatment of coronavirus infection and that there were safety concerns,” an official source saidI. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) chief Dr Balram Bhargava had last week said that molnupiravir has major safety concerns. He added that the WHO and the UK have not included it for treatment.
“We have to remember that this drug has major safety concerns,” he had said, adding, it can cause defects in a developing fetus and can damage the muscles also. “Contraception will have to be done for three months… if this drug is given,” he had said.
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