How we study treatments
Scientists are studying many treatments for COVID-19. They are hopeful these treatments will work because of how they work in cells. Before treatments are available to the public, scientists must study if these drugs are safe in people and if they work against COVID-19.
As of April 2021, US Food and Drug Administration has approved one drug treatment for COVID-19 and has authorized others for emergency use during this public health emergency.
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REMDESIVIR IS A TREATMENT FOR COVID-19
Remdesivir became the first treatment approved for COVID-19 in October 2020. It can be used in patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19, are over the age of 12, and weigh at least 88 pounds.
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REMDESIVIR RESULTS
HOW DOES REMDESIVIR HELP PATIENTS?
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How was it studied?
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Remdesivir was evaluated in 3 studies that included 1,313 patients with mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19
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The effectiveness was determined by how remdesivir increased clinical improvement and reduced recovery time
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Remdesivir results
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Reduced recovery time by 5 days in all patients
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Reduced recovery time by 7 days in patients who required oxygen support
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Reduced the chance that patients would need mechanical ventilation or respiratory life support
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Safety
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As with any drug treatment, there is a risk of side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider before considering any treatment and review important safety information here
References:
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https://www.gilead.com/-/media/files/pdfs/medicines/covid-19/veklury/veklury_pi.pdf
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https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2007764?query=featured_home
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