The ground-breaking Antiviral drug Molnupiravir, originally developed for Influenza has shown strong evidence of reducing rates of hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 by 50%. The findings came from a randomised phase 3 clinical trial of 774 adult COVID-19 patients who had symptoms of the disease, ranging from mild to moderate. These results were announced in a company press release.
This drug could offer significant support and success to those in short supply of vaccines in poor countries. Molnupiravir is being manufactured and sold cheaply offering easy access to those in need of such protection.
Even though there are multiple treatment options against COVID-19 they are not widely available. Those living in poorer countries/areas face limited access to vaccinations, leaving behind majorities stops progress being made, for these individual countries and for the rest of the world.
Recent studies have left many talking about how the world is responding to COVID-19 and the access to vaccines in poorer countries.
Senior health adviser to the people’s vaccine alliance, Dr Mohga Kamal-Yanni said, “Unlike the grotesquely unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the poorest countries will not have to wait at the back of queue for Molnupiravir.”
The development of vaccines is a remarkable achievement and all that have access to them are extremely lucky. In March 2021 around 130 countries were still yet to administer a vaccine. In Africa only 11 countries had administrated any vaccinations. Only when those living in poor and vulnerable areas around the world get access to the same privileges of those living in richer countries can we see significant process. Thankfully, to modern science and medicine we can now start to see those changes as we wait to see which countries take on the Antiviral drug. If the promises to those living in poorer countries are followed completely, this drug can be an incredible breakthrough for those in such areas.
Even though there is now a possible option for those living in poor areas and countries, still many are sceptical as wealthy nations, such as the United States rushed to get their hands on the drug Molnupiravir, taking up large portions of the supply before it had even been approved. Leaving people to doubt the promises being made and the intended access, once again excluding those in poorer countries. Not having this access is another crisis altogether as those living in poorer areas are the ones who need it most.
Still, the on-going efforts made by Merck and partners are showing the importance and success that this drug holds.
“With these compelling results, we are optimistic that Molnupiravir can become an important medicine as part of the global effort to fight the pandemic.” Said Robert M. Davis, chief executive officer and president, Merck.
During the last week of October Merck agreed to allow other drug makers to make its pill so that it is worldly available. The UK has now approved Molnupiravir, making it the first country in the world to do so. This will not only help those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 but also the ease pressure put on the NHS as this drug will be taken at home, twice a day for five days. Licensed for those over the age of 18 who have at least one risk factor for developing serious symptoms.
As time has gone on, we are now seeing many new ways of possibly treating COVID-19, as well as another drug, although the great success that the Pfizer Antiviral drug is extremely successful, being 89% effective in high-risk cases, it is still unsure whether this will be accessible to those living in poorer countries.
Still Molnupiravir is a huge success in multiple ways including, making history for being the first Antiviral drug sold cheaply against COVID-19.
Since January 2022, a few other nations have come forward in agreement to use Molnupiravir, with many firms vowing to make affordable versions of this drug.
