Covid-19: the use of the antiviral Remdesivir not considered in Mauritius

–

Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, the names of many drugs have been put forward. Remdesivir, developed to treat Ebola, has re-emerged with the new crisis and since yesterday, Tuesday 26 May, the English authorities have authorized its use in the treatment of Covid-19. The antiviral is used intravenously in patients who are on artificial respiration.

According to the English Secretary of Health, Matt Hancock, this decision is synonymous with an “big step forward in the treatment of pandécrumb“ even if for the moment there is a limited stock. The United States and Japan also authorized the use of this investigational drug deemed more effective than hydroxychloroquine in clinical trials of significant size this month.

But in Mauritius, the authorities do not intend to stop chloroquine treatments at this stage or authorize the use of Remdesivir. One of the main reasons is that the government has a large supply of the drug from India. In addition, a completely new procedure will have to be started before ordering another set of different drugs.

The health ministry said, however, that it had taken note of concerns raised by the World Health Organization (WHO), but experts await further studies before deciding whether to change the treatment protocol or not. However, patients will now have the choice to refuse treatment.

It is on the basis of the conclusions of this same review that the WHO has suspended, since Monday, the clinical trials it launched at the start of the pandemic. As a reminder, France repealed the provisions authorizing the prescription of hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19 this Wednesday, May 27. The drug can therefore no longer be administered outside of clinical trials.

Furthermore, in another article still published by The Lancet on April 29, the use of Remdesivir in China, tested on 236 patients, is also questioned. But the WHO has not suspended these clinical trials at this stage.