UK Becomes First Country in The World to Approve a Covid-19 Treatment Pill

The United Kingdom has become the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 treatment pill that can be taken at home. The announcement was made after Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the treatment earlier today.

British Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for COVID-19.

The MHRA said in their statement that the pill “is safe and effective at reducing the risk of hospitalization and death in people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at increased risk of developing severe disease.”

The orally administered tablet called molnupiravir or Lagevrio, and was developed by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck Sharp & Dohme.

Molnupiravir has now been authorized for use in people who have mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness. Such risk factors include obesity, older age (>60 years), diabetes mellitus, or heart disease.

Dolupo Balogun

Written by BoomRadioNG