WHO warns against use of Remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has strongly warned against the use of the antiviral drug, Remdesivir, for treatment of COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

At a forum on Thursday, a panel of experts from WHO said there is currently no evidence that the drug improves the survival of COVID-19 patients.

The WHO Guideline Development Group (GDG) based its recommendation on new evidence review comparing the effects of several drug treatments on more than 7,000 patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in four international randomised trials.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Remdesivir has little effect on virus –Researchers

“The evidence did not prove that Remdesivir had no benefit at all, rather that there was no evidence – given currently available data – that it did improve important patient outcomes,” the panel added.

Trial by researchers using four drugs including Remdesivir in the hospital treatment of COVID-19 had last month found that the repurposed medicines have little to no effect on the length of time patients spend in the hospital or their survival.

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