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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
The American laboratory Merck has obtained the recommendation of the World Health Organization for its treatment against Covid-19. It is intended for patients with a mild form but at high risk of hospitalization.
Molnupiravir is an antiviral drug against Covid-19 developed by the American laboratory Merck. It is intended for patients with a mild form of Covid-19 but at significant risk of hospitalization.
Recommended for some people
The World Health Organization recommended on Wednesday March 2 the pill from the Merck laboratory, after a study carried out by one of its groups of international experts in the British Medical Journal. The WHO thus bases itself on data from six randomized controlled trials, conducted on nearly 5,000 patients.
Molnupiravir is therefore recommended for people who have not been vaccinated, the elderly, the immunocompromised or people who suffer from chronic illnesses. The laboratory recommends taking it quickly as soon as the first symptoms appear and for five days, to prevent replication of the virus and avoid developing a more serious form.
And not recommended for others
However, it is not recommended for children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, due to potential risks. “Don’t expect a miracle drug.” emphasizes Dr. Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.
“It is a targeted treatment, for certain people in particular and it is the approach that we must have with Covid, as with all other diseases: treating those who need it, vaccinating those at risk… It is absolutely necessary to move away from general measures which apply to everyone without distinction. On the contrary, a reasoned and reasonable approach is needed to practice medicine on a case-by-case basis”.
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Cost and supply issues
The results of these trials show that molnupiravir reduces the time to symptoms and the risk of hospital admission: there are 43 fewer admissions per 1,000 high-risk patients and an average of 3.4 fewer symptomatic days. On the other hand, the figures are less obvious on mortality: there are only 6 fewer deaths per 1000 patients.
The question of the cost of this treatment and its availability arises, particularly for the most disadvantaged countries, which risks accentuating inequalities in terms of health.