Britain approves worlds first oral pill to treat Covid

Britain's health regulators on Thursday approved the world's first pill to treat cases of symptomatic COVID-19. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said, the antiviral Lagevrio (molnupiravir) has been found to be safe and effective at reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death in people with mild to moderate COVID-19, who are at increased risk of developing severe disease. Molnupiravir, originally created to treat flu, could go on to be prescribed twice a day to vulnerable patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19 after it proved effective in clinical trials.MHRA chief executive June Raine called the pill "another therapeutic to add to our armoury".
Molnupiravir has been authorised for use in people who have mild to moderate COVID-19 and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness. Such risk factors include obesity, old age over 60, diabetes mellitus, or heart disease. "This will be a game-changer for the most vulnerable and the immunosuppressed, who will soon be able to receive the ground-breaking treatment," said health minister Sajid Javid. Drug regulators in the United States and the European Union have already begun an evaluation of the drug. Merck is also conducting a separate clinical trial for a second use of the drug, as a measure to prevent people who have been in close contact with those carrying the virus from developing it.