Molnupiravir is an investigational oral drug produced by Merck & Co., and Ridgeback which promised to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by approximately 50 percent for patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.
The office of the Vice President, Leni Robredo can now provide Molnupiravir, a medicine being used to manage patients with Coronavirus disease 2019.
“Molnupiravir is now available for our patients who may be prescribed to take them under our Bayanihan E-Konsulta Program,” Robredo said in a Facebook post
Robredo signed a memorandum of agreement with QualiMed Health Network for the provision of assistance to referred patients prescribed with Molnupiravir.
Molnupiravir is the first oral pill for the treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 cases. It also reportedly prevents severe coronavirus infections that may lead to hospitalization. Robredo said her office will issue a guarantee letter under their special medical assistance program to any qualified patient referred to by their volunteer doctors through Bayanihan E-Konsulta, a telemedicine program of Robredo’s office.
“We are truly humbled and grateful to the QualiMed Health Network for trusting us with this partnership, helping us extend our reach in delivering aid to more of our kababayans in need. Maraming, maraming salamat po!” said Robredo.
However, Dr. Edsel Salvaña said “Please be careful with molnupiravir. Long-term use has mutagenic potential. It is currently only for high-risk populations with CONFIRMED mild/moderate COVID infection under compassionate use and only for 5 days. Beyond that narrow application, the risk-benefit ratio of this drug remains UNCERTAIN and can be potentially harmful. If you have severe COVID, it doesn’t really work and other meds need to be used. NEVER take any meds without proper medical consultation,” he added.
At present, molnupiravir, the first oral drug clinically proven to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 by approximately 50 percent, can only be available through compassionate special permits issued by the Food and Drug Administration.
