BREAKING: [Thread]
1. @SAHPRA1 has given emergency authorisation for the importation of the #COVID19 treatment molnupiravir (provided by the drug company MSD)
2. What is molnupiravir? It's an antiviral pill that can lower your chances of falling seriously ill or dying from COVID
2. With which conditions does @SAHPRA1's authorisation of molnupiravir come?
1. The pills can initially only be imported for 6 months
2. There's a limit on the nr of pills that can be imported (nr = not mentioned in the press release)
3. Only people of 18+ can use it
3. How well does molnupiravir work?
If taken within 5 days after the 1st #COVIVD19 symptoms, it can:
1. Lower the risk of hospitalisation by 30% in unvaccinated, high-risk COVID patients
2. Reduce the risk of dying from COVID by 89%
nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
4. How does molnupiravir work?
It muddles with the genetic material of #SARSCoV2 and confuses the virus while it’s copying itself. This causes so many errors that there are no more functional copies of the virus 2 go around. In short, it causes the virus to mutate 2 death.
5. Who can't use MSD's molnupiravir tablets (called LAGEVRIO) in SA?
1. People younger than 18
2. It's not recommended for pregnant people
6. What's the difference between molnupiravir and #COVID vaccines?
1. The pills don't replace vaccines
2. They're merely an addition to the world's medicine cupboard to help us manage #COVID19
7. How much do MSD's molnupiravir pills cost?
1. You need 40 tablets (within 5 days after symptoms)
2. No price for SA has been announced yet
3. In India it can be produced for R7.50 per pill (R300 per course)
bit.ly/3sM1YY7
8. Does @SAHPRA1's approval of MSD's molnupiravir mean @HealthZA has to buy it?
No. It merely means Sahpra says it's safe and effective use (with conditions).
The private health sector will be able to buy the tablets.
9. Will molnupiravir be made locally?
Yes. Cipla is producing the drug, but doesn't yet have Sahpra approval to sell it in SA. Their application is being reviewed. More here via @A_AbdoolKarim: bit.ly/3sM1YY7
10. Which other countries have approved molnupiravir?
Amongst others, the US and UK.
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