Mia Malan Profile picture
Feb 17, 2022 10 tweets 6 min read Read on X
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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More from @miamalan

Jul 24
🧵1. BREAKING: The peer-reviewed results of the study of a 6-monthly jab, #lenacapavir, in which not a single of the 2134 women between 16-25 years who received the jab contracted #HIV, were released at #Aids2024.

Find the full study here:

bhekisisa.org/wp-content/upl…
Image
2. Women often find it hard to adhere to daily #oralPrEP. In the Purpose 1 trial, 91.5% of women returned on time for their next #lenacapavir jab at 26 weeks and 92.8% at week 52. Image
3. Only 4 women out of 2134 (0.2%) who received #lenacapavir dropped out of the trial because of injection-site reactions. Image
Read 15 tweets
Jan 17
[Thread] 12 things to know about the the proportion of pregnant women infected with #HIV from SA’s latest antenatal HIV survey. The survey is conducted by the @nicd_sa.

(Analysis of our 95-95-95 goals in my next thread later in Jan).

1/12 Image
2. What is the antenatal #HIV survey?

1. It measures the % of HIV+ pregnant women between the ages of 15 + 49.
2. Only women using state pregnancy clinics take part.
3. The survey has been conducted each year between 1990-2015, then in 2017, 2019 +2022. Image
3. How many pregnant women between 15-49’s blood was tested for #HIV? 37 828 out of 40 542 collected samples.
- 37 7171 = Black African women
- 37 541 didn’t live with the dad of their child
- 35,635 of dads were 5 years+ older than moms (this makes them more likely to get HIV) Image
Read 12 tweets
Jan 10, 2023
JUST IN [Thread]:
1.@healthza's Lesley Broomberg:
An extra #COVID19 booster jab for people of 18+ in SA will become available towards the end of JANUARY
- People of 50+ qualify for a 5th dose
- People of 18+ qualify for a 4th dose
2. Lesley Broomberg: Can you mix and match with additional boosters? Yes. You can choose whether you want a #JnJ or #Pfizer booster.
3. Lesley Broomberg:
Will teens of 12-17 qualify for boosters? Not at this stage. Why not? The #VMAC = not recommended booster doses for 12-17, based on an understanding that the protection provided by 2 #Pfizer doses = adequate, as 12-17 = @ low risk of severe #COVID19 illness
Read 5 tweets
Jan 10, 2023
[Thread] #JoePhaahla:
- Genomic surveillance Network reported the detection of the new subvariant XBB.1.5 in SA of a sample of a patient tested on 22 Dec
- Details of the patient = not known, it was a random sample taken for testing
- XBB.1.5 = also common in US
2. XBB.1.5 = common in US
#JoePhaahla:
- 97%+ of #COVID19 cases worldwide = still #Omicron
- XBB.1.5 cases = no major change in hospitalisations or deaths
- Immunity of SAs (vax and natural immunity) = still strong, so that is why we haven't seen much change in terms of hospital admissions/deaths
Read 5 tweets
Dec 13, 2022
🧵1. SA's @aspenpharma will be making 4 jabs (fill + finish) — pneumococcal, rotavirus, meningococcal, hexavalent — from 2023.

How will they finance this?
With a $30 million grant from @CEPIvaccines + @gatesfoundation.

Which APIs will Aspen use?
India's Serum Institute's
2. Why is it NB that an African company makes these jabs?

#Africa imports almost all its jabs. #COVID19 showed us this results in Africa being last in line to get vaccines during pandemics. The grant to Aspen is 1 of the 1st steps to change that.
3. What's the goal?

By 2040, the African Union wants #Africa to make 60% of the jabs the continent uses.

Why?
So that Africa is better equipped 2 respond 2 outbreaks (by developing the ability to make jabs + have technology in place to also make new jabs during pandemics).
Read 6 tweets
Dec 2, 2022
🧵1. BREAKING: @SAHPRA1 has confirmed the registration of the #HIV prevention jab, #CABLA in South Africa. On Thursday, #ViiVHealthcare issued their statement. ImageImage
2. Who can use the jab? @SAHPRA1 didn't specify restrictions for use in their statement, only that it is "a highly effective option for people at substantial risk of #HIV infection." Image
3. How does the jab work? It uses an #ARV called cabotegravir that prevents #HIV from replicating and entering someone’s cells. It’s taken every two months. Read my latest story for more. bit.ly/3ER7ejq
Read 5 tweets

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