Remdesivir only for restricted emergency use on Covid-19 patients: Govt

The Union health ministry issued a fresh clinical management protocol for Covid-19 patients on Friday

The Union health ministry on Friday revised the dosage of the antiviral drug remdesivir, being administered to hospitalised coronavirus (Covid-19) patients, from the earlier six days to a five-day treatment course.

According to the ministry, the remdesivir drug is only for restricted emergency use on patients with moderate disease (those on oxygen support). The drug cannot be administered to a pregnant or lactating mother and children below the age of 12 years. Also, the drug is not recommended for patients with severe renal impairment or a high level of liver enzymes.

In the fresh clinical management protocol for Covid-19 patients issued on Friday, the ministry has informed that the dosage of remdesivir should be 200 mg IV on day 1, followed by 100 mg IV daily for 4 days (5 days in total). However, in the previous clinical protocol issued on June 13, the ministry had stated the patient had to be administered 200 mg IV on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV daily for 5 days (6 days in total).

Further, the use of these drugs is subjected to limited availability in the country as of now. Currently, these drugs should only be used in a defined subgroup of patients.

In the latest protocol, the Ministry has described the use of investigational therapies--Remdesivir, Convalescent plasma, Tocilizumab, and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on coronavirus patients.

The use of anti-malaria drug HCQ has been recommended for early use in the disease course as possible to achieve any meaningful effects and should be avoided in patients with severe disease. However, the use of Tocilizumab drug as an off-label application may be considered in patients with moderate disease with progressively increasing oxygen requirements.