Therapeutics update

WHO latest COVAX news release

First international delivery, Ghana, 24 February 2021

Now delivered vaccines to over 100 economies

So far, 38 million doses of vaccines

AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech and Serum Institute of India

Delays in planned deliveries for March and April

As of 13th April

797 doses given in 154 countries

Now, 18 million per day

For a further 7 billion people, needing 2 doses

Over two years

WHO, Solidarity trials

12 000 patients in 500 hospital sites in over 30 countries

found that all 4 treatments evaluated

remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon

had little or no effect on overall

mortality

initiation of ventilation

duration of hospital stay in hospitalized patients

The Solidarity Trial is considering evaluating other treatments, to continue the search for effective COVID-19 therapeutics

So far, only corticosteroids have been proven effective against severe and critical COVID-19.

WHO advises that ivermectin only be used to treat COVID-19 within clinical trials

UK bases Recovery trial

Azithromycin

RECOVERY trial finds no benefit from azithromycin in patients hospitalised with COVID-19

Convalescent Plasma

Data Monitoring Committee saw no convincing evidence that further recruitment would provide conclusive proof of worthwhile mortality benefit

Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone reduces death by up to one third in hospitalised patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19

Hydroxychloroquine

No clinical benefit from use of hydroxychloroquine in hospitalised patients with COVID-19

Lopinavir-ritonavir

No clinical benefit from use of lopinavir-ritonavir in hospitalised COVID-19 patients

Tocilizumab

Tocilizumab reduces deaths when given to hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19

Shortens time until patients are successfully discharged from hospital

Reduces the need for a mechanical ventilator

Pharmacy Magazine, ivermectin article

Introduced in 1981

Antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties

Some 4 billion doses have been taken over the past 40 years

Good safety record with minimal toxic effects

WHO Model List of Essential Medicines as a 3mg tablet

Countries now including ivermectin in their Covid-19 management strategies

Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Slovakia, Czech Republic

Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care (FLCCC) Alliance

Called for the rapid introduction of ivermectin to stem the tide of infections

Prophylactic treatment can be given with two doses of 0.2mg/kg, 48 hours apart, once a month.

For early out-patient treatment, a daily dose of 0.2mg/kg for a maximum of five days is recommended

In the UK, the best way forward would be for the MHRA to authorise use of ivermectin for prophylaxis and treatment of Covid-19 on the basis of the published evidence to date.

Next, the drug could be made available through community pharmacies either using a PGD or by making ivermectin a P medicine

Ivermectin would then help to save lives and reduce suffering until the majority of the population can be vaccinated

Failure to use a cheap, safe drug that reduces the severity and duration of infection as well as the risks of death and transmission seems incomprehensible

Facebook, Partly false information

Current NICE guidelines