78% of those who would benefit from an antiviral administered in the first days of Covid infection, to avoid worsening, hospitalizations and deaths, are unable to access drugs. And we are talking about fragile people, because antivirals are not for everyone, but for those who – in addition to being at least 65 years old – have what are called comorbidities: immune compromises, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases. All categories of people who with the infection are more likely to end up in hospital and get worse, up to death.
Covid, why don’t some get infected? The hypothesis of viral interference
by Aureliano Stingi
Because they are not prescribed
Why these drugs are under-prescribed – in some regions not even a package has been prescribed, he says Matteo Bassetti, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Genoa – is a mix of disorganization, as it is not possible to activate the prescription in time, and lack of knowledge both on the part of patients and general practitioners. The result is precisely that 78% – underlined by Ivan GentileProfessor of Infectious Diseases at Federico II of Naples – which is a negative figure for patients, who have the right to be treated better, and also for the Health System, which would save days of hospitalization (average cost of an intensive care 800 euros per day) and therapies, against a sustained expense – the cycle of the most prescribed drug, Molnupiravir by Msd, which is taken orally and for 5 days costs about 7-800 euros – but which avoids worsening that would have an impact on the NHS, as well as on the patient’s life itself.
Covid, how much are antivirals needed?
by Roberta Villa
Real world studies
Together with vaccination, a pillar of the fight against the virus, drugs – monoclonal and antiviral – have been and still are a fundamental part in the management of Covid disease. And the data of the real world studies – that is conducted on real unselected patients, therefore also with multiple pathologies – have confirmed the effectiveness, with many distinctions. The first study – sponsored by the University of Oxford – is called Panoramic and was conducted on over 25 thousand patients: half followed traditional treatments, the other half was added the oral antiviral Molnupiravir. Average age 56, almost all vaccinated.
Panoramic, young patients
Result: no reduction in hospitalization and death. A fiasco? “Actually no – he specifies Bassetti, who in his center was one of the first users of both monoclonals and antivirals – because if it is true that it does not reduce – on vaccinated and therefore already protected subjects – hospitalization and death, and therefore it seems that the glass is half empty, it is equally It is true that instead it induces a rapid negativization, and a shorter duration of the symptoms in fact making the subject heal first and bringing him back to the community. I believe that the low age of the sample in this study plays an important role and that molnupiravir is more beneficial in older and sicker subjects. “
Covid, yes to the mix of monoclonals as a therapy: one more weapon against the virus
by Fabio Di Todaro
Clalit, the Israeli one
Hypothesis confirmed by the second study – the Israeli Clalit – which instead observed patients of about 70 years, much older than those of the previous study, also largely vaccinated or who had contracted the infection. “Administered in the very first days of illness – specifies Gentile – molnupiravir more than halved the risk of hospitalization and reduced the risk of death by 70%. This is important because it confirms the efficacy even in vaccinated subjects. In addition, another study, TG Rash2, has shown that the antiviral is not carcinogenic “. (e. nas.)
Covid, rebound effect: those who reinfect after taking the antiviral
by Donatella Zorzetto
