COVID19: Molnupiravir pill administered to 1,000 patients

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Almost a thousand patients in Cyprus have been administered Molnupiravir, the antiviral medication for COVID, said Deputy head of pharmaceutical services Elena Panagiotopoulou.

Merck anti-Covid oral pill Molnupiravir /Lagevrio 200mg has been administered to 984 patients, and only 7% of them had to be admitted to the hospital.

She told the Cyprus News Agency no deaths or any side-effects were reported.

Panagiotopoulou said that authorities could not draw safe conclusions regarding the drug’s efficacy. This is only possible if, at the same time this medication was given, a placebo drug was given to an equal number of patients.

She explained that it is a bit risky to draw any conclusions, but it is better to have the drug than not have it at all.

Studies have shown there was proven efficacy regarding decreasing hospitalisations and/or deaths by 30%, whereas the drop reaches 89% regarding the fatality parameter.

The risk of hospitalisation for any cause or death was lower with molnupiravir (28 of 385 participants 7.3%) than with the placebo (53 of 377) 14.1%.

Molnupiravir is the first antiviral drug for COVID-19 available in Cyprus through the General Healthcare System with a doctor’s prescription.