EU Pushes for 'Rapid Recommendation' to Use Merck's Oral COVID-19 Treatment

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The European Union (EU) announced that it will recommend the use of the oral COVID-19 treatment developed by the American pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., Inc. (MSD) as soon as possible.

According to the Associated Press (AP) on the 8th (local time), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) stated in a press release that "we are reviewing data to enable member states to use MSD's COVID-19 treatment (molnupiravir) as quickly as possible."

EMA also added that it will continue comprehensive verification of the drug before its market approval.

Currently, most COVID-19 treatments are administered via intravenous or injection, but the pill developed by MSD has the advantage that patients can take it themselves whenever necessary.

MSD claimed that the drug showed significant effects in early clinical trials and has applied for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The United Kingdom already became the first country in the world to approve the use of this drug on the 4th for adults aged 18 and over who tested positive for COVID-19.

The UK instructed mild COVID-19 patients to take four pills twice a day for five days.

However, the drug is known to carry risks of causing serious conditions such as obesity and heart disease.

The FDA plans to hold a public hearing on molnupiravir at the end of this month.

This drug works by attacking the enzyme the coronavirus uses to self-replicate, causing errors in the genetic code, which slows the spread of the virus and suppresses it from invading human cells.

Some experts are concerned that this genetic activity could cause mutations that potentially lead to congenital disabilities or tumors.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.