New Delhi: Antiviral Molnupiravir drug, who recently received approval from the drug regulator and was launched by several local drug makers, having serious security problems, and thus not included in the National Covid-19 clinical protocol recommended by the Ministry of Health, Director of the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR) General Balram Bhargava.
Bhargava said the Covid-19 task group had debated whether it would include drugs in the Covid-19 treatment protocol but decided to oppose it due to worries.
“The US has agreed only based on 1,433 patients with a 3% reduction in moderate diseases when given in mild cases.
However, we must remember that this drug has the main safety problem.
This can cause teratogenicity, mutagenicity, and can also cause damage to cartilage And it can also damage the muscles, “said Bhargava.
“More importantly, if this drug is given to a man or woman, contraception must be used for three months, because the child conceived during that period may have a problem with a teratogenic influence.
So, it is not included in the national clinical protocol, which has not included it, also does not have English, “he added.
Teratogenicity is the ability to cause defects in developing fetuses, while mutagenicity refers to permanent infectious changes in cell genetic material structures.
Bhargava further shows that there are concerns about children, pregnant and lactating women, those who are reproductive, soft tissue injuries, history of infection and vaccination when this drug is prescribed.
Molnupiravir, originally developed by Pharmacy Company Merck, initially claimed a reduction of 50% in hospitalization or death in patients.