Pune: The Ministry of Health of the Union, in the clinical guide that was immediately released, the possibility of dropping the antivirus remedies for the treatment of mild, medium or severe patients under the age of 18.
The drug continues to be recommended for adults with moderate to severe Covid, according to the guidelines issued on January 17, 2022.
The Directorate General of Health is the first to prevent the use of remedies for those under 18 years, after the Ministry of Health formed a leading pediatrient committee to decide on usage medicine in this age group.
This committee proposes the drug must be excluded from the state pediatric treatment guidelines, quoting “lack of sufficient safety and efficacy data.
“The Ministry of Health is discussing the Suggestions of Committee with other expert groups.
The revised treatment norm for Covid pediatric patients tends to come out within a week,” said an official from the Ministry of Health to Ti on Wednesday.
Experts say the drug is widely prescribed for covid patients during the second wave, including those under 18 years old.
“In fact, besides remdesivir, the Pediatrician committee does not recommend any antivirus drug for covid patients below 18.
For medium patients up to 25 years, the committee only proposes the inclusion of steroids, oxygen therapy, and other supporting care,” said the Ministry of Health officials.
The newly introduced antivirus molupiravir has also been contraindicated to them under 18 as a drug can affect bones and cartilage.
And as an antibody cocktail is not effective against Omicron, currently they are not recommended for covid patients – adults or children.
Some experts from the Indian Medical Research Council have recommended “careful use” from remedies in Covid patients between the ages of 12 and 18 years.
The United States FDA has permitted the use of remedies to the age group 12-18, provided the patient has a weight of at least 40 kilos and requires low flow oxygen therapy.
“But the Pediatric Committee emphasizes that remedies have not undergone pediatric trials and extrapolate adult trial data to children (based on body weight criteria) is not recommended.
Therefore, the committee opposes the inclusion of antivirus, including patients under 18,” Committee members said.
Experts and intensive pediatric Toi spoke to praise the committee’s stand about excluding remedies from pediatric mediate treatment.
“Outlook adult doctors can be different.
Based on clinical trials in adults, a person should not extrapulate research findings in adults to children.
There is a lack of sufficient safety and efficacy data in connection with remedies in children under 18 years,” said Senior Pediatrician Pramod JOG, member of the Covid Maharashtra task unit.