According to press reports, U.S. regulators have given full approval for the antiviral drug remdesivir to treat Covid-19 patients in hospitals.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Veklury, the drug’s brand name, cut the recovery time on average by five days during clinical trials.

“Veklury is the first treatment for Covid-19 to receive FDA approval,” the FDA said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said recently that remdesivir had little to no effect on patients’ survival.

The WHO said this was based on its own study – but the drug’s manufacturer Gilead rejected the findings of the trial.

Remdesivir has been authorized for emergency use only in the US since May.

In the U.S. it will cost $3,120 via private insurers and $2,340 via government purchasers for a five-day course.

It was recently given to President Donald Trump after he tested positive for Covid-19. He has since recovered.

Nigel Bell Readers Bureau, Contributor

Edited by Jesus Chan

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