The Indian health ministry has recommended use of anti-viral drug remdesivir under emergency use authorisation to treat Covid-19 patients in moderate stage as the country emerged as fourth worst-hit nation by the pandemic with more than 3.20 lakh cases.
In its revised “Clinical Management Protocols for Covid-19”, released on Saturday, the ministry said this drug should be used as early in the disease course as possible to achieve any meaningful effects and should be avoided in patients with severe disease, media report said.
However, the Maharashtra government, which has a plan to procure 13,000 vials of remdesivir from Bangladesh, will go for clinical trials of the drug to treat Covid-19 patients.
The state’s Covid-19 task force that comprises doctors who look into clinical management and reports to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had suggested its use to save lives.
