Results from a study quoted by the New England Journal of Medicine seem to indicate that the anti-viral drug remdesivir does not have a sufficiently great impact on Covid-19's mortality rate to be considered as a stand-alone treatment, The Hill writes.
Although "preliminary results of this trial suggest that a 10-day course of remdesivir was superior to placebo in the treatment of hospitalized patients with Covid-19," the researchers wrote, "treatment with an antiviral drug alone is not likely to be sufficient."
1,063 patients were included in the double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Those on the drug recovered on average in 11 days as opposed to 15 days on placebo. 7 percent of those on the drug died, compared to 12 percent on placebo.
Researchers found that remdesivir is most effective when used before symptoms are bad enough to warrant a ventilator. However, the FDA's approval of remdesivir, three weeks ago, was only for use on patients in serious condition.