Do Molnupiravir's benefits outweigh risks? Here's what experts say

Molnupiravir's benefits in fighting COVID-19 outweigh risks associated with the anti-viral drug, according to experts as reported by Times of India.

This comes after the ICMR Director-General Balram Bhargava had said that molnupiravir has major safety concerns and has not been included in the national protocol for the treatment of COVID-19.

Bhargava said the US has approved it based on only 1,433 patients in which three per cent reduction was observed in symptoms in patients with mild to moderate disease.


“Here is drug which I am sure both CDSCO and DCGI have analysed before approving for use,” the TOI report quoted Dr Govindarajan Padmanaban, a key member of the national Covid task force, as saying. “Any anti-viral at this stage is useful, and molnupiravir should be used taking all precautions as Covid cases are dangerously multiplying,” he added.

Another expert Dr Vasant Nagvekar, a task force member, said the drug should be used at a clinician’s discretion, the report added.

India's drug regulator Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on December 28 had approved Molnupiravir for the restricted use in emergency situations in patients with COVID-19.

(With input from agencies)