the merck pill was not tested in pregnant women and those who were breastfeeding. there is some concern this drug could interfere with rna replication needed for fetus development and cause birth defects. the u.k., which authorized its use last week, recommended that it not be used in women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or who could become pregnant during treatment.
it has not been tested in children.
it has not been tested in those who were vaccinated or at low risk of hospitalization.
finally, it has not been tested as a preventative therapy.
are there any covid antivirals currently approved for use in canada?
there is one antiviral medication approved – remdesivir. but it can only be given intravenously. we’ve been using this drug for the past year. it was originally developed to treat hepatitis c and then used for other viruses, like ebola. neither of the pfizer or merck pills are approved in canada yet. merck submitted its request for approval to health canada on aug. 13. it is still under review. pfizer has not submitted its request for approval yet.
for those who are vaccine-hesitant, are these pills a potential substitute for the vaccine?
this pill is not a substitute for vaccination. vaccines are not only cheaper, but they can also prevent infection from happening in the first place and can stop or slow transmission. immunization remains our most important defence.