Merck’s COVID-19 pill could carry serious safety concerns, scientists warn

Merck’s new COVID-19 pill, known as molnupiravir, headed for FDA review for emergency authorization, could potentially carry serious safety issues stemming from the method used to kill the virus, scientists warned, according to a report.

However, a Merck spokesperson told Fox News that tests in animals indicate otherwise: "The totality of the data from these studies indicates that molnupiravir is not mutagenic or genotoxic in in vivo mammalian systems," a statement reads in part.

Dr. Raymond Schinazi, professor of pediatrics and the director of the division of biochemical pharmacology at the Emory University School of Medicine, warned over NHC, the compound that molnupiravir turns into after it is ingested. He advised caution with widespread use until more data is available, due to its potential harm to young people of reproductive age or those who are pregnant. The Merck trial currently excluded pregnant women.