Merck's Covid Pill Not In India's Treatment Plan, Has Major Safety Concerns
NDTV
India is gearing up for a possible third wave of Covid with the daily cases rising due to the new variant Omicron.
India has not added Merck's pill to the list of treatments for Covid due to 'major safety concerns', a top health official said during a media briefing today.
The Covid pill, Molnupiravir, had safety concerns and was therefore not included in the national list of treatments, said Dr Balram Bhargava, the Director General, Indian Council Of Medical Research.
"Molnupiravir has major safety concerns including mutagenicity, muscle and bone damage. If this drug is given contraception has to be done for three months as child may have problems. So it is not included in national task got treatments," Dr Bhargava said.
The announcement came just days after the Drugs Controller General of India gave emergency use approval to the drug along with two vaccines.
