I have mixed thoughts. I'm afraid too many people may look at this as an alternative to getting vaccinated.Not quite a game-changer, but at least a first step and another tool in the arsenal:
Merck says its new Covid pill reduces the risk of hospitalization, death by half for some patients
Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics will seek emergency authorization for their drug, which they say could have “a profound impact in controlling the pandemic.”www.cnbc.com
From what I've read in this article and some more online information, it looks this oral medication is slightly less effective than the monoclonal antibody infusions for the same treatment goals, although because the treatment is oral, it should prove much more scalable. Also, the window for treatment lasts much longer. The drug also uses a completely different mechanism from the monoclonal antibodies, so we could possibly combine the oral and IV treatments. I suspect the EAU, if granted, will restrict use to people with underlying risk factors, since they studied this population specifically.
The trials stopped at a rather low enrollment number of less than 1,000, so I could foresee some concern about possible safety issues arising after general release, especially because this drug takes advantage of a rather novel mechanism. However, further online sleuthing shows that the drug is not exactly new, and has been thoroughly studied as a possible influenza treatment (that trial apparently is still ongoing). Kind of like the mRNA vaccines, they were around for much longer than people realized, just not yet commercially released.
Tantalizingly, though, at the end of the article, they mention possible use to prevent spread among known COVID contacts. Used as a prophylactic, that could indeed end up as a game changer.
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Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion
- Thread starter Parker in NYC
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- coronavirus covid covid-19
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Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Those people aren't getting vaccinated now, so may as well try to keep them out of the hospital when they do get the virus.
Ingested, crushed, etc " No Doz " pills to pull all nighters in college back in the day.The ironic part is back when I was that age a lot of us were putting a lot of “stuff” into our bodies without really knowing or caring what it was. I’m not talking about shooting up heroin or anything that extreme (although some did that too) but even just stuff like GNC supplements or things like over the counter pills to stay awake.
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
In a world where people are ingesting horse medication, a legitimate and easy to take treatment for COVID is not the worst thing.
It's true that more people need to understand that preventing COVID is preferable to treating COVID.
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
If the EAU follows the trial data, people without comorbidities won't qualify anyway, although we can probably expect a black market for the stuff.
And it would be especially ironic if refuseniks continue to turn down vaccines with billions of data points under study for safety, but trust a drug that was tested on less than 1,000 people (well, for COVID, more people probably received it for the ongoing influenza trials).
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
At this point the vast majority of the unvaccinated won't get vaccinated unless forced to so I don't think it's a big concern.
corsairk09
Well-Known Member
This is a great thing. Many people are determined to not get vaccinated for a variety of reasons. Many of which make sense to them. Having MORE medicine that PREVENTS death is ONLY a good thing.
edited for clarity
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Agreed. More treatments is a good thing. I think where @lewisc is coming from is a concern that people will decide that this or other similar treatments are a replacement for getting vaccinated. That’s a bad thing. Treatments like this are a great compliment to the vaccines. They can greatly reduce the already lowered risk of serious illness from breakthrough infections. That’s fantastic news. What they don’t do is stop the spread of Covid. The vaccines are the best way to do that. So while preventing deaths is obviously a good thing and these types of treatment will help people already infected we just need to stay focused on vaccination to actually stop the spread too.
They're not 100% sure that the drug doesn't do that yet. It may actually block transmission once it's tested in younger healthier people.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
This drug will not be taken as a preventative unless people try to take the pill daily which is not how it’s designed to work. You take the pill once you already have covid. In theory if taking this pill reduces the severity and length of the infection it could make people less contagious or contagious for a shorter period of time once infected but that‘s an ancillary benefit that is in no way a replacement for vaccination.
Edit: the actual treatment is 8 pills a day for 5 days.
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Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
Note, though, that Merck is studying the use of molnupiravir for post-exposure prophylaxis. They have not asked for an EAU for this indication yet, but it might come later.
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
Thank you, senators Hatch and Harkin, for one of the worst pieces of consumer protection legislation in recent history:
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 - Wikipedia
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Even so that’s no replacement for vaccination. I’m skeptical that people who won’t take a free vaccine (two jabs) will be willing to take 8 pills for 5 straight days every time they have contact with a covid positive person and even if they do how do you know they have had contact. It’s an interesting use of the drug but seems pretty limited in practice. I would assume that type of use would be effective in places like a nursing home, or maybe a prison where you dose everyone as a precaution when an outbreak is first identified to try to knock down the spread before it becomes widespread.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
I’m glad I’m not the only one wondering this, fireworks with people packed like sardines, ride queues with people packed like sardines, the whole park today is people packed like sardines… bring back the parades already!
How about all those people worried about the "long term effects" of the vaccine. The thing that's just 1 to 3 small doses spread out over many months. Replacing that with 8 doses daily for 5 days, 40 pills for your liver to process. Repeat a few times a year and now you're talking actual real concern for buildup in things like the liver or kidneys. Extra bonus when someone screws up and takes 9 or 10 or more in a day by mistake.
More treatments for people who are sick is always good. But, completely agree, this isn't the way to end the pandemic and get COVID under control.
corsairk09
Well-Known Member
I have never been huge on parades in general......
But I REALLY LOVE the calvalcades.
Perhaps it is different now (I will see in exactly 32 days!!!! eeekkkkkk!!!!!!) but I saw characters way more when I went September 2020 than ever before. I hope they keep the calvalcades.
Though I understand that there are a ton of people who love the parades, and you are all right... this is one of the MAAAAANY covid changes that makes absolutely no sense.
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
It was bipartisan so doesn't that make it great?Thank you, senators Hatch and Harkin, for one of the worst pieces of consumer protection legislation in recent history:
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Fine with this. Good. All states should do this.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I feel the same way. I guess because the parades used to get in the way of where I was going, but the cavalcades are short and sweet and give you a chance to see characters without waiting in line (or forced interaction).
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