Remdesivir, an antiviral medication originally intended to help treat Ebola, has been approved by Health Canada for treatment of those with severe symptoms of COVID-19.
TORONTO -- An antiviral medication originally used to help treat Ebola has been approved by Health Canada for treatment of COVID-19.that the drug remdesivir has been authorized for treatment of the novel coronavirus in patients with severe symptoms such as pneumonia, or those who require extra oxygen to breathe.
"However, this one is designed to directly inhibit the virus itself, and has been used or tested for use in other viral infections previously."According to Health Canada, remdesivir is recommended for use in Canadians aged 12 years and older who have severe COVID-19 symptoms and weigh of at least 40 kilograms.
However, Health Canada said authorization of the drug, which is manufactured by Gilead Sciences Canada Inc., comes with some conditions to ensure its "continued safety, efficacy and quality." The U.S. National Institutes of Health tested the antiviral medication on 1,063 COVID-19 patients sick enough to be hospitalized.
. With authorization of the drug, the Special Access Program will no longer be required to access remdesivir.
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