>> Local hospital to give new ‘game changing’ coronavirus drug
Remdesivir in COVID-19 clinical trials has been found to shorten the duration of illness from 15 to 11 days. The Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for remdesivir to allow the medication to be administered to patients because of the pandemic.
“This is not a cure, but early signs indicate that it can help in the treatment of COVID-19,” said ODH Director Dr. Amy Acton. “Ohio’s allocation is not enough to treat all patients, so we are working with medical experts to ensure distribution is based on clinical best practices.”
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How to distribute the drug was decided by clinicians, pharmacists, public health officials, policymakers, ethicists and other health disciplines that helped with the allocation amount to specific hospitals. The decision was based on the percentage of mechanically ventilated patients, which deems them to have the highest severity level, the release stated.
>> Coronavirus: 25,721 total cases, 1,483 deaths reported in Ohio
Remdesivir is administered intravenously and in two courses depending on the severity of disease. Patients will receive either a five-day (six-dose) course or a 10-day (11-dose) course, as indicated.
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