Major antiviral trial for the most vulnerable
Tuesday January 25th 2022
The UK is heading a major study of the benefits of antiviral treatments for high risk patients who contract COVID, it was announced today.
The Department of Health and several charities launched a recruitment drive to find 6,000 volunteers to take part in the study, known as Panoramic.
The project involves Kidney Care UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Diabetes UK and the British Liver Trust and is mainly testing two antivirals, molnupiravir and ritonavir. The British government is currently sitting on a stockpile of nearly five million doses of these drugs.
Patients can take treatment at home after a diagnosis of COVID infection and capsules are delivered by courier.
Deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said: “If you’re eligible for PANORAMIC please give some serious consideration to taking part. This will help us decide how to use COVID-19 antiviral drugs for many years to come.”
Vanessa Hebditch, Director of Policy at the British Liver Trust, said: “The introduction of new treatments for COVID-19 for the most vulnerable is an important and welcome development in the tackling of the pandemic. People with liver disease and liver transplant recipients are among the highest risk from COVID-19 and have less immunity from vaccines so treatments are vital to reduce their risk of hospitalisation should they catch the virus.”
Tags: Diabetes | Flu & Viruses | Internal Medicine | NHS | Pharmaceuticals | UK News
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