Merck's Covid pill Molnupiravir out of national treatment protocol for 'major safety concerns': ICMR

Head of ICMR, Dr Balaram Bhargava, said the US-approved pill has serious side effects for both men and women, which can lead to congenital disorders in their offspring born later.

“The US approved Molnupiravir based on 1,433 patients with a 3 percent reduction in serious-moderate Covid disease. The drug can cause teratogenicity, mutagenicity and can also cause cartilage damage. It can be damaging to muscles as well,” he said, reported Economic Times.

If a patient takes Molnupiravir they will have to take contraceptives for three months, both male and female, as the child born from them could be affected, he added.

The drug has not been included in the national task force treatment because of these reasons and that the World Health Organisation and the United Kingdom have not included it either.

Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories will be launching, Molflu, the generic version of this drug early next week which will be priced at Rs 35 per capsule. The medicine will be available in strips of 10 capsules.

The Indian pharma major receivedonly last week the emergency-use authorisation  from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market oral antiviral drug Molnupiravir capsules 200 mg for the treatment of adult patients with COVID-19 who have a high risk of progression of the disease including hospitalisation or death.

Molnupiravir will be the most affordable treatment for critical Covid-19 patients with the total course of 40 capsules over 5 days costing just Rs 1,400.