YOURSAY | 'Buying 150,000 courses may cost the rakyat RM420m.'

MOH ordered experimental antiviral drug due to breakthrough infections - KJ

Malaysia buys 150,000 courses of Merck's Covid-19 pill

Zahid wants govt to explain procurement of molnupiravir

Solo: After the fiasco on getting the Covid-19 vaccines late, everyone is jumping into buying Merck’s anti-viral pills as soon as possible. For your information, Glaxo Smith Kline is also making anti-viral products.

Molnupiravir is an anti-viral medication working at the RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene level to prevent virus replication. It is useful if taken early in the Covid-19 infection. It does not help if you are already in the intensive care unit (ICU), needing oxygen and/or a ventilator.

Unlike the anti-parasite medicine touted on the internet, this one had a proper clinical trial to assess its safety and efficacy.

The independent moderators reviewed the data midpoint and stopped the study early because the results were too positive to ignore. We are waiting to see the study published, but it has been reported that there were over 700 participants.

The Health Ministry with their ivermectin study plans to have 500 participants. I suggest that we listen to the scientists and tune out the trolls.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s information on the new drug, however, may not be totally correct (that it could be used on patients in Category 3, 4 and 5). It’s better to wait for Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to explain the matter further.

According to the website of US drugmaker Merck & Co, the company we’re purchasing the pills from, the molnupiravir trial involved non-hospitalised patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 disease. It has not been used in patients hospitalised or in ICU.

Like remdesivir, it is used to prevent hospitalisation. You cannot use it if the patient is in ICU needing oxygen or on a ventilator.

Lone Star: What are the results and conclusions of the Health Ministry’s ivermectin study?

In September, the Health Ministry said that this study on the efficacy of ivermectin in preventing severe Covid-19 infection will be completed soon. So why the rush to buy molnupiravir?

This experimental drug is said to cost RM2,800 per treatment course. So, buying 150,000 courses will cost the rakyat RM420 million.

As Malaysia is concluding its ivermectin study soon, wouldn't it be prudent to wait?

YellowLion0342: @Lone Star, there are many ivermectin trials and studies around the world but all of them are unable to prove that the drug is effective.

The Health Ministry must have seen the early results and being very pessimistic, they went with this molnupiravir drug immediately.

Anonymous_4702: This is very confusing. The government already told the people that for those who are fully vaccinated, even if they got infected - the so-called breakthrough infection - their case would be mostly asymptomatic or mild.

So why still need to waste money and buy this antiviral medicine when most of the people are already fully vaccinated?

It’s better to save the money and buy booster vaccine shots for the vulnerable instead.

Vijay47: Wow, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is even more talented than we imagined. From international relations, he has moved on to the world of medicine.

Heck, he can even quote drugs like molnupiravir and baricitinib without stumbling over the words!

All the same, I think those who stay in glass-houses should not throw kickbacks.

Just a Malaysian: If Khairy did not buy the drug and later when it is known to be effective and out of stock due to high demand, all of you criticising the move now will be crying for blood.

Khairy in making a moderate purchase amount of 150,000 courses as a standby is a good management decision. I support his stand.

Anonymous_Now: "Khairy said the pill would also give doctors another option, where they can choose to use it on those who have been vaccinated or otherwise, and those with certain medical conditions or are suffering from severe symptoms."

So now there is an alternative to vaccination, there is no need to force vaccination or victimise unvaccinated people.

YellowLion9117: @Anonymous_Now, what is so difficult to understand? Vaccines are, of course, the preferred solution because they prevent you from getting serious symptoms. If you happen to have symptoms, then you can take the pill. They are two complementary weapons.

Even a five-year-old should be able to understand that.

Unspin: Merck is only producing 10 million courses of molnupiravir this year so if we don't book early, we might lose out to other rich countries.

Merck has also tied up with Indian pharmaceutical companies to produce cheaper antivirals for the developing countries so making the assumption that it cost US$700 (RM2,800) per course might not be accurate.

Even if we pay the full price, it is still worth it because the 150,000 courses ordered by Khairy is roughly equivalent to the losses incurred from just one business day.

OrangeKancil6903: Why in a hurry to buy a drug that US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved?

It must be like the vaccines where the costs run into billions with layers stacked up, and everyone is happy about this?

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