FDA approves first drug as treatment for COVID-19

It's an anti-viral medicine given through an i-v for patients needing hospitalization.

News 10's dominic miranda spoke with a local pharmacist today.

//////// he explains what this news means for you at home.

Domini} according to a large study led by the u-s national institutes of health... remdesivir cut the time of recovery for covid-19 patients by 5 days.

Clinical trials have found that remdesivir improved symptoms for hospitalized patients.

This was the drug that president donald trump received when he contracted the virus earlier this month.

Remdesivir had been authorized for use on an emergency basis since the spring.

However, it now becomes the first drug to win full f-d-a approval for treating covid-19.

This drug is approved for people at least 12 years old and above.

Right now...remdesivir is only available via injection or i-v in hospitals.

Vigo health pharmacy owner alpesh patel tells me.... this shows a significant difference in recovery for patients and this is extremely encouraging.

He says the f-d-a is working on increasing production and availability for the public... but he thinks this development should put your mind at ease.

"this is the new medical product that will be available for treatment.

So more and more drugs are coming in the pipeline.

Hopefully very soon people will have more choices.

Different forms of the medicine will be available.

So at least now we are moving in a new direction and we will be safer."

Domini} i reached out to several wabash valley hospitals to wabash valley out to several i reached{domini} safer."

We will be direction and moving in a new direction and we will be safer."

Domini} i reached out to several wabash valley hospitals to wabash valley out to several i reached out to several wabash valley hospitals to see if they have been using remdesivir for patients.

Regional hospital in terre haute, greene county hospital, good samaritan in vincennes, and sullivan county hospital all got back to me and said... they have indeed been utilizing remdesivir, and have for many months.

In terre haute.

I'm dominic miranda news 10