SA health regulator allows use of Merck Covid treatment pill

South Africa’s health regulator SAHPRA said on Thursday that it had authorised use of Merck’s Covid-19 treatment pill molnupiravir.

SAHPRA added in a statement that Pfizer had submitted an application for its Covid-19 pill, Paxlovid, which was under consideration.

“The authorisation of molnupiravir for compassionate use offers further therapy in the fight against Covid-19,” SAHPRA’s Chief Executive Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said.

SAHPRA said molnupiravir was only indicated for use in patients aged 18 years and older. It authorised with conditions the importation of a limited quantity of molnupiravir capsules for a period of six months.