Hyderabad City doctors tread cautiously on Covid drug FabiFlu efficacy

Hyderabad: The news of a Mumbai-based pharmaceutical firm Glenmark getting the nod to manufacture and market FabiFlu (the oral antiviral Favipiravir) for the treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 patients went viral across the nation with some terming it as the wonder drug to cure the deadly virus.

However, the doctors in Hyderabad give a word of caution about the use of the said medicine. Doctors in Hyderabad say many drugs have come into the spotlight since last three-four months and Favipiravir is one of them. It may be potentially helpful but how effective it is will be known only after few weeks. Dr GK Paramjyothi, HoD, Pulmonology, NIMS, Panjagutta explained that Favipiravir has been known to cure influenza. However, in Japan, Russia etc it has been administered to Covid patients with some results.

He said that mild patients can recover by just being in isolation and taking symptomatic treatment and they don't require special anti-viral drugs.

However, with so much hype created around this Favipiravir, the senior doctor felt that doctors attending Covid positive cases would be compelled to prescribe it. Also, there will be queries from patients as to why they are not being given this drug, which is being claimed as a cure for Covid mild and moderate cases.

Dr Suneetha Narreddy, senior consultant, infectious diseases at Apollo Hospitals stated that though so much hype has been created around Favipiravir, it cannot be just bought over the counter from the pharmacy shop and taken. It is strictly a prescription based medication and if taken without advice can affect the liver. It has been tried on Covid patients in Kerala, she pointed out

"It is not like consuming a single tablet. One has to take nine tablets in the morning and evening on day one…so one has to understand why it is a supervised medication," doctors said

The medical fraternity is saying that its effectiveness would be known over a period of time and until that time one has to wait.