New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Council (ICMR)’s covid-19 national task force has revised the clinical management guidelines for treatment of adult patients amid rising cases.
In the new treatment protocol, the apex medical research body cautioned about the irrational use of antibiotics and steroids, while recommending that the possibility of co-infection of covid with other endemic infections be determined. “...Systemic corticosteroids are not indicated in mild disease," read ICMR’s clinical guideline document seen by Mint.
Furthermore, it does not advise use of drugs such as Lopinavir-ritonavir, Hydroxychloroine (HCQ), Ivermectin, convalescent plasma, neutralizing monoclonal antibody, Molnupiravir, Favipiravir, Azithromycin, and Doxycycline in the treatment of covid patients.
Many of these drugs were widely prescribed in India during the first wave of the pandemic, in addition to antibiotics and steroids.