COVID-19 who face the greatest risks, including older people and those with conditions like obesity and asthma. Most experts also said the drug shouldn't be used in vaccinated patients, who weren't part of the study and haven't been shown to benefit.
The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision before year’s end. The pill is already authorized in the U.K.
The drug, molnupiravir, could provide a much-needed weapon against the virus as colder weather pushes case counts higher and U.S.
officials brace for the arrival of the new omicron variant. Merck hasn’t specifically tested its drug against the new variant but said it should have some potency based on its effectiveness against other strains