Opinion: Molnupiravir: another Covid-19 treatment, another opportunity to recognize inequity
The Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected communities of color and those with lower socioeconomic means, two groups that overlap to a significant extent in the U.S. Merck’s submission of molnupiravir, its oral antiviral drug, to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization will only heighten inequities wrought by the pandemic.
Merck and others have touted this drug as a game-changer. Although the data from randomized controlled trials have not been made available for review, the press release claims that a five day course of molnupiravir is associated with a 6.8% absolute reduction in hospitalization or death in patients with moderate Covid-19 not requiring hospitalization when the drug is taken within five days of the onset of symptoms. Assuming this information is accurate, early use of molnupiravir may lead to significant reductions in hospitalizations and deaths.
