Health Canada has authorized with conditions the drug remdesivir for patients with severe COVID-19, although Canada’s top doctor says the supply is limited.
Health Canada has authorize, with conditions, the drug remdesivir for patients with severe COVID-19, though Canada’s top doctor says the supply is limited.
The drug — which will go by the brand name Veklury — is manufactured by Gilead Sciences Canada.
On Tuesday, Health Canada announced the drug is now authorized for use in adults and adolescents age 12 and older, with a body weight of at least 40 kilograms.
The company did not seek permission to use the drug to treat pregnant women or children under 12.
In April, a study run by the U.S. National Institutes of Health tested remdesivir versus usual care in 1,063 hospitalized coronavirus patients around the world. It found that the drug reduced the time it takes pa