(Carrick Pharmacy News) We talk a lot about COVID-19 prevention. But what about the treatments?
There’s more than enough confusion on this topic. Let’s clear it up.
Here are the COVID-19 treatments that are currently approved (fully approved or authorized for emergency use) by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as of September 2022:
Antiviral Medication
The FDA has given the green light to a few antiviral treatments for COVID-19:
- Veklury (remdesivir)
- Paxlovid (molnupiravir)
- Lagevrio (molnupiravir)
Immune Modulator
The agency has also OK’d one immune modulator for certain patients hospitalized with COVID. It’s called Olumiant (baricitinib).
Monoclonal Antibody Treatments
Perhaps the most common COVID-19 treatment comes in the form of monoclonal antibodies. The FDA has authorized several types of these antibodies, which help your immune system recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19.
What About Other Treatments?
Plenty of scammy websites and others have pushed COVID-19 treatments that the FDA has not authorized for use. What about those treatments?
Health experts recommend avoiding any such treatment. Why? Because it could not only be ineffective, but it could also be harmful to the user.
The Most Effective COVID Treatment? Prevention
The FDA will likely approve more COVID-19 treatments as time passes, but the most effective treatment for COVID-19 remains the same: never getting the virus at all.
Currently, the FDA has authorized several highly effective vaccinations that can prevent COVID-19 infection. With safety measures like vaccination and social distancing, you can help keep yourself from needing a COVID-19 treatment.
If you have questions about COVID-19 prevention or treatment, speak with your healthcare provider.
