India health official says Merck COVID pill has 'major safety concerns'

India has not added Merck's COVID-19 pill in its national treatment protocol for the disease due to some "major safety concerns", a senior health official told a media briefing on Wednesday.

"We have to remember that this drug has major safety concerns ... so it is not included in the national task-force treatment," Balram Bhargava, head of the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research, said.

Indian drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd plans to launch https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/indias-dr-reddys-launch-generic-covid-19-merck-pill-about-50-cents-2022-01-04 its generic version of the Merck drug, called molnupiravir, from early next week.