Mexico grants emergency use approval for Merck's COVID-19 pill

Mexico's health regulator has granted authorization for emergency use of drugmaker Merck's COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday. The health regulator, COFEPRIS, confirmed the approval in a statement later in the day. COFEPRIS was expected to soon also approve Pfizer's Paxlovid pill to treat COVID-19, Lopez Obrador added at a regular news conference.

Mexico's health regulator has granted authorization for emergency use of drugmaker Merck's COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday.

The health regulator, COFEPRIS, confirmed the approval in a statement later in the day. COFEPRIS was expected to soon also approve Pfizer's Paxlovid pill to treat COVID-19, Lopez Obrador added at a regular news conference. Both medications were approved last month https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-fda-authorizes-mercks-at-home-antiviral-covid-19-pill-2021-12-23 in the United States.

Molnupiravir was developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and shown to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by around 30% in a clinical trial of high-risk individuals early in the course of the illness. Lopez Obrador said he planned to make both medications available in public hospitals.