A pharmaceutical company is hoping to join the fight against Covid-19 with a pill that could reduce symptoms of the disease.
On Monday, Merck asked for the Food and Drug Adminstration's approval for their new anti-Covid pill. They claim the pill can help people who've been infected with the virus not become as sick.
"I really would be surprised that the FDA will decline it, unless they're going to see other things that we don't know about," said Dr. Ali Hassoun, an infectious disease specialist with Huntsville Hospital.
Hassoun said Merck's pill has shown promising results thus far and believes it will be of great benefit to hospitals if approved.
"I think it will make a big difference, because you're going to reduce hospital admission, and you're going to reduce surge in the hospital, so I think it will really, really help if it gets started early," he said.
Right now, Merck is asking for emergency authorization for people who have mild to moderate symptoms and are at high risk of being hospitalized after contracting the virus. With many still on the fence about the vaccine, people told Â鶹Çø they're optimistic that the drug gets approved, because they believe it will greatly benefit the unvaccinated.
"If they don't get the vaccine, at least this is something for them, so they won't end up in the hospital sick or die," said Huntsville resident Peggy Fambrough. "It looks like a win-win if the FDA approves it."
Hassoun said the drug will be beneficial to anyone infected, regardless of vaccination status, but he said you shouldn't see it as a substitute for getting the vaccine.
"It's a great addition," he said. "If (someone) gets infected, you treat them and reduce complication, but it's like how we talk about the flu. For example, you know we have a treatment for the flu, but our main arm to treat and fight is really the vaccination. So, the treatment is good, but prevention will be much much better."
The final decision on from the FDA could take weeks. If approved, the pill would become the first method of defense against the disease that doesn't involve an IV or infusions.
