Hospitalized COVID Patients Shouldn’t Get Remdesivir, WHO Panel Advises

Stat: WHO Recommends Against Remdesivir For Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients
A World Health Organization panel is now recommending against the use of the antiviral remdesivir in hospitalized Covid-19 patients, saying there is no evidence that the drug — which U.S. regulators have approved for the treatment of the coronavirus — improves mortality. (Joseph, 11/19)

Reuters: WHO Advises Against Gilead's Remdesivir For All Hospitalised COVID-19 Patients 
Gilead’s remdesivir is not recommended for patients hospitalised with COVID-19, regardless of how ill they are, as there is no evidence the drug improves survival or reduces the need for ventilation, a World Health Organization panel said on Friday. “The ... panel found a lack of evidence that remdesivir improved outcomes that matter to patients such as reduced mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, time to clinical improvement, and others,” the guideline said. (Kelland, 11/19)

AP: Health Experts Clash Over Use Of Certain Drugs For COVID-19
Health officials around the world are clashing over the use of certain drugs for COVID-19, leading to different treatment options for patients depending on where they live. On Friday, a World Health Organization guidelines panel advised against using the antiviral remdesivir for hospitalized patients, saying there’s no evidence it improves survival or avoids the need for breathing machines. But in the U.S. and many other countries, the drug has been the standard of care since a major, government-led study found other benefits — it shortened recovery time for hospitalized patients by five days on average, from 15 days to 10. (Marchione, 11/20)

In other news —

Indianapolis Star: Eli Lilly Drug Gains Emergency FDA Authorization For Treating COVID-19
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday granted emergency use authorization of a drug made by Eli Lilly and Co. that could reduce recovery time from COVID-19. The FDA authorized the distribution and emergency use of baricitinib, an oral prescription tablet which, when used in combination with remdesivir, is "shown to reduce time to recovery within 29 days after initiating treatment" for coronavirus, according to federal regulators. (Andrea, 11/19)

Forbes: FDA Gives Emergency Approval To Covid-19 Treatment That Combines Eli Lilly Arthritis Drug With Remdesivir
The Food and Drug Administration Thursday issued an emergency use authorization for Eli Lilly’s rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib and remdesivir for coronavirus treatment, the first drug combination authorized by the FDA as a therapeutic for the virus.  (Sandler, 11/19)

Also —

Modern Healthcare: Gilead Applied For Hospital Add-On Payment For Remdesivir
Gilead has applied to CMS for a Medicare add-on payment for the FDA-approved COVID-19 treatment remdesivir, according to federal filings. If the normal timeline for obtaining a New Technology Add-On Payment applies, the earliest a payment would be effective is October 2021. There's a chance that the prevalence of the coronavirus could be mitigated by that time if vaccines are effective and distributed quickly, but the payment would still apply if CMS approves it. (Cohrs, 11/19)

Stat: Hospitals Scramble To Solve Challenges With New Covid-19 Drug 
When the federal government started handing out a newly authorized Covid-19 treatment last week, some hospitals weren’t sure they should accept their share. On the surface, it sounded crazy. Decline a medication that might keep patients from getting severely ill? But like so many other pandemic-time medical decisions, this one offered only flawed choices. (Boodman, 11/20)