Cytodyn Inc (CYDY)

[Beatcovid]

"Repurposed Drugs Are Only Hope" This complex interaction between a drug and the human body is also the reason why drugs have unpleasant side-effects and why drug repurposing comes with its own challenges. Drugs already on the market have been tested for safety and that is why they provide a speedier option than new drug development for the treatment of COVID-19.

However, the safety profile of a drug may be different for a different disease or in a sicker patient population. A study based on Canadian patients found the rate of adverse drug events to be 44 per cent higher when a drug is used off-label than when it is used for its approved indication.

Some of these drugs on which we pin our hopes will prove dangerous as they are now being given to patients in a precarious state of health. For example, preliminary patient record data from the US indicates that patients with COVID-19 who took hydroxychloroquine, the antimalarial drug promoted by US president, Donald Trump, were more likely to die than patients who did not take the drug.

Like much in medicine, repurposing existing drugs comes with risks which must be evaluated against the potential benefit for each new candidate. Our cautious hope must be balanced with speedy and rigorous clinical trials to provide evidence of effectiveness. Our enthusiasm about potential breakthroughs must be tempered by the recognition of the complexity of repurposing.


This article is republished from The Conversation. Read the original article.

Ayfer Ali is Assistant Professor of Strategy and teaches Strategic Advantage on the Distance