Virus wall 5

High doses of the drug impaired bone and cartilage growth in rat studies. And the FDA says females of childbearing age should use reliable contraception during treatment and for four days after the last dose.

Males who are sexually active with females of childbearing potential should use contraception during treatment and for at least three months after the last dose. It is designed to block replication of the Covid coronavirus by causing genetic mutations in the virus. That has raised concerns that it could lead to variants of the virus developing in patients taking the drug, which might then escape and be transmitted to others.

FDA officials said the drug reduces viral loads, and patients should self-isolate while undergoing treatment, which could mitigate this potential risk of transmitting a variant. A Merck spokeswoman said there is no evidence the drug contributed to the emergence of circulating variants. The FDA concluded this risk is low, partly due to the short duration of treatment. Write to Peter Loftus at peter. In the U. While the numbers in the U. The potential good news is that the infectious variant is being well-managed by people who have been vaccinated, which could signal the beginning of the end of the pandemic.

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