Corona virus: Helps a prescription-free medicine against Covid-19?

The Coronavirus is from the scientists and researchers presents new challenges – currently, the overarching goal is to develop as soon as possible a vaccine or a drug to the Coronavirus to curb effectively.

Dr. Kevin Tracey is one of those researchers, he investigated in a clinical study, the potential efficacy of Famotidine against the Coronavirus. This is a prescription free drug against chronic heartburn.

Initial investigations suggest that the active substance binds to an enzyme of the Coronavirus, and thus the symptoms of the disease can be alleviated.

However, it could still take weeks until the effectiveness is not sufficiently investigated.

First observations in Wuhan

As the magazine ‘Science’ reported, the first guesses on the effect of Famotidine on the Coronavirus from Wuhan. Michael Callahan was the first doctor that made the prescription drug carefully.

He was in China in January to participate in a research project. After the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Wuhan, he helped the local Physicians in the treatment of patients.

Callahan and other physicians identified in the medical records of the patients, that many of the Survivors suffered from chronic heartburn and regularly Famotidine revenue.

An analysis showed: The death rate of patients taking Famotidine, and was 14 per cent, while for all other patients, at about 27 percent.

In spite of the inaccurate, and potentially flawed results Callahan, an advocate for the more detailed study of the drug back in America, he consulted specialists, with the mutual effects of Famotidine and the Coronavirus deal.

Study examines effect on the Coronavirus

Among the specialists, the former neurosurgeon Dr. Kevin Tracey of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in New York.

In a clinical study, he is now investigating whether the heartburn drug could be in the fight against the novel Virus is conducive to that.

At the beginning of April, the first Covid-19 patients received the heartburn drug, in nine times the normal dose. According to current state already 187 patients were treated with the drug, meaningful results can there be, according to the researchers, however, only after a further patient investigations.

However, other medical professionals, to test the effect of Famotidine against the Coronavirus. David Tuveson, Director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cancer Center, a set of Famotidine in its 44-year-old sister, who suffered from Covid-19 fell ill and a fever as well as breathing problems.

Already one day after the first infection, the symptoms of the patient improved. Tuveson shared his experiences with an E-Mail chain with other Doctors, and contributed to more Attention for the clinical study in New York.

No hasty hope in the fight against the Coronavirus

Nevertheless, the over-the-counter drug is not a guaranteed solution – Tracey stresses that it is for the time being just to Try and no guarantee for the effectiveness of Famotidine is.

“If it works, we’ll know in a couple of weeks,” says Tracey to ‘Science’.

Michelle Steinmetz

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