Post by Porridgeman on Oct 14, 2020 19:37:33 GMT
The Ministry of Health and Wellness says it will be procuring supplies of the antiviral drug remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19 infection in public facilities.
READ: Pharmacists call for faster supply of remdesivir medicine
The Ministry notes that remdesivir has been shown to reduce the length of in-hospital stay by five days and to reduce mortality rates by four per cent.
It, however, points out that clinical trials are still ongoing in various countries.
So far, the drug has not received full approval in any country and is being utilised under “emergency use authorisation” in some countries, said the ministry.
It says it has issued a number of emergency permits for the importation of the drug into Jamaica.
It outlines that this requires a letter from the prescribing physician indicating the need for the drug and including recognition of the responsibility for prescribing an unapproved drug as well as the consent of the patient to take an unapproved drug.
Under the arrangement, inventory control systems must be put in place at the facilities to ensure that records of the dispensed product and patient information are maintained; that the drug be administered to hospitalised patients who are closely monitored; and that serious adverse events must be tracked and reported to the pharmacovigilance unit of the standards and regulations division of the ministry.
Clinical outcome reports must also be submitted to its health services planning and integration branch.
As of Tuesday, October 13, Jamaica had 4,304 active cases of COVID-19 with 188 persons in hospital.
The move comes amid public cries for greater access to the drug.
READ: Pharmacists call for faster supply of remdesivir medicine
The Ministry notes that remdesivir has been shown to reduce the length of in-hospital stay by five days and to reduce mortality rates by four per cent.
It, however, points out that clinical trials are still ongoing in various countries.
So far, the drug has not received full approval in any country and is being utilised under “emergency use authorisation” in some countries, said the ministry.
It says it has issued a number of emergency permits for the importation of the drug into Jamaica.
It outlines that this requires a letter from the prescribing physician indicating the need for the drug and including recognition of the responsibility for prescribing an unapproved drug as well as the consent of the patient to take an unapproved drug.
Under the arrangement, inventory control systems must be put in place at the facilities to ensure that records of the dispensed product and patient information are maintained; that the drug be administered to hospitalised patients who are closely monitored; and that serious adverse events must be tracked and reported to the pharmacovigilance unit of the standards and regulations division of the ministry.
Clinical outcome reports must also be submitted to its health services planning and integration branch.
As of Tuesday, October 13, Jamaica had 4,304 active cases of COVID-19 with 188 persons in hospital.