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US researchers have found another drug that may prove effective in the fight against COVID-19. This time we are talking about famotidine, an active substance present in drugs for heartburn. Famotidine is a medicine that inhibits the production of acid in the stomach. Scientists are in the process of clinical trials, so you need to wait for their results to see if the drug actually alleviates the course of the coronavirus infection.
Famotidine in the treatment of COVID-19 – can it work?
Famotidine is a rather unexpected candidate for a potential drug for COVID-19. The substance is present in heartburn medicines because it reduces the secretion of hydrochloric acid by the lining of the stomach. That is why it is prescribed to patients suffering from gastric and duodenal ulcers. So why the supposition that famotidine will help in the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus?
The probability of famotidine influencing the course of coronavirus infection has been noticed in China. As reported by «Focus», infectious diseases specialist Dr. Michael Callahan drew attention to the occurrence of a milder form of COVID-19 in patients with heartburn. However, this concerned patients from less affluent social groups who accepted cheaper ones for their ailments drugs with famotidine. It was this insight that gave rise to substance research in the context of COVID-19 treatment.
There are still no results from tests conducted by scientists in New York, so we have to wait for evidence to support or disprove the theory about the effectiveness of famotidine. The research is coordinated by Dr. Kevin Tracey, president of Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, a research unit of Northwell Health. The scientist relies not only on observations from Chinese hospitals, but also on analyzes of the structure of various substances that are currently used in the treatment of COVID-19. A computer model has been developed to suggest that, in theory, famotidine has the potential to inhibit the proliferation of the coronavirus.
Tests for the effectiveness of famotidine in the fight against COVID-19
So far, 187 coronavirus-infected patients have participated in clinical trials conducted by Northwell Health. Ultimately, scientists want to test 1200 people. Treatment with famotidine is carried out by administering the drug intravenously. The dose of the substance is up to 9 times higher than in the treatment of heartburn.
Doctors advise patients not to self-medicate with heartburn medication, as the effects of the therapy are still unknown.
COVID-19 patients receive not only famotidine but also hydroxychoroquine. It is difficult to say how this will affect the research results as neither of these substances has yet been scientifically proven to be effective. The administration of hydroxychloroquine has now become the standard in the United States, so doctors are under pressure from patients and their relatives to use this drug.
Read more: Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. What about the side effects?
In order to balance the study, the research group is given hydroxychloroquine and famotidine, and the control group is given hydroxychloroquine and a placebo. The further course of the study and its form is to be decided by an independent council that monitors the study. There is also an additional problem that Dr. Tracey sees – though there is no confirmation yet that famotidine is effective, there is a risk that patients will still want to use the substance to treat COVID-19.
The search for an effective drug for COVID-19 is still ongoing. Specialists representing various institutes and research units conduct research for many substances that can potentially help people infected with the coronavirus. You can find out more about promising drugs that are being tested by researchers around the world in our review of promising COVID-19 therapies.
Have a question about the coronavirus? Send them to the following address: [email protected]. You will find a daily updated list of answers HERE: Coronavirus – frequently asked questions and answers.
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- How long does it take to recover from coronavirus infection?