Experimental COVID-19 drug shows promise, but needs more study: U of S prof.

An experimental drug has shown some promise in treating COVID-19, but a Saskatoon professor thinks we shouldn’t jump to conclusions.

Remdesivir was shown to improve the condition of half of the critical condition patients to whom it was given.

Dr. Stan Bardal, an associate professor in the department of anatomy, physiology and pharmacology at the University of Saskatchewan, thinks the results of the study are encouraging.

However, he noted that remdesivir seems to have a limited number of uses.

“It’s more of a hospital drug,” he said. “So for any of those out there thinking, ‘This is a drug we can give to everybody or use preventatively,’ it’s not really practical.”

He also thinks more work is needed before the drug can be used as an effective, widespread treatment.

“It does show some benefit for those who are severely affected. It certainly seems to help them to heal better, more quickly,” he explained.

“I think there needs to be more study, though. We have to be careful (not) to rush to judgment.”