The European regulator said Thursday, November 4 that it was ready to advise European Union (EU) member states on emergency use of Merck's anti-Covid pill, now authorized in the UK .
Read alsoVaccines: Merck boosts its production capacities in France
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is also trying to speed up the review launched last week on the drug before a possible marketing in the EU, while Europe is experiencing a massive wave of contamination.
"
We will try to speed up our assessment to get an authorization as soon as possible,
" Marco Cavaleri, head of vaccine strategy at the EMA, said at a press conference, adding that he could not yet give date.
The first anti-Covid tablets
"
We are also ready to advise the Member States of the European Union so that they can make this new oral antiviral available in case of emergency, before its authorization
", continued Cavaleri. The Amsterdam-based regulator does not have the power to make a central decision on the use of the medicine in emergencies across the EU. He can therefore only advise states individually, he explained.
The United Kingdom on Thursday became the first country to authorize molnupiravir, a treatment from the American laboratory Merck considered a crucial tool in the fight against the pandemic.
These are the first anti-Covid tablets on the market.
Administered to patients within days of a positive test, the treatment halves the risk of hospitalization, according to a clinical trial conducted by Merck, also called MSD outside the United States.
Read alsoA first anti-Covid pill at the end of 2021?
The EMA once again urged the population to get vaccinated as soon as possible to fight the "
fourth wave
" of the epidemic affecting the continent.
The World Health Organization (WHO) was alarmed Thursday at the "
very worrying
" rate of transmission of Covid-19 in Europe.
Germany broke its record for daily infections on Thursday.
“
The epidemiological situation in Europe is currently of great concern,
” said Fergus Sweeney, clinical trials group leader for EMA.
“
It is really important that we are all vaccinated because we are not all protected until everyone is protected,
” he added.