By
Berkeley Lovelace Jr.
-
NBC News
An expert panel advising the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday voted to recommend for emergency use of an experimental pill from Merck to treat COVID-19. .
Should the FDA approve the recommendation of the advising panel, this drug would become the first drug that can be taken in a pill to fight the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Members of the agency's Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee voted 13-10 in favor of the treatment, called molnupiravir,
for use in adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for severe illness or hospitalization.
The antiviral pill molnupiravir is being developed by Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, and is already in phase 3 trials to treat and prevent early COVID-19 infections.
MERCK & CO.)
Despite the approval of most committee members, some expressed concern during public meetings that spanned several days.
The FDA is not required to follow the recommendations of its
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