US FDA panel narrowly backs Covid-19 pill, world's first at-home treatment

Permission for Merck & Co's antiviral treatment would likely be limited to patients at high risk of developing severe disease, although the exact population would be defined by the agency.

A panel of expert advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday narrowly voted to recommend the agency authorize Merck & Co's antiviral pill to treat COVID-19.

If the FDA authorizes the drug, it would be the first at-home treatment for the virus nearly two years into the pandemic. The authorization would likely be limited to patients at high risk of developing severe disease, although the exact population would be defined by the agency.

Merck published data last week suggesting the drug was significantly less effective than previously thought, reducing hospitalizations and deaths in its clinical trial of high-risk individuals