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Coronavirus pandemic

Health Ministry allowed outpatient use of favipiravir for COVID-19 patients

Favipiravir was developed in Japan as a flu medicine and was approved for use in 2014

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. Russia’s Healthcare Ministry has allowed the use of two favipiravir preparations for outpatient treatment of the novel coronavirus infection. Earlier these pharmaceuticals were only permitted for use in a hospital setting, the press service of the Healthcare Ministry reported.

"Russia’s Healthcare Ministry introduced changes to the registration certificates of two domestic preparations for the treatment of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) with the international nonproprietary name (INN) of favipiravir, allowing their use on the outpatient basis. Earlier the preparations could be used exclusively for hospital treatment of patients," the statement said.

Favipiravir was developed in Japan as a flu medicine and was approved for use in 2014. Preparations on its basis are produced under Avigan, Areplivir, or Favilavir brand names. In Russia, it is known as Avifavir. Avifavir was officially registered by the Russian Healthcare Ministry as the first drug against the coronavirus at the end of May 2020. It has also become the first registered anti-coronaviral drug worldwide. This preparation of a direct antiviral action which disrupts the mechanisms of the coronavirus propagation has demonstrated high effectiveness during clinical trials.

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