News Forum - Health ministry stockpiles medication in anticipation of Covid-19 surge

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s health ministry has stocked up on Covid-19 treatment, in anticipation of a surge in infections following the Songkran holiday. Health minister Anutin Charnvirakul says hospitals are also standing by to treat at-risk patients, while those who are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms can be treated at home. The Bangkok Post reports that around 110 million favipiravir pills have been distributed to hospitals around the country and the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation also plans to distribute 45,000 courses of Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral treatment. Yesterday, Thailand reported 16,994 and 124 Covid-related deaths. However, the case numbers do not include 8,276 positive […]

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[Janneman]

Do docters in Thailand actually prescribe antiviral medicine to 'patients' without symptoms?? Why on earth would they do that? To help them get better, even though they are not sick?

In most countries these antiviral medicines are only given in case of severe infections, and/or to high risk patients. Antiviral medicines do have side-effects which makes it not obly useless but also dangerous to give them to people without symptoms.

[Guest1]

Just the big pharma found a pill, that you have to take, BEFORE you get sick. As soon they test you positive, as a "high risk group" person, these pills need to be given. Good for the manufacturer, vaccines are only every 3  month an just 1/25 of the price of a "treatment". Would like to know the percentage, where these pills preventing hospitalisation. And would not be surprised, if that is in the range of the 90+%,  vaccines are doing so, too. ;-)

[Poolie]

11 minutes ago, Janneman said:

Do docters in Thailand actually prescribe antiviral medicine to 'patients' without symptoms?? Why on earth would they do that? To help them get better, even though they are not sick?

In most countries these antiviral medicines are only given in case of severe infections, and/or to high risk patients. Antiviral medicines do have side-effects which makes it not obly useless but also dangerous to give them to people without symptoms.

Perhaps you should offer your advice to the MOH?  I'm sure they are unaware of your salient wisdom.

[Soidog]

38 minutes ago, Janneman said:

Do docters in Thailand actually prescribe antiviral medicine to 'patients' without symptoms?? Why on earth would they do that? To help them get better, even though they are not sick?

Agreed. Mind you, the same as your average pharmacist who will happily hand you as many antibiotics as you want. Half the world is worried about antibiotic resistance, while the other half hands em out like jelly beans. Bit like action on climate change, but that would be off topic!