Consensus statement on: Favipiravir as an empirical therapy for influenza-like illness during COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a serious impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide. Empirical therapy is being used to reduce morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 patients. Favipiravir, which is an oral broad-spectrum anti-viral agent with proven efficacy against various RNA viruses, acceptable tolerability profile and favorable benefit-risk ratio in short term use, has got an emergency use authorization in many countries including India for the treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. It has demonstrated promising results in terms of rapid viral clearance, quick symptom control, and pulmonary radiographic improvement. Due to reasons such as lockdown, isolation, diagnostic delays, fear of quarantine or getting tested, cost, etc., the golden time period (first 24-48 hrs) is lost in COVID-19 patients which is crucial for initiating antiviral therapy. Therefore, the panel members of ‘Academy of Advanced Medical Education’ propose that favipiravir can be recommended in confirmed, early probable and possible cases of mild and moderate severity as an empirical therapy during current pandemic. It is important to counsel the patients and explain to them about the limited clinical evidences with favipiravir, therefore, a signed consent form from patient must be kept before initiating treatment. Well-designed double-blind controlled trials are urgently required to understand this further.