Covid-19: Two more drugs recommended for use by WHO

A healthcare worker attaches an intravenous (IV) infusion for a monoclonal antibody treatment to a patient’s hand in the parking lot of a hospital in Detroit, United States. The WHO conditionally approved an additional monoclonal antibody to treat Covid-19, as well as another drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. — Bloomberg

The drug baricitinib is strongly recommended for patients with severe or critical Covid-19, in combination with corticosteroids, said a World Health Organization (WHO) Guideline Development Group of international experts in The BMJ medical journal on Jan 13 (2022).

Their strong recommendation is based on evidence of moderate certainty that it improves survival and reduces the need for ventilation, with no observed increase in adverse effects.