Germany says remdesivir useful for some COVID-19 patients

FILE PHOTO: An ampule of Gilead Sciences' COVID-19 antiviral remdesivir is pictured during a news conference at the University Hospital Eppendorf (UKE) in Hamburg, Germany, April 8, 2020. Ulrich Perrey/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's health minister defended on Tuesday his decision to purchase additional supplies of remdesivir for treating COVID-19, saying Gilead's antiviral drug was useful especially early in the course of the disease.

"Because it makes sense in some situations and because the need has risen enormously we have procured additional supplies of remdesivir," Jens Spahn told a news conference.