An antidepressant drug may reduce the risk of severe COVID-19, according to a recent study. Published in The Lancet Global Health, the study says that outpatients with symptomatic COVID-19 treated with fluvoxamine, compared with placebo, had a lower likelihood of clinical deterioration over 15 days.
Dr Edward Mills of McMaster University, co-principal investigator on the trial, said, “Recent vaccination developments and campaigns have proved to be effective and important in reducing the number of new symptomatic cases, hospitalizations, and deaths due to COVID-19.”
Another study goal was to find existing, widely available medications that can be repurposed to treat COVID-19. The medicines considered were also those which would be inexpensive and have known side effects.
Mills added, “COVID-19 still poses a risk to individuals in countries with low resources and limited access to vaccinations.”
According to the study, 741 participants received fluvoxamine, 79 required an extended stay for more than six hours in an emergency setting or hospitalization, compared to 119 out of the 756 participants who received the placebo.
Sold under its brand name Luvox, fluvoxamine is approved for mental health treatment by the Food and Drug Administration.
By Jennifer Williams
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