
Although there is only one approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many medications are being tested.
This article is written by Mayo Clinic Staff.
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The FDA has approved an antiviral drug called remdesivir (Veklury) to treat COVID-19 in adults and children who are age 12 and older. Remdesivir may be prescribed for people who are hospitalized with COVID-19. It's given through a needle in the skin (intravenously). The FDA has granted an emergency use authorization for the rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib (Olumiant) to treat COVID-19 in some cases. Baricitinib is a pill that seems to work against COVID-19 by reducing inflammation and having antiviral activity. The FDA states baricitinib may be used in combination with remdesivir in people who are hospitalized with COVID-19 who are on mechanical ventilators or need supplemental oxygen.
Researchers are studying other potential treatments for COVID-19, including:
It's not known if any of these will prove to be effective against COVID-19. It's critical to complete medical studies to determine whether any of these medications are effective against COVID-19.
Don't try these medications without a prescription and your doctor's approval, even if you've heard that they may have promise. These drugs can have serious side effects. They're reserved for people who are seriously ill and under a doctor's care.
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Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.
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