Which Covid drugs are available in Serbia and who are they for

Photo: Pixabay

Covid drugs are being talked about again these days. First, the news arrived that a team from a well-known Israeli hospital had developed a drug that could cure Covid, and then a story appeared about a drug that exists in our country and produces excellent results. We investigated what are current Covid treatment protocols in our country, and what experts say about these claims.

Recommended

There are currently 1,500 studies trying to answer the question of which drug can be used to treat coronavirus.

For now, Serbia has drugs that are synthesized from the blood plasma of patients who have Covid. The strongest antibodies are selected and then multiplied in order to treat other people. Such drugs are used in patients who have developed a mild to moderate disease, while there is no specific therapy for more serious patients.

"Clinical experience has shown, but also clinical studies, that corticosteroids, widespread drugs such as Dexamethasone, can be useful in a number of patients. They are often given in combination with Tocilizumab," Dr. Bojan Trkulja from the Association of Manufacturers of Innovative Medicines explained for RTS.

He added that anticoagulant drugs are also given in order to prevent the formation of blood clots in these patients.

"We also have Remdesivir, which was developed for some other diseases, but clinical studies have shown that it can help with Covid to some extent," explained Trkulja.

Since the start of the pandemic, protocols have changed, and every therapeutic option that was considered good around the world has been used in our country as well.

"It started with Chloroquine, which was at the time considered to be helpful, later it turned out that it was not so successful. Then there were some other drugs and now we have reached the first generation of specific antiviral drugs such as monoclonal antibodies that are used in therapy," added Trkulja.

EXO-CD24, potential solution for global pandemic

There are assumptions that the drug EXO-CD24, which was developed by a team from a well-known Israeli hospital in Tel Aviv, could beat Covid and is eagerly awaited by the whole world. However, the start of its use in our country, as well as in others, will take a while, and it will only be available when it is registered.

"This medicine is just entering the third phase of clinical trials. So, it is that far removed from being used at the global level, because before using such a drug, it must obtain the approval of competent drug agencies," said pharmacist Aleksandra Dimitrijevic.

No medicine for Covid 19 can be bought in a pharmacy. Citizens can only buy supplements that are considered to have a preventive effect, or are added to therapy, but no one should self-medicate, pharmacists say.

"What is used in the West can also be obtained in our pharmacies, we are really not far behind. As far as I know, as far as the protocol is concerned, the situation is similar in hospitals and in Covid clinics, I can even say that we have introduced some drugs that are still not used in some countries," Dimitrijevic explains.

Since the start of the epidemic Serbia has been introducing most modern Covid therapies, regardless of the price. Experts say that at the moment there are many drugs that promise successful treatment and that they will become available to our patients when the results of large clinical trials have been obtained, which will confirm their safety and effectiveness.

(Telegraf.rs)