FDA Panel Grapples With Safety Concerns Over Merck’s COVID Pill

FDA advisers on Tuesday (Nov. 30) narrowly voted 13 to 10 in favor of authorizing Merck’s COVID-19 pill molnupiravir to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in people 18 and up, with many calling for restrictions on who can get the drug in order to limit its safety risks to unborn children and to stem the potential creation of new variants when given to immunocompromised patients. Advisers were split on whether pregnant people should be prevented from accessing the drug, with some arguing...