Long-awaited COVID-19 antiviral drug remdesivir in short supply

[Star Tribune, June 18, 2020] Minnesota state health officials received a long-awaited shipment of an experimental antiviral drug used to treat COVID-19 patients Tuesday that could benefit 180 to 325 patients. The drug, remdesivir, which is donated by the manufacturer and distributed by federal and state governments, is still in short supply even though it was approved for emergency use May 1.

For the past three weeks, Minnesota has been allocated only enough vials to treat 80 to 140 patients, depending on dosages needed. In two of those weeks, no states received any shipments, and the federal government has said there will be none next week.

“We are not giving remdesivir to everybody that we want to give it to, and that creates a difficult and painful situation,” said Dr. Frank Rhame, a virologist at Allina Health. “It is in excruciating high demand.”

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