Popular Infusion Could Increase COVID Hospital Stay

By Lubo Ivanko/Shutterstock

This costly medication is actually increasing hospital days after the manufacturer said its price was determined based on reducing lengths of stays. Consider these strategies so you may not need it.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• One study showed remdesivir lowered hospital days by 30%, yet doctors in Florida are finding that people who take the drug are staying longer than those who don’t
• The company priced the drug based on how much it could save in hospital costs. The cost to produce, package and ship one vial is $10, while the commercial price is $520 per vial
• Big Pharma is poised to make large profits from drugs and vaccines that the U.S. government subsidized during the COVID-19 pandemic
• I believe it is crucial that you proactively support your immune system and not wait for a drug or vaccine with unknown, potentially long-term side effects. Optimizing your vitamin D is likely the easiest, least expensive and most beneficial strategy

In early 2020, a global pandemic spurred the world into action, especially in the science community. Researchers began seeking to discover how the COVID-19 virus worked and to uncover the best methods for testing, treating and vaccinating. One of the interventions that the biomedical community has been pursuing is the use of antivirals, including remdesivir.