Health & Fitness
MA Hospitals To Run 1st US Trial Of Possible Coronavirus Drug
The Boston Globe reported three Massachusetts hospitals will run a trial of favipiravir, which Japan says could treat coronavirus patients.
BOSTON — The desperate search for a coronavirus drug is gaining steam in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester got the green light to launch the United States' first clinical trial of the Japanese drug favipiravir, The Boston Globe reported Tuesday morning.
The Japanese government said the drug, known by brand name Avigan, could treat COVID-19 patients.
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Other countries are racing to test favipiravir amid the global coronavirus pandemic. China has already been running trials and Russia is expected to start soon, according to Newsweek.
As of Monday, there were 13,837 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 260 deaths in Massachusetts. Hospitals are expected to see an influx in COVID-19 patients over the next two weeks.
Find out what's happening in Bostonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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