(WXYZ) — The FDA announced Monday that they have expanded approval of Remdesivir to treat COVID-19 positive patients to include pediatric patients 28 days old and older and weighing at least around 7 pounds.
This made Remdesivir the first approved treatment for children less than 12 years of age. It had already been used to treat some younger patients under an emergency use authorization.
“As COVID-19 can cause severe illness in children, some of whom do not currently have a vaccination option, there continues to be a need for safe and effective COVID-19 treatment options for this population,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research in a news release. “Today’s approval of the first COVID-19 therapeutic for this population demonstrates the agency’s commitment to that need.”
Remdesivir is used to treat COVID-19 positive patients who are:
- Hospitalized
- Not hospitalized and have mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
The COVID-19 vaccine has not yet been approved for kids under the age of 5. Pfizer is seeking an emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 booster shot for children ages 5 to 11.
This story was originally published by WXYZ in Detroit, Michigan.
