“Remdesivir is the most promising treatment option so far to reduce hospitalization time for those suffering from severe coronavirus infections,” TGA said in a statement published on their website.
The statement added that the drug "offers the potential to reduce the strain on Australia's health care system. By reducing recovery times patients will be able to leave hospital earlier, freeing beds for those in need.”
“While this is a major milestone in Australia's struggle against the pandemic, it is important to emphasize that the product has not been shown to prevent coronavirus infection or relieve milder cases of infection,” TGA said.
The statement continued: “Australia is one of the first regulators to authorize the use of Remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19, following on from recent approvals in European Union, Japan, and Singapore,” said the Administration adding that “international regulatory cooperation played a significant role, as the European Medicines Agency and the Singapore Health Sciences Authority generously shared their review reports with TGA at an early stage.”