Whether FDA’s approval of Remdesivir is politically driven

The Food and Drug Administration approved Remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19 last week. The drug was approved for emergency use during the spring, and was part of the cocktail of drugs used to treat President Donald Trump in early October.

Early in the pandemic, there were high hopes for Remdesivir. But a recent World Health Organization study found that it had no effect on COVID-19 deaths or recovery time.

So why did the U.S. approve it for coronavirus? Some experts say it’s a political move.

Credits

Guest:

  • Jon Cohen - senior correspondent at Science Magazine

Host:

Madeleine Brand

Producers:

Sarah Sweeney, Michell Eloy, Amy Ta, Rosalie Atkinson, Brian Hardzinski, Caleigh Wells, Angie Perrin