People should not seek unauthorized sources of COVID-19 remedies, the Thai Food and Drug Administration said last night.
Surachoke Tangwiwat said the warning came after a private hospital in Bangkok’s Khlong Luang district was found to be selling COVID-19 treatment packages containing two unauthorized drugs: molnupiravir and favipiravir.
Molnupiravir is a recently developed drug that can treat early COVID-19 infection and help prevent more severe symptoms. But it is in limited supply and available only by prescription, often for those in high-risk groups.
The FDA warned that anyone selling fake and potentially unsafe versions of the antiviral drug through social media or other channels faces prosecution for smuggling illegal and unauthorized drugs.
The hospital did not have permission to supply the drugs as they remain strictly controlled by the government and can only be obtained by prescription from certified doctors. The health department has taken legal action against the hospital.
The Public Health Ministry reiterated that molnupiravir is stocked in sufficient quantities to treat patients infected with COVID-19, but said it’s important to buy from the right sources, namely hospitals that have been allocated the pills by the government.
The FDA also noted that molnupiravir should not be taken by pregnant women, and counterfeit versions may cause severe side effects.
While mask mandates have been lifted, Thailand has been seeing a rise in infections. As of Thursday, there were approximately 24,000 active cases with about 2,000 new daily case reports.
