Thailand to produce antiviral medicine for COVID-19 treatment
The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) of Thailand is working to make its own Favipiravir - the antiviral medicine which has been touted as a treatment for COVID-19.
Favipiravir for COVID-19 treatment (Photo: Bangkok Post)
Bangkok, April 28 (VNA) – TheGovernment Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) of Thailand is working to make itsown Favipiravir - the antiviral medicine which has been touted as a treatmentfor COVID-19.
Local media quoted Chairman of theGPO's board of directors Sophon Mekthon as saying that the organization’spharmaceutical team is working hard to study the formula for Favipiravir tomake it more efficient, and GPO plans to produce the product by next year.
Favipiravir is an antiviral medication used to treat influenza in Japan. It isknown for stopping viruses from duplicating and has been used to treat COVID-19.
Thailand has been importing Favipiravir, mostly from Japan, to treat COVID-19patients with moderate to severe symptoms since January According to the official, the ThaiMinistry of Public Health has 200,000 Favipiravir tablets in stock, which is 80percent below its target of one million.
But the ministry believes the currentstockpile is sufficient to treat 3,000 COVID-19 cases.
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Favipiravir for COVID-19 treatment (Photo: Bangkok Post) 
