FDA’s Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee narrowly concluded that the benefits of Merck’s (NYSE:MRK) COVID-19 pill molnupiravir outweigh the risks. A total of 13 members of the panel voted in favor of the drug candidate, while 10 voted against it. There were no abstentions. FDA generally follows the advice of its advisory committees. “This was clearly…

Dr. Michael Carome, director of Public Citizen’s health research group, is concerned about Merck’s SARS-CoV-2 antiviral molnupiravir. If it wins emergency use authorization (EUA), molnupiravir would be the first oral treatment for COVID-19. But Carome brought up several potential problems with molnupiravir during today’s public comment period of the FDA’s Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee meeting.…