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Toyama governor vows to help boost Avigan output

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@Yubaru @aleef thank both of you guys. I mean, if this drug has any significant positive effects, at least for something like the coronavirus, then yeah, I say go for it too! Seriously, what part of the word “pandemic” do some people not understand? It means this is an emergency situation, a health crisis, and we can’t afford to take the usual routes. We simply do not have the luxury for that.

This is why drugs need testing, and why taking the usual routes is a requirement, not a "luxury":

A small study on a drug... in the fight against coronavirus was halted due to heart arrhythmias and other issues in participants, including the deaths of 11 individuals who were involved in the study.

Link: https://hillreporter.com/study-on-chloroquine-is-halted-after-participants-report-heart-problems-start-dying-64266

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Avigan is most effective if caught early on, similar to flu medication like Xofluza. I had the flu back in January, went to the doctor on the 2nd day and Xofluza knocked it out in about 2 days. Any longer wait and it would of had a smaller to little effect. Remember Avigan is not a vaccine, but a treatment, it stops the virus from replicating, so the earlier the better. Is it a miracle drug? no, but it is certainly a step in the right direction from early research, and the use of Avigan on other things such as Ebola in the past. It is one of many drugs out there in the world being tested, got to give it time, in the end I think it will be just one of many drugs that can be taken to help.

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Nobody else is talking about Avigan except the Japanese!

Actually quite a few countries are looking at Avigan, it is one drug that is being tested of many. It is one that also shows early signs of progress especially in mild cases of Covid-19. It is currently being tested in other countries as well, Israel, Germany, China, Thailand etc. It is one of many drugs that needs to be tested, in the end we might see a combination of many drugs doing the trick.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Let me turn the cannon on you, sir. Do you WANT people to die because a drug hasn’t been through years of testing.

Depends - what is the cost of using the drug? If it's just shifting one problem on to a new one, then it doesn't make much sense.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Nobody else is talking about Avigan except the Japanese!

So? Other countries are looking at other drugs. Right now the whole world is scrambling to see if we can re-purpose existing drugs to help treat Covid. Is there something wrong with that?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Some people are saying 'just use it'. And what about the side-effects that happen to people it doesn't help? We just ignore those?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Nobody else is talking about Avigan except the Japanese! Are they going to forgo what other countries front line doctors have found helpful in the treatment of this virus? I bet you 95% of Japanese doctors Even know what has been learned by those who have already been there and done that.! They are going to try and re-invent the wheel when we have a semblance of one already.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The manufacturer does not rely on China clinical trials. They are conducting their own, so are the other countries.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@Yubaru @aleef thank both of you guys. I mean, if this drug has any significant positive effects, at least for something like the coronavirus, then yeah, I say go for it too! Seriously, what part of the word “pandemic” do some people not understand? It means this is an emergency situation, a health crisis, and we can’t afford to take the usual routes. We simply do not have the luxury for that.

And since this drug already has been shown to have such good effects, even if it’s just in clinical trials, then I say we put a lot more effort into this. It can definitely save lives.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Funny. It's "seen as effective" but has only recently began to be studied.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

There is no evidence that shows avigan has any effect on the coronavirus.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The Japanese government also plans to triple the stockpile of Avigan for use in treating 2 million COVID-19 patients.

The Japanese government has not yet approved the drug for covid-19 treatment yet it is stockpiling to treat 2 million covid-19 patients where are the 2 million patients going to come from when the testing here is paltry. What is the essence of not testing and allowing milder cases turn to serious cases that the Avigan can't treat.

I would take any info or data originating from China with a large bag of salt.

Judging from the number of infections and deaths in Europe, New York and the U.S. it us clearly evident the china numbers are grossly under reported.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

It has not been approved for general use in any country except maybe China, that's why many countries who are interested in using them are conducting their own clinical trials.

It was reported that the drug has been successfully used to treat dozens of patients here in Japan.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It's not always wise to make a drug available if there are some doubts over its safety. I read there are worries over embryo safety with this drug. Might still be effective, if not given to those who are pregnant or wanting to be. Thalidomide had some frightening lessons many years ago, yet I gather is still effective in other unrelated fields such as Hansen's disease and some cancers. So let's proceed with caution, rather than just put it out there.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Not registered in Europe and USA.

If it was obviously helping, everyone would know.

Its side effect is heavy if it can make foetus abnormalities.

You can't just send plenty meds without any business intentions. What are the 20 or so countries who will receive them and test them in its population for free stats afterwards without damages to pay if it fails for some.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

From what I have read about Avigan, it is more effective than a placebo, but only if administered early in the onset of the virus. Once Covid-19 becomes severe, the drug is pretty much useless.

Most people, in most countries, at this time, do not seek medical treatment for Covid-19 during early onset, since its symptoms can mimic a common cold. Still, for those who do seek treatment early, and whose health professionals have knowledge about and access to this drug, it might be helpful.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

This is not going to work. The Japanese suddenly mass-produced Avigans because the Chinese gives unreliable statistics. Remember that Italian and French doctors recently complained the deficiency of Chinese medical equipments. Chinese lied to the West about the viral outbreak and now provided us with broken equipments.

Shinzo Abe is a fool to buy into the Chinese words.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

aleef: "Mr Smith, we'll be sure to keep these meds away from you should you need them. You can relax now."

Well, don't come crying to me if you take it and it has no effect except to line the pockets of this company and Governor. He sounds a lot like Trump pushing the drugs he is, and we all know that he has donors that have stakes in the company manufacturing it. The results aren't even in from the test group started less than a month ago.

Yubaru: Yes, absolutely, IF it helps! It doesn't even HINT that "it might help people" or "test subjects have proven to suffer milder symptoms" or anything of the like. Japan LOVES to do this, though, more so than other nations: ram something through when there's monetary potential and think about it later. Saw it with the SARS detectors are airports, cervical cancer shots for girls in junior high school citing that "none of them had cancer so far" a mere couple of years after graduation and asking that it be done all over the place, etc. Shouldn't we find out if it helps first before dumping all the money into it?

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

 smithinjapan: it's not been approved yet and has only begun testing a couple of weeks ago?

Mr Smith, we'll be sure to keep these meds away from you should you need them. You can relax now.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

If it works, go for it! I personally do not care where it comes from, but any drug that can help victims, should be supported, by any and all!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"If the made-in-Toyama medicine can help Japan and the rest of the world (in their fight against the coronavirus), we will do whatever we can."

Made in Toyama, and the Toyama Governor is going to spend a lot of tax money on its production, eh? I wonder what his motivation could be.... hmmm... and you say it's not been approved yet and has only begun testing a couple of weeks ago?

1 ( +6 / -5 )

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