Over the past several months we’ve learned of different treatments for COVID-19, which includes hydroxychloroquine and plasma transfusion. Researchers, providers, and hospitals are doing everything they can to learn more about this virus, which sometimes presents with no rhyme or reason in its severity level. Most recently we’ve learned about the use of remdesivir for suspected or laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in adults and children who are hospitalized with severe disease. On May 1, 2020, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization for the use of remdesivir (FDA, 2020). The National Institutes of Health’s clinical trial showed this medication to shorten time to recovery for some patients (FDA, 2020).

Conversely, an article published May 8, 2020 in The Washington Post by Dr. Mark Sidener, infectious disease physician, Dr. Alyssa Letourneau, medical director of antibiotic stewardship, and Dr. Rochelle Walensky, chief of infectious diseases, all located at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, discussed the many unanswered questions regarding the use of remdesivir. According to the authors there is a lack of guidance as to how and when to use this treatment and with which patients. Demand and usage of the medication is beyond the supply when utilizing the current number of hospitalizations that occur weekly, indicating the supply could be exhausted in a matter of weeks (Siedner, Letourneau, Walensky, 2020). To learn more please go to: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Potential COVID-19 Treatment and The New CoVID-19 Drug Leaves Doctors With More Questions Than Answers