SARAH HARRIS:
Now, it's hoped a new antiviral pill could bolster our arsenal against COVID.
Taken twice a day over five days, the makers claim it can reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death by 50 per cent. Pending TGA approval, the Federal Government has secured 300,000 courses of the drug and Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt joins us now to explain.
Minister, it's nice to see you this morning. This drug, I'm sorry if I bungle this, is called Molnupiravir.
GREG HUNT:
Perfect.
SARAH HARRIS:
It's made by US pharmaceutical company Merck. How will this work exactly? And will it replace vaccines?
GREG HUNT:
No it doesn't replace vaccines. But it's an important complement.
So, what Molnupiravir does is it is an antiviral. It's a course of drugs taken, as you say, twice a day for five days, very early on after somebody has been diagnosed positive. That's the advice at this stage.
And it's for those that are at risk of COVID translating to hospitalisation condition or something more significant. And it reduces the risk of hospitalisation and death by about half on the early clinical trials.
So, it does not replace vaccination but it's an important complement and it can save lives and protect lives. For Australians, it's all part of the trend of vaccinations up, of new treatments. We already have other treatments such as Remdesivir and Sotrovimab.
And critically, this is a pill rather than a hospital infusion. Much easier to use, more widely available and, in particular for people in regional, rural and remote areas, a very important protection if you do catch COVID.
TRISTAN MACMANUS:
Great, so Minister, if approved, when will these be widely available? And what everyone wants to know is which groups will get access first.
GREG HUNT:
Sure. So, it will be available during the first quarter of next year is our expectation. As you say, subject to approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. That's our medical regulator. But, you know, the results have been very promising.
It's then up to the doctors to prescribe according to an individual circumstance. So, if someone is at risk of their COVID translating to a hospitalisation condition or one which may be very serious in terms of the illness, then it would be available.
We now have a number of options for treatment. Over the weekend, we've secured more and had more delivered into Australia of Sotrovimab, which is a monoclonal antibody, which is a complement to what we do here. Now we have the oral pill for treating COVID.
So always moving forward with steps that save lives and protect lives. So, I think it's another important step in the journey.
SARAH HARRIS:
And there's certainly a lot of excitement about this new medication. But it's yet to be approved by the FDA in the US and the TGA here. The data it has published is yet to be peer reviewed.
We know that Pfizer is working on its own oral medication. So, the question’s got to be asked - are you sure you've backed the right horse this time?
GREG HUNT:
Well, we're looking at a number of different treatments around the world and as we did when we got a range of vaccines, we'll have a range of treatments. Already there are three treatments but we are looking at all of the emerging treatments or therapies around the world. And as what’s called the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group.
SARAH HARRIS:
Minister, have you spoken to- have you spoke to Pfizer about their oral medication that they're working on?
GREG HUNT:
Yes.
SARAH HARRIS:
Okay. That's really good.
GREG HUNT:
So, we're in advanced discussions with a variety of different companies.
One of the things, understandably, we don't do is pre-empt individual ones but we're in discussions with a variety of different companies and we're able to deliver this one now having delivered Sotrovimab on the weekend and there’ll be more announcements to come in- in the coming weeks.
SARAH HARRIS:
Minister Hunt, as Health Minister, you've had your hands full over the past 18 months for sure but we're getting closer to the light at the end of the tunnel.
GREG HUNT:
Yeah.
SARAH HARRIS:
But what might have made the process a little bit tricky is the fact that we've lost a premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian. What were your thoughts and feelings when she announced her resignation on Friday?
GREG HUNT:
Look, I was immensely saddened to see Gladys retire. I think she's been an outstanding, literally pillar of strength for New South Wales but also for the nation,
Just immensely calm and focused and you could see the cases coming down in New South Wales now, the combination of vaccinations, the discipline that families and households have shown through difficult circumstances, the leadership that Gladys has provided.
At the same time, she set a course so that her successor will be able to follow that to bring New South Wales to opening. They're at 88 per cent first dose. So, those numbers are continuing to increase.
I was in contact with Gladys over the weekend. I sent her a message saying I was so sorry to see her go and what surprised me was with, you know, no doubt, the hundreds and possibly thousands of messages, still found the time to come back very graciously.
SARAH HARRIS:
I can only- I can only- I can only imagine, Minister. You didn't ask her about the seat of Warringah, maybe, Tony Abbott's old seat maybe? Putting her hand up for that one federally?
GREG HUNT:
No, no, that’s not my role, mine was to thank her for everything she had done, and I do say thank you to Gladys. She has just been, I think, not just an outstanding leader for New South Wales, but she has really provided that light at the end of the tunnel, as you say, for Australians.
And there is light at the end of the tunnel. We can see that light with cases coming down in New South Wales, with the vaccination rates going up, with the new treatments, Molnupiravir coming online, all of these things are a real cause for hope.
SARAH HARRIS:
We can't let you go, Minister, without asking who is going to be the new New South Wales Premier later today. Just one name. Just need a name.
GREG HUNT:
Whomever the party room picks. I’m not going to speculate two hours in advance.
SARAH HARRIS:
Oh.
GREG HUNT:
Sorry about that.
SARAH HARRIS:
Well deflected.
TRISTAN MACMANUS:
Yeah.
SARAH HARRIS:
Perrottet or Stokes?
GREG HUNT:
One for the New South Wales party room.
SARAH HARRIS:
All right. Minister Greg Hunt, we appreciate your time. Thank you very much.
GREG HUNT:
Take care guys.