FDA Deems Merck Pill Effective Against COVID-19 as Experts Plan to Review Safety

Last month, former Food and Drug administrator Scott Gottlieb said that he believes the COVID-19 "pandemic phase" will come to an end with the approval of antiviral pills and vaccines for children under 12 years old. An oral treatment developed by Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics has been submitted to the FDA for emergency authorization.