PANJIM: Goa Medical College (GMC) Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar, on Tuesday, said that many trials have been on oral drug called 2-DG for treatment of COVID-19 patients and that the State Expert Committee has accepted it.
“Many trials have been held on this (oral drug). It is considered to be a very good drug. Our State expert committee has accepted it”, he said.
Dr Bandekar said that the Director Controller General of India (DCGR) has given its approval for emergency use of the oral drug, which is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
“We have no experience about this oral drug. Basically this drug is used for high altitude military personnel. Whether it can be used for COVID situation will have to be seen,” he said.
To a question, Dr Bandekar said that right now this drug is not available to treat COVID-19 patients. It is also up to the policy decision of the government to make it available, if is useful.
When asked whether there were deaths due to shortage of medical oxygen in the State-run GMC, Dr Bandekar said that details of deaths will have to be obtained from the nodal officer. The doctors working in the COVID care wards had only pointed out about the deficiency of oxygen.
To another question whether 2-DG drug helps in faster recovery of COVID-19 patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence, Dr Bandekar said, “This is what the study says. We will have to confirm it.”
