Medicines normally administered to animals can now be used in resuscitation and intensive care in departments that lack them.
- Resuscitation services could quickly run out of anesthetic products
- Resuscitation services risk running out of products used for intensive care
- The Medicines Agency will list the veterinary products that could make up for a shortage
Medicines normally intended for animals will now be authorized in hospitals to compensate for the lack of certain medicines such as curare, midazolam and propofol. These molecules, used in resuscitation and intensive care, are beginning to fail even though they are essential “all over the world at the same time“said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.
Doctors in charge of escalating side effects
“In the event of impossibility of supplying pharmaceutical specialties for human use, medicinal products for veterinary use with the same therapeutic aim, benefiting from a marketing authorization mentioned inarticle L. 5141-5 of the Public Health Code of the same active substance, the same dosage and the same route of administration, can be prescribed, prepared, dispensed and administered in a hospital environment”stipulates a decree of April 2, 2020 published at Official newspaper.
The Medicines Agency (ANSM) is responsible for listing veterinary medicines that can be used in intensive care and intensive care units, which will be reimbursed by Social Security, while doctors must report any adverse side effects.
Veterinarians mobilized
Veterinarians are mobilizing to help stem the Covid-19 epidemic, 5,000 have already volunteered to lend a hand to caregivers. Screening operations will now be implemented in certain veterinary laboratories with the necessary equipment and personnel, also announced the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, which was not legally permitted until now.
In France, 10,328 people have died since the start of the epidemic and 7,131 are still in intensive care. About 40 patients were transported to other regions on Sunday on medical trains. In total, more than 610 patients in critical condition have reportedly been evacuated to “quieter” areas since the start of containment.
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