Molnupiravir Administration and Safety

Introduction to Molnupiravir

The World Health Organization recommends molnupiravir only for patients with non-severe COVID-19 at high risk of hospitalization 1

Molnupiravir should not be used in children due to evidence of impact on growth plate thickness and decreased bone formation in animal studies 1, 2
The medication is contraindicated in pregnant or breastfeeding individuals due to embryo-fetal lethality and teratogenicity observed in animal studies 1, 3
Men who might father a child should use reliable contraception during treatment and for at least three months after the last dose of molnupiravir 1, 2
The unknown long-term risk of genotoxicity is likely to be higher in younger patients compared with older patients 1, 3

For COVID-19 treatment in patients who cannot swallow capsules, alternative medications like nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) or remdesivir may be considered if appropriate for the patient's clinical situation 4

For patients at moderate or low risk of hospitalization, the WHO recommends against using molnupiravir due to concerns about toxicity outweighing benefits 3, 4