Friday, October 1, 2021

GLOBAL USA We have reached 700,000 deaths in the USA!! Big anti-viral drug advance. Merck (Ridgeback) drug – Molnuvirapir (an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor by inducing mistakes in the virus replication. The CEO of Merck Ron Davis briefed us last about the results. They were striking. In a study looking at people with documented mild to moderate infection not requiring hospitalization at the time within five days of diagnosis were given either placebo or drug. In the placebo group there were 53 hospitalizations in the drug group there were 28 hospitalizations with a 7.3% hospitalization in the drug group and 14.1% hospitalization in the placebo group. This led to a 50% efficacy with a P value of 0.001. There were eight deaths in the placebo group and zero deaths in the treatment group. This is really a major breakthrough in that it is another antiviral drug together with remdesivir that is keeping people out of the hospital. I am sure there will be more on this later. The United states has already committed to buy 1.7 million doses for a price of $700 per dose Gave the 2021 Beatty Lecture of McGill University, “COVID-19: Lessons Leaned and Remaining Challenges”, October 1, 2021, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Virtual). It was widely viewed throughout Canada and according to the organizers throughout the rest of the world. This was followed by a Q&A which was very stimulating and a fireside chat with some of the students at McGill. A thoroughly enjoyable experience. It was associated with my receiving an honorary doctorate from McGill Win over Jeff Zients's house last night with his White House team for a pizza and beer party . I could only stay there for about 1/2 an hour because I had to leave for another dinner over the home of Jeffrey Blount and Jeanne Meserve. I was impressed by the camaraderie among jeff's team many people of whom I had never met since I only meet daily by zoom with the core Medical Group. Jeff was extremely kind in calling attention to my presence at the reception since I had to leave after 30 minutes. Eceryone gave me a round of applause. Chris was with me and I introduced her to all the people that I deal with among that larger group. After the reception, Andre our security person for the evening drove us the block and a half to Jeffrey and Jeanne’s home where we had an interesting dinner and a conversation about race in America. Jeffrey is an African American man and Jeanne is white PRESS: Usual WH press briefing; CNBC “Closing Bell”