A panel of international experts representing the World Health Organization’s Guideline Development Group has updated its guidance on treatments for patients with covid-19.
The new recommendations published by The BMJ are part of a living guideline, developed by the World Health Organization with the methodological support of MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation, to provide up to date, trustworthy guidance on the management of covid-19 and help doctors make better decisions with their patients.
The guidance incorporates the latest clinical trial evidence for existing and new covid-19 therapies and takes account of evidence relating to safety, prognosis, resources, access, and equity issues, as well as patient values and preferences.
The updates include:
The experts say the new recommendations reflect changes in the virulence and transmissibility of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants and sub-variants, along with changes in immunity related to global vaccinations, which have led to lower baseline risks of severe illness and death for most patients with non-severe covid-19.
They acknowledge that there are still uncertainties around covid-19 therapeutics and emerging evidence and say these recommendations need to be used in light of these uncertainties.
An interactive decision support tool is available to accompany this guidance.
The BMJ
Randomized controlled/clinical trial
People
A living WHO guideline on drugs for covid-19
10-Nov-2023
Competing interests: All GDG members have completed the WHO interest disclosure form. All authors have completed the BMJ Rapid Recommendations interest of disclosure form. The WHO, MAGIC and The BMJ judged that no GDG member or co-chair had any financial conflict of interest. Professional and academic interests are minimised as much as possible, while maintaining necessary expertise on the GDG to make fully informed decisions. MAGIC and The BMJ assessed declared interests from other co-authors of this publication and found no relevant conflicts of interests.