Fluvoxamine May Prevent Clinical Deterioration in Pandemic Patients

A study done at Washington University, my old alma mater, and published in the Journal of the AMA (JAMA), showed dramatic protective effects of a common medication called Luvox in people infected by the pandemic. This medication is used as a unique antidepressant in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although quite safe for short-term use it has unique properties that may not be seen with other antidepressants.

In the study, people with COVID-19 were given 50 mg of fluvoxamine (or matching placebo) in the evening immediately after the baseline assessment and confirmation of eligibility, then for 2 days at a dose of 100 mg twice daily as tolerated, and then increasing to a dose of 100 mg 3 times daily as tolerated through day 15. Study data showed that clinical worsening occurred in none of 80 patients in the fluvoxamine group compared to 6 of 72 patients in the placebo group.

This is possibly the most effective medication yet studied for use at onset of the illness, as nobody who took the medication had worsening of their condition! You may not have heard about this on the front page of your newspaper though. Perhaps because this medication costs only $17 for the entire 15 day treatment. It's worth discussing with your physician…