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A cheap antidepressant is showing promise treating COVID-19 in high-risk adults

Fluvoxamine, sold under the brand name Luvox, reduced the need for hospitalization among high-risk adults with COVID-19, according to a recent study.
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Fluvoxamine, sold under the brand name Luvox, reduced the need for hospitalization among high-risk adults with COVID-19, according to a recent study.

A new study has found that fluvoxamine, a cheap antidepressant, reduced the need for hospitalization among high-risk adults with COVID-19.

The research is part of a larger project hunting for existing drugs that could be repurposed to treat coronavirus. The results of the study were published Wednesday in the journal Lancet Global Health.

The pill is normally used for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It would cost about $4 for a course of COVID-19 treatment.

Researchers tested the antidepressant because it was known to reduce inflammation and looked promising in smaller studies. They've shared the results with the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which publishes treatment guidelines, and hope for a World Health Organization recommendation.

Click here to read more of this article from the Associated Press.

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