The Doctor’s Opinion
August 31, 2020 – In October 1966 Stine Labs, a division of Du Pont pharmaceuticals, developed and released the drug Symmetrel (Amantadine). It had proven to be effective prevention against Influenza A. Shortly thereafter, in 1968/9 the Hong Kong flu reached pandemic proportions and doctor’s testing this drug found that not only did it prevent the potent flu virus, it worked for treatment too. In the late sixties and early seventies, more and more evidence was mounting that we had an effective antiviral to prevent and treat flu. Ten years later, in October 1976, the FDA gave Du Pont permission to advertise Symmetrel for both prevention and treatment of Influenza A. It so happens that all the major flu epidemics and pandemics of the 20th century were type A, so we had a very powerful weapon against this viral disease. The drug works by preventing the un-coating and release of viral RNA in the host cells, thereby stopping the spread of the virus within 24 hours. The COVID-19 novel Coronavirus is an RNA virus, so logic would dictate that this drug would also be effective again the current pandemic. https://europepmc.org/article/pmc/pmc7290190
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