Favipiravir – From Lungs to Liver and Beyond

Favipiravir is a purine nucleoside precursor, which was initially found to be effective against influenza. Favipiravir has subsequently shown to be effective against an array of human RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2, Ebola and hepatitis C virus, to name a few. However, despite its broad-spectrum antiviral potential, the drug did not receive the type of attention it deserved, possibly often due to the lack of randomized, clinical trials involving this drug. While this shortfall may not be denied, it must also be borne in mind that favipiravir is often used in such viral infections where having a control group is not only challenging, but may also be unethical.