Arbidol is the brand name of a drug that is part of a group of broad-spectrum antivirals which can be found in a wide variety in pharmacies across Moldova, said Minister Ala Nemerenco when asked to comment on why the medication is not to be found on drugstores’ shelves.

Nemerenco told reporters that the Ministry of Health does not control the activity of private drugstores in order to be able to say why the drug is not in stock, but added she will ask the Medicines Agency to provide an explanation.

Earlier this week, the Agency said that Arbidol is not currently registered in Moldova. Its manufacturer applied for registration on November 4 and the application is being examined according to standard procedures.

The Agency added that the Medicines’ Nomenclature contains other drugs with the same active ingredient, umifenovir.

Also, the Agency stressed that the leaflets of umifenovir-containing medicines do not state that it can be used in treating Covid, nor are there clinical trials to prove its effectiveness against the novel coronavirus.

The Agency calls on the public to buy medicines only in authorized pharmacies and only as recommended by health care specialists.