The new beta coronavirus responsible for the current COVID19 pandemic
had started to spread among people towards the end of 2019. Unmatched global
searches were conducted to identify and reuse antiviral drugs from lists of approved
drugs and recognised bioactive compounds. Antiviral drug development standards were
rapidly circumvented, which often led to unsatisfactory results. The main drawbacks of
this technique include promiscuous or cytotoxic compounds resulting in false positives.
Several articles, press announcements, and media posts misled readers and occasionally
diverted important attention from the search for reusable drugs. Funding for clinical
trials with a low possibility of success, the empirical identification of factors that
mitigate clinical indicators—such as the development of better disease management
through immunomodulators and promiscuous/cytotoxic substances that cause
inaccurate results—has led to breakthroughs in the clinic instead of in the lab.
Keywords: Baricitinib, COVID-19, Dexamethasone, Molnupiravir, Remdesivir, SARS-CoV-2, Tocilizumab.
