Re-tasking the use of pre-existing medications and potential therapeutic options for coronavirus disease (COVID-19): systematic review of clinical studies

Abstract

With the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in late December 2019, many clinical studies on a group of the pre-existing medications have been conducted to treat this disease. The purpose of this review was to compile the clinical evidences on the use of the pre-existing medications and potential therapeutic options for the management of COVID-19. We reviewed the literature to highlight the clinical studies on the use of these medications to be available as a scientific overview for further perspectives. Inadequate clinical evidences are available to be affirmed for the repurposing of old medications, and large scale clinical studies are needed to be carried out to further confirm the use of these agents. The clinical use of these medications should be well explained and follow the framework of Monitored Emergency use of Unregistered Interventions (MEURI) of World Health Organization (WHO).