In the middle of pandemic some bloggers, media persons and even famous politicians, who never dealt not only with any virology, but also with medicine, in general, are dramatically against an antiviral drug with active substance Proteflasid. During few weeks of massive media campaign the ‘newly found experts’ managed to turn upside down all the facts from virology, antiviral drugs and their action.

As a result, before published scientific information on Hromashevsky Epidemiology Institute at National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine findings that the medication potentially can slow down the coronavirus replication, was turned into a basis for jokes about ‘alcohol tincture’. Meanwhile almost nobody was interested in NAMS of Ukraine or developers of active substance position.

Anatoliy Novik, Ecopharm company president told Obozrevatel that reasons for such ‘neglect’ are on the surface: “Pandemic is a prosperous time for pharmaceutical market shadow players. It offers income for this business, and business is always connected with politics in our country. So, game rules are identical to morals in the political market. Concurrence is high, bets are huge. Of course, we are under influence of customized and senseless campaign. They do not make scientific discussion with us. Neither Medical Academy experts, nor we, developers, have somebody to polemicize with. Because ‘other side’ does not have a single specialist – only bloggers, showmen and armchair scientists”!

One of the proven drug mechanisms is multiplying suppression of DNA and RNA viruses. And SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is exactly a RNA virus. If you can stop the maximal viral pressure to organism in time during disease development, immune system without overwork would perform its natural task – it would synthetize immunoglobulin and overcome the virus on itself. That is the first and foremost aim of active substances with direct antiviral action, Novik emphasized. (According to official classificatory, Proteflasid belongs to group J05, direct antiviral action medications, which is noted in Ministry of Health approved instruction.

Hromashevsky Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases Institute at NAMS of Ukraine scientists have directly checked and proven on coronaviruses this active substance property. “In response to first informational attacks, Academy of Sciences had published an evidence base [for Proteflasid characteristics research], but it was difficult or not profitable to imagine for somebody that Ukraine still has living science”, Anatoliy Novik said.

Discrediting drug with active substance Proteflasid campaign has started after Ecopharm leaders announced their readiness to provide Ukrainian clinics with the medication for free, in the first place to prevent medical workers from coronavirus infection.