The World Health Organisation (WHO) has updated its living guidelines on COVID-19 therapeutics to include a conditional recommendation on molnupiravir, the new antiviral from US drugmaker Merck & Co. This is the first oral antiviral drug to be included in the treatment guidelines for COVID-19. Since there is little safety data available on the drug, WHO recommends active monitoring for drug safety, along with other strategies to mitigate potential harms. The agency said that molnupiravir should be provided only to non-severe COVID-19 patients with the highest risk of hospitalisation. These are typically people who have not received a COVID-19 vaccination, older people, people with immunodeficiencies and people living with chronic diseases. Children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women should not be given the drug.