COVID-19

Medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Collins, RPh, Clinical Pharmacist — Updated January 2026

COVID-19 Medications — What Australian Patients Need to Know

The COVID-19 pandemic drove an unprecedented surge in clinical research into existing and new medicines — with many drugs investigated as potential COVID-19 treatments. The evidence base has since matured substantially: large-scale, high-quality randomised controlled trials (WHO SOLIDARITY, Oxford RECOVERY, and others) have clarified which medications have genuine evidence of benefit in COVID-19 and which do not. At redstonerx-au.com we offer three products that were researched in the context of COVID-19: Olumiant (baricitinib), Aralen (chloroquine), and Stromectol (ivermectin). Their COVID-19 evidence profiles differ dramatically — and Australian patients deserve accurate information about what each product does and does not do. All products are sourced from WHO-GMP certified manufacturers and delivered discreetly to all Australian states and territories in 4 to 9 business days.

Our COVID-19 Category — Evidence Summary

Olumiant Generic (Baricitinib) — The Only JAK Inhibitor with EMA COVID-19 Approval

Olumiant (Baricitinib) is a selective JAK1/2 inhibitor manufactured by Eli Lilly — and the only JAK inhibitor with both EMA and US FDA approval for a COVID-19 indication. This approval is based on robust evidence from two landmark randomised controlled trials:

ACTT-2 Trial (NIAID, USA, 2020) — Baricitinib + Remdesivir: In this randomised double-blind trial of 1,033 hospitalised COVID-19 patients, baricitinib in combination with remdesivir reduced the median time to clinical improvement by one day (7 vs 8 days), reduced the need for high-flow oxygen therapy, invasive ventilation and ECMO, and reduced 28-day mortality — particularly in patients already requiring high-flow oxygen or non-invasive ventilation.

COV-BARRIER Trial (2021) — Baricitinib monotherapy: Baricitinib 4mg as monotherapy reduced 28-day all-cause mortality by 38% vs placebo (8% vs 13%) in hospitalised COVID-19 patients requiring supplemental oxygen — a clinically and statistically significant mortality reduction that formed the primary basis for the EMA approval.

TGA status in Australia: While baricitinib has EMA and FDA COVID-19 approval, the TGA has not separately listed baricitinib for this specific indication in Australia as of January 2026. Baricitinib's use for severe COVID-19 in Australian hospitals follows international guidance and specialist discretion under the TGA's Special Access Scheme where required. For its primary indications — rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata — baricitinib (Olumiant) is TGA-registered in Australia.

Important: Baricitinib for COVID-19 is an in-hospital treatment for severe disease requiring supplemental oxygen or ventilatory support. It is not a treatment for mild outpatient COVID-19. Self-treatment of COVID-19 at home with baricitinib without medical supervision is not appropriate.

Primary indications of Olumiant beyond COVID-19:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): 4mg once daily — TGA-approved as a DMARD for moderate-to-severe active RA in adults who have had an inadequate response to conventional DMARDs. The RA-BEAM trial showed baricitinib superior to adalimumab (Humira) on primary endpoints
• Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema): 2mg or 4mg once daily — TGA-approved for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults and adolescents from age 2 years when systemic therapy is indicated
• Alopecia Areata: 4mg once daily — TGA-approved for severe alopecia areata in adults. BRAVE-AA trials demonstrated up to 35–39% of patients achieving ≥80% scalp hair regrowth at 36 weeks

Aralen Generic (Chloroquine) — Malaria and Autoimmune Disease

Aralen (Chloroquine Phosphate) is an aminoquinoline antimalarial and antirheumatic — one of the oldest medicines in modern pharmacology, used clinically since the 1940s. Chloroquine was intensively investigated as a COVID-19 treatment during 2020 based on in vitro data showing inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 cell entry and replication.

COVID-19 evidence — no benefit demonstrated: Large-scale randomised controlled trials have definitively established that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have no meaningful clinical benefit in COVID-19:

• WHO SOLIDARITY Trial: No significant benefit on mortality or need for ventilation in hospitalised COVID-19 patients
• Oxford RECOVERY Trial: Hydroxychloroquine arm stopped early — no benefit on 28-day mortality, hospital stay, or need for ventilation (N=4,674 patients)
• Multiple additional RCTs: Consistent finding of no benefit across ambulatory and hospitalised COVID-19 populations

The TGA, WHO, ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation), and all major Australian medical bodies do not recommend chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 prevention or treatment. No TGA or EMA COVID-19 approval exists.

Primary approved indications — where Aralen/Chloroquine is genuinely effective:

• Malaria prophylaxis and treatment: Still effective against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium species — P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and chloroquine-sensitive P. falciparum in specific travel regions. The Australian Department of Health travel medicine guidelines (endorsed by the Travel Medicine Alliance of Australia and New Zealand) recommend chloroquine for prophylaxis in regions without significant P. falciparum resistance — primarily Central America north of Panama Canal and parts of the Caribbean. Not recommended for Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, or the Amazon basin where resistance is widespread
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) — though hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) is preferred in Australia due to a more favourable retinopathy risk profile
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): Cornerstone therapy — though hydroxychloroquine is the preferred aminoquinoline per EULAR SLE guidelines

Important safety note — narrow therapeutic index: Chloroquine has a narrow margin between therapeutic and toxic doses. Overdose can cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias (QT prolongation, ventricular arrhythmias) and neurological toxicity. Chloroquine must be used at prescribed doses under medical supervision. Long-term use requires regular ophthalmological monitoring for retinopathy.

Stromectol Generic (Ivermectin) — Antiparasitic Medicine

Stromectol (Ivermectin) is a macrolide antiparasitic agent discovered by William Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura — work for which they received the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Ivermectin has been in clinical use since the late 1980s and has transformed the management of parasitic diseases globally.

COVID-19 evidence — no benefit demonstrated: Ivermectin was one of the most widely discussed potential COVID-19 treatments globally. High-quality randomised controlled trials have consistently shown no meaningful clinical benefit:

• WHO SOLIDARITY Trial: No significant benefit on mortality or clinical outcomes in hospitalised COVID-19 patients
• TOGETHER Trial (Brazil, 2021): No benefit on COVID-19 hospitalisation or extended emergency care in high-risk outpatients (N=1,500). Largest and most methodologically rigorous ambulatory COVID-19 ivermectin trial
• ACTIV-6 Trial (USA, NIAID): No meaningful difference in time to recovery from COVID-19 in outpatients
• PRINCIPLE Trial (UK): No significant difference in COVID-19 recovery time or hospitalisation

The TGA, WHO, Australian Department of Health, and ATAGI do not recommend ivermectin for COVID-19 prevention or treatment. The TGA issued a specific regulatory action in September 2021 prohibiting general practitioners from prescribing ivermectin for COVID-19 outside of clinical trials — due to concerns about harm from inappropriate use (overdose, drug interactions, delayed effective treatment-seeking). No TGA or EMA COVID-19 approval exists for ivermectin.

Primary approved indications — where Ivermectin is genuinely effective:

• Scabies (Sarcoptes scabiei) — increasingly important in Australia: Ivermectin 200 µg/kg oral as single dose (repeated after 7–14 days) is an alternative to topical permethrin for scabies treatment. Particularly valuable for crusted (Norwegian) scabies in immunocompromised patients, and for managing scabies outbreaks in Australian community settings including aged care facilities — where oral treatment of all contacts is more practical than topical mass treatment
• Strongyloidiasis: First-line treatment for Strongyloides stercoralis intestinal infestation — a clinically important parasitic infection in migrants and travellers returning from endemic regions. Ivermectin 200 µg/kg single dose is superior to albendazole. Critical to prevent potentially fatal hyperinfection syndrome in immunocompromised patients
• Onchocerciasis (River Blindness): 150 µg/kg annually — cornerstone of WHO mass drug administration programmes for onchocerciasis elimination in endemic regions (Sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen, Latin America). Relevant for travellers and migrants from endemic regions in Australia

Australian TGA regulatory context for ivermectin: Ivermectin remains a Schedule 4 prescription medicine in Australia. The TGA's September 2021 regulatory action that prohibited GP prescribing for COVID-19 has not changed ivermectin's legitimate use for its approved parasitic indications. Australian GPs and specialists can and do prescribe ivermectin for scabies, strongyloidiasis, and onchocerciasis — these are appropriate and clinically valuable uses.

COVID-19 in Australia — Current Treatment Landscape (2026)

As of January 2026, the TGA-approved treatment options for COVID-19 in Australia include:

• Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, Pfizer) — oral antiviral for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in high-risk adults. PBS-listed for eligible patients. Most effective within 5 days of symptom onset
• Lagevrio (molnupiravir, MSD) — oral antiviral, alternative for eligible patients where Paxlovid is contraindicated
• Baricitinib (Olumiant) — JAK inhibitor for severe hospitalised patients with COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen (EMA-approved; used under specialist guidance in Australian hospitals)
• Dexamethasone — corticosteroid for severe hospitalised COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen or ventilation (RECOVERY trial evidence — 17% relative mortality reduction)
• COVID-19 vaccination — remains the primary TGA and ATAGI-recommended prevention strategy

If you have COVID-19 symptoms and are at high risk (aged 70+, immunocompromised, multiple comorbidities), contact your Australian GP promptly — antiviral treatment with Paxlovid or Lagevrio must be started within 5 days of symptom onset to be effective and is PBS-subsidised for eligible Australians.

Delivery to All Australian States and Territories

redstonerx-au.com ships all products in this category discreetly to all Australian states and territories. Standard delivery: 4–9 business days.

New South Wales (Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Central Coast) — Victoria (Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo) — Queensland (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Townsville) — Western Australia (Perth, Fremantle, Bunbury, Mandurah) — South Australia (Adelaide, Mount Gambier, Whyalla) — Tasmania (Hobart, Launceston, Devonport) — Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) — Northern Territory (Darwin, Alice Springs).

All orders are dispatched in plain, unmarked packaging with no reference to the contents or sender. A tracking number is provided with every order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of the three products in this category has evidence of benefit in COVID-19? Only baricitinib (Olumiant) has demonstrated meaningful clinical benefit in COVID-19 — specifically for severe hospitalised patients requiring supplemental oxygen or ventilatory support, based on the ACTT-2 and COV-BARRIER randomised controlled trials. Baricitinib is the only product in this category with EMA and FDA COVID-19 approval. Chloroquine (Aralen) and ivermectin (Stromectol) have been tested in large-scale RCTs including WHO SOLIDARITY, RECOVERY, and TOGETHER, and no meaningful clinical benefit in COVID-19 was demonstrated. These two products remain valuable for their primary approved indications — malaria and rheumatic disease (chloroquine), and parasitic infections including scabies and strongyloidiasis (ivermectin).

Can I treat COVID-19 at home with these medications? No — none of these products are recommended for self-treatment of COVID-19 at home without medical supervision. If you have COVID-19 and are at high risk of severe disease, contact your Australian GP immediately — TGA-approved oral antivirals (Paxlovid, Lagevrio) are PBS-subsidised for eligible Australians and must be started within 5 days of symptom onset.

Why does the TGA not approve ivermectin or chloroquine for COVID-19? Because large-scale high-quality randomised controlled trials — the gold standard of clinical evidence — have demonstrated no meaningful benefit of either drug in COVID-19 across multiple patient populations and disease severities. The TGA applies evidence-based standards to drug approvals. Both drugs remain valuable for their established indications where evidence of efficacy is robust.

Is ivermectin useful for anything other than COVID-19? Yes — ivermectin is a highly effective and Nobel Prize-winning antiparasitic medicine with well-established, evidence-based indications: scabies (particularly crusted/Norwegian scabies and outbreak management), strongyloidiasis (intestinal parasitic infection), and onchocerciasis (river blindness). These are genuine and important clinical applications supported by decades of evidence.

How long does delivery to Australia take? Standard delivery to all Australian states and territories takes 4 to 9 business days. All orders arrive in plain, unmarked packaging with no reference to the contents or sender. Every order includes a tracking number.

All information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, contact your Australian GP or call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080. In an emergency call 000.