KPCC The Latest on COVID-19 Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Los Angeles, 22 October 2021 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles KPCC The Latest on COVID-19 Sam Torbati, MD, is co-chair and medical director of Emergency Medicine at the Ruth and Harry Roman Emergency Department at Cedars-Sinai. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. KPCC show AirTalk recently featured Sam Torbati, MD, co-chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, updating listeners on recent COVID-19 developments, including newly released data regarding an experimental treatment for the disease. AirTalk host Austin Cross–filling in for Larry Mantle-said clinical trials for an investigational COVID-19 therapy showed that the pill reduced hospitalization and death by half in people recently infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. He asked Torbati to explain how the drug works and how it compares to the vaccines. "The pill inhibits replication of the virus," Torbati told Cross, contrasting it to the COVID-19 vaccines, which fight the virus by triggering the body's immune response. "They work through different mechanisms. Still, it's amazing to see this." Torbati said that if approved, the experimental therapy from Merck would be a "wonderful new addition" to existing resources available to medical providers. But he worried that "producing enough of this to provide to the entire world may be an ongoing challenge." He told Cross that the public shouldn't view this potential treatment as a silver bullet. "My only fear about this is that people will say, 'I'm not going to get vaccinated. I'm going to put my guard down. I'm going to stop wearing my mask and washing my hands because even if I get (COVID-19), I'm just going to take the Merck pill, and I'll be okay,'" Torbati told Cross. Still, Torbati was hopeful that he and other healthcare providers might soon have another tool in their COVID-19 arsenal. "I think time will tell a lot, but this news … amazing, really amazing," Torbati told Cross. Click here to listen to the complete interview from KPCC. Related Stories RSS feed - Related Stories (opens in new window) View all headlines - Related Stories HealthDay Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries October 07, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles HealthDay recently interviewed Rebecca J. Schneyer, MD, a resident in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program at Cedars-Sinai, about a study she led that found Black and Hispanic women were less likely than white women to receive minimally … Read more KCRW Want New Omicron Booster Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot October 06, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles KCRW program Press Play recently featured Rita Shane, PharmD, vice president and chief pharmacy officer at Cedars-Sinai, discussing who qualifies for the updated COVID-19 booster and how long patients must wait before getting the shot.The Centers … Read more ABC 7 Spider-Man Swings by 4-Year-Old Leukemia Patient s Birthday Party at Cedars-Sinai September 30, 2022 09:00 AM America/Los_Angeles ABC 7 recently profiled Cedars-Sinai patient Jabari Henley, who celebrated his fourth birthday with a special superhero at Guerin Children's newly opened inpatient facility.The Lifedriven Foundation helped throw Henley a surprise party in the Guerin … Read more Show previous items Show next items Contact the Media Team Email: [email protected] Share this release KPCC The Latest on COVID-19 Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Search Our Newsroom Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW Want New Omicron Booster Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home