Italy's medicines agency AIFA has warned against the misuse of an unlicenced antiviral drug as a Covid-19 therapy, calling it a potential danger to people's health.

“The use of the drug Parvulan in the prophylaxis of Sars-Cov-2 infection is not supported by the slightest evidence, under the profile of efficacy and safety”, the agency said in a statement, adding its scientific committee had not even authorised it in a clinical trial.

“The possible use of the drug as a substitute for authorised vaccines, therefore, represents a potential danger to human health”, AIFA said.