Key Takeaways:

• In a study including 532 patients with COVID-19, remdesivir restrictions significantly reduced the number of prescriptions, with utilization going from 99.3% in the pre-intervention period to 27.9% in the post-intervention period.
• While rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and 30-day readmission were similar between cohorts, in-hospital mortality and COVID-related readmissions significantly decreased.
• These findings illustrate the impact of remdesivir restrictions on health care utilization and patient outcomes, which may inform care guidelines for hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

At IDWeek 2026, Jomi Oommen, PharmD, BCIDP, presented research on the impact of remdesivir restrictions on health outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Oommen and colleagues conducted a multicenter, quasi-experimental study of patients with COVID-19 before and after the introduction of remdesivir restrictions. The study included 2 time periods: pre-intervention (May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2025) and post-intervention (May 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026).

The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included remdesivir utilization, ICU admission, length of stay (LOS), and 30-day readmission.

The study analyzed 532 patients, 267 during pre-intervention and 265 during post-intervention. Baseline characteristics were similar between cohorts.

Remdesivir prescriptions significantly decreased from nearly all patients (99.3%) in the pre-intervention period to 27.9% of patients in the post-intervention period. In-hospital mortality went from 4.9% to 3.0%.

Rates of ICU admission were comparable between cohorts, with LOS declining from 6 to 5 days. Readmission rates were also similar between time periods, but COVID-related visits significantly decreased from 25.7% to 6.1%.

Implications for Managed Care

This study found that remdesivir restrictions reduced health care utilization among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, especially for COVID-related readmissions. Furthermore, rates of in-hospital mortality decreased, suggesting limited remdesivir use may improve health outcomes.

According to the authors, these findings suggest that “antimicrobial stewardship-guided remdesivir use can maintain key clinical outcomes and optimize resource utilization without compromising patient safety in adults hospitalized with COVID-19.”

Reference

Roy B, Maniara BP, Oommen J, et al. Navigating the new norm: shaping contemporary COVID-19 management through remdesivir restrictions. Poster presented at: IDWeek 2026. October 21-24, 2026. Washington, D.C. P-2126. Accessed October 21, 2026. https://idweek2026.eventscribe.net/fsPopup.asp?PosterID=838125&mode=posterInfo