On Apr. 30, 2020, an international team of more than 120 scientists has detailed the impact of 75 over-the-counter prescription and development-stage drug compounds on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Several of these agents showed promise in blocking SARS-CoV-2 replication in laboratory experiments.

One compound investigated in the research, a common ingredient in over-the-counter cough medicines, appeared to have the potential to promote the growth of the virus. The collaborative study was published in Nature.