Arbidol

Arbidol is a drug with immunomodulatory and antiviral effects.

This is the most advertised and best-selling drug in Russia; Russians spend more than 5 billion rubles on it annually. A pack of 40 capsules of 100 milligrams is sold for 700 rubles, it is enough for a course of treatment: 4 times 2 tablets, 5 days, in addition, it is strongly recommended to take it for the prevention of influenza, i.e. just like vitamins. The drug was introduced back in 1974, i.e. it is already a thing of the past, but it has gained the greatest popularity in the last 10 years. Whatever it is, to hell with the expensive price, but the effectiveness of the medicine has not yet been properly confirmed. There have been no large-scale studies, and the few that have been have not shown any significant results. Here's an example:

One study was conducted in China and is described as double-blind (MZWang et al. 2004). It included 232 people and the results are better described. From the abstract it can be understood (the article was published in Chinese) that arbidol did not help the people included in the study with cold symptoms. Read more.

Arbidol is produced by Pharmstandard OJSC, which in turn belongs to V. Kharitonin, who in turn is on friendly terms with T. Golikova, the former Minister of Health, whose ministry is intensively promoting this drug on the market. Arbidol’s main task is not to treat, but to siphon money out of the pockets of ordinary Russians.

Original.