Topline
The Biden Administration is engaged on a plan to make Pfizer’s Covid-19 antiviral capsule Paxlovid accessible throughout the U.S. following shortages of the lifesaving drug, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing an unnamed administration official.
Containers of Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral treatment.
Fabian Sommer/image alliance through Getty Photographs
Key Details
The Biden Administration will announce subsequent week a plan to allow all U.S. pharmacies to order Paxlovid, vastly growing the drug’s accessibility to individuals liable to severe Covid-19 signs, Bloomberg reported.
The administration has already ordered 20 million programs of Paxlovid—or 600 million capsules—for 2022, with about 10 million programs due by the top of June and the remaining 10 million due by the top of September.
Although Pfizer’s trials present Paxlovid can scale back the chance of hospitalization or loss of life from Covid-19 by 89%, it stays underutilized, White Home chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci told NBC April 13.
The White Home and Pfizer didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Key Background
Paxlovid was hailed as a “game-changer” by administration officers after the treatment acquired a Meals and Drug Administration emergency use authorization December 22. Nevertheless, the drug remained troublesome to get all through early 2022, and hospitals from Michigan to Florida reported operating low. Months later, Paxlovid is rather more accessible, however it’s not but being broadly prescribed—probably as a result of docs are hesitant to suggest a drugs that’s unfamiliar to sufferers, Michigan’s chief medical government Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian told NBC. The Biden Administration hopes to lift consciousness of Paxlovid in addition to making it extra accessible, Bloomberg reported. Friday, the World Well being Group formally endorsed Paxlovid as a remedy for high-risk sufferers, calling it preferable to Merck’s molnupiravir, an oral Covid-19 antiviral that has proven questionable effectiveness in trials.
Contra
Whereas helpful for sufferers at excessive threat of extreme Covid-19, equivalent to older individuals or individuals with immune issues, Paxlovid is of “trivial” use for low-risk sufferers, a WHO panel mentioned.
Additional Studying
“WHO Endorses Pfizer’s Antiviral Tablet Paxlovid For Excessive-Danger Covid Sufferers However Says Advantages ‘Trivial’ For Low-Danger Teams” (Forbes)
