USE OF PFIZER’S COVID ANTIVIRAL DRUG INCREASED 315%: U.S. HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Wed 18 May 2022:

Paxlovid, a COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment developed by Pfizer Inc, has seen a 315 percent increase in use in the last four weeks, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

According to a senior health official, about 115,000 courses of the drugs were distributed in the first week of May. Overall, 668,954 courses were administered out of more than 2 million ordered by pharmacies.

“In recent weeks we’ve gone from 20,000 sites with Paxlovid to approximately 35,000 and we’ll keep working to increase availability,” the official told reporters on a call.

Paxlovid is approved to keep high-risk individuals with COVID-19 from becoming seriously ill. It is meant to taken for five days beginning shortly after symptom onset.

Pharmacies have ordered over 1.8 million courses of molnupiravir, Merck & Co’s competitor oral antiviral, and 230,257 have been provided so far, according to the official.

According to the official, the government has sent about 360 million coronavirus tests to houses across the country in collaboration with the US postal service.

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