The World Health Organization (WHO) said it “strongly recommends” Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid for patients with mild forms of the disease who were still at high risk of hospitalization .
Pfizer’s antiviral pill: All you need to know
Pfizer’s oral antiviral drug (a combination of nirmatrelavir and ritonavir tablets) is strongly recommended for patients with non-severe COVID-19 who are at highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization, such as non-severe -vaccinated, older, or immunosuppressed patients.
The WHO recommendation is based on new data from two randomized controlled trials involving 3078 patients. Statistics show that the risk of hospitalization is reduced by 85% after this treatment. In the high-risk group (more than 10% risk of hospitalization), this means 84 fewer hospitalizations per 1000 patients.
The WHO strongly recommends that Pfizer make its pricing and deals more transparent and that it expand the geographic scope of its licenses with the Medicines Patent Pool so that more generic manufacturers can start production of the drug and make it faster at affordable prices. be able to provide.
WHO recommended paxlovid On remdesivir, as well as Merck’s mollupiravir pill and monoclonal antibodies.
Patients should start taking their Paxlovid tablets within five days of the onset of symptoms – this course lasts for five days.
The WHO has also updated its recommendation on another antiviral drug, remdesivir.
Earlier, the WHO suggested against its use in all COVID-19 patients, regardless of disease severity, as the totality of the evidence at the time showed little or no effect on mortality. Following the publication of new data from a clinical trial looking at hospital admission outcomes, WHO has updated its recommendation. WHO now suggests the use of remdesivir in mild or moderate COVID-19 patients who are at high risk of hospitalization.