WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and his administration want Americans and their doctors to know that the country has adequate supplies of the life-saving antiviral treatment for COVID-19, Paxlovid, and that it no longer needs to be rationed.
The Pfizer regime’s offering, first approved in December, was very limited at first, but as COVID-19 cases have fallen across the country and production has increased, it’s now much more common. The White House is now trying to raise awareness of the pill and take steps to make access easier.
Paxlovid, when given within five days of symptom onset, has been shown to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by 90% in patients most likely to develop serious illness. About 350 Americans are now dying each day from the coronavirus, up from more than 2,600 during the peak of the Omicron wave earlier this year.
A senior administration official said use of the antiviral regimen has “more than doubled” in recent weeks, but the administration has more supplies on hand that can save lives and prevent serious illnesses if prescribed in a timely manner.
The US has ordered enough of the pills for 20 million people, which is estimated to last for several months. The government has warned that subsequent deliveries are dependent on Congress approving additional COVID-19 response funding.
Biden officials plan to highlight the drug’s relative abundance next week, and government officials will increase their outreach to patients and providers.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Pfizer’s drug for adults and children ages 12 and older with a positive COVID-19 test and early symptoms who are at highest risk for serious consequences. This includes the elderly and those with conditions such as obesity and heart disease, although the drug is not recommended for those with severe kidney or liver problems.
Efforts include expanding the availability of the pills by providing a route to order the drug directly to the pharmacy. Currently, the federal government relies on states to determine where shipments go, and about 20,000 locations carry the pill, including 2,000 so-called “test-to-treat” locations, which can offer the treatment immediately after a positive test result.
The government believes the pharmacy channel it used more than a year ago to increase the availability of COVID-19 vaccines will similarly make the antiviral pills more accessible to people.
News of the pharmacy expansion was first reported by Bloomberg.