As the pandemic continues, pharmaceutical companies are scrambling for new ways to fight the virus, besides the vaccine and standard treatment. The latest method is an anti-COVID19 pill. Pfizer is the first company to obtain FDA approval for their oral treatment.
Pfizer’s anti-COVID pill just received “emergency authorization” from the FDA. This means the pill has gotten green light to be prescribed and used by patients.
Who will be able to access it and what are the side-effects?
The antiviral pill is called Paxlovid and it’s made up of the protein inhibitor nirmatrelvir and rotinavir, which keeps the inhibitor from breaking down as it travels through the human body.
The pill will be available by prescription only and to those 12 years old or older who are considered high-risk patients. It’s seen as a method of treatment for people who could have serious complications from COVID.
The side-effects are present and should be considered before administering it, of course. Pfizer says those include an impaired sense of taste, high blood pressure, diarrhea and muscle aches.
How should you take Paxlovid?
The company recommends taking it within five days of first noticing COVID symptoms. The treatment lasts five days and consists of 30 pills. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated people are advised to follow the treatment, according to their doctor’s recommendation.
Pfizer tests have revealed it the treatment can prevent hospitalization or death by 88%in high-risk patients.
Within a week, Pfizer says it can deliver enough pills to help 65,000 Americans. The U.S. has already ordered enough medicine to treat 10 million people.
Pfizer, however, is not the only company working on an oral treatment for COVID-19. Merck is expecting approval soon, although their pills have shows 30% efficacy in preventing hospitalization or death.
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