As time passes and studies evaluating COVID progress, the healthcare community is continually keeping up with medical guidelines and regulations from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients regarding safe treatment options and ways to minimize risks of severe COVID.
Recently the FDA approved Paxlovid for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients. While this has been approved, patients still must meet the following qualifications to get prescribed Paxlovid:
- Must have positive results for SARS-CoV-2
- Must be at least 12 years old and weigh a minimum of 88 pounds
- Must have mild to moderate symptoms
- Must have risk factors for progression to severe covid
It is also regulated from the FDA that Paxlovid is not authorized for the following:
- Prevention of COVID-19
- A substitute for COVID-19 vaccination
- For this requiring hospitalization due to severe COVID
- Individuals who have SARS-CoV-2 but do not have symptoms
- Individuals without any risk factor for progression to severe COVID
Clinical trials supported by the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) have reported that those at high risk of severe COVID and treated with Paxlovid reduced hospitalization or death by 88%.
The FDA continues to study the results of clinical trials and make updates accordingly. As of today, Paxlovid is authorized for COVID-19 prescription treatment and has been shown to reduce hospitalization and deaths for individuals at high risk.
For individuals who qualify for Paxlovid treatment please note the potential side effects:
- Impaired sense of taste, diarrhea, high blood pressure and muscle aches
- May lead to HIV-1 drug resistance in people with uncontrolled or undiagnosed HIV-1 infection
- May result in potentially significant drug interactions if used at the same time as certain other drugs
- Paxlovid is not recommended for patients with severe kidney and liver impairment
To read more updates from the FDA on Paxlovid, click here.
To consult with a doctor to see if Paxlovid might be right for you, consult online with a CallonDoc provider here.
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