UK expands access to Pfizer’s antiviral drug through trial

The expansion of accessibility antiviral drugs of Pfizer was developed by participating in a trial that assessed the best use of the drug in the UK, a country with a high proportion of the population being vaccinated.

Paxlovidwhich combines Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill with an earlier antiviral ritonavir, was made available to thousands of people with compromised immune systems in the UK in February.

Currently, Paxlovid is being included in the National Panoramic Study in the UK. This study is providing antiviral drugs to many patients, while collecting data on how best to administer the drug to the adult population that has received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Paxlovid has been shown to reduce the risk of death or hospitalization by nearly 90% in high-risk human clinical trials where patients were treated for 5 days. Currently, the drug is recommended in the early stages of COVID-19 illness, while in March it was tested for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral drug. (Photo: Reuters)

Britain has reported 170,000 deaths from COVID-19 and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that antiretroviral drugs are part of a plan to live with COVID-19 in the country. According to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, antiviral drugs can reduce deaths in people who do not benefit much from vaccine protection, such as those with suppressed immune systems.

“As we learn to live with COVID-19, Britain continues to lead the way in using cutting-edge treatments that have saved the lives of many of the most vulnerable,” said Health Secretary Sajid. Javid said in a statement.

The study was conducted on people over the age of 50 or those aged 18 to 49 with underlying health conditions that could put them at greater risk of severe COVID-19.

Paxlovid is the second antiviral drug to be tested after Molnupiravir, a pill made by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Molnupiravir was not very effective in clinical trials.

The UK Department of Health said that 20,000 people have joined the Panoramic study to generate data on Molnupiravir, while another 17,500 will sign up to receive Paxlovid.

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