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‘Paxlovid’ pill gets FDA approval for home COVID treatment

FDA approved paxlovid for symptomatic COVID-19 patients who are at high-risk of developing severe disease.
Dr. Rajeev Chitguppi

Dr. Rajeev Chitguppi

Thu. 23 December 2021

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The Pfizer pill has demonstrated a nearly 90% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths among high-risk patients vulnerable to get severe disease.

 

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized Paxlovid for adults with a positive COVID-19 test, who are showing early symptoms and are facing the highest hospitalization risks.

The high-risk population includes:

  1. older people
  2. obese individuals
  3. those with comorbidities, like heart disease.

The drug is also authorized for children over 12 years of age provided they weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg).

Paxlovid is not recommended for patients with severe kidney or liver problems.

Pfizer conducted a study that involved 2,246 Covid patients who were at high risk of developing more severe disease owing to risk factors, e.g. age > 65 years, overweight/ obese, or cardiovascular disease.

The randomized controlled trial showed that in the test group who received Paxlovid within five days of developing symptoms, only 0.8% of the total recipients were hospitalized. Whereas the placebo group had 6.3% hospitalizations. These numbers mean an 89% reduction in the hospitalization risk.

No patients in the test group (Paxlovid) died, whereas the placebo group showed 12 deaths.

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