Oral Antiviral, Paxovida, Gets FDA Approval as COVID-19 Treatment

It is official – the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of the oral pill, Paxovid, as a treatment for COVID-19 in adults. Previously, the antiviral drug was only authorized for emergency use, but it has now become the first oral antiviral medication to receive FDA approval as a treatment for COVID-19 in adults.

The FDA’s statement reveals that Paxovid has shown evidence of benefits in patients who have already developed immunity against the virus that causes COVID-19. The drug is recommended for use in adults with a high risk of disease progression if their infection is mild to moderate.

In the investigation carried out, the risk of hospitalization related to COVID-19 or death in 28 days of follow-up was 0.2% for the 490 people who received Paxovid, while for the 479 who received a placebo it was 1.7%. This means that the medication can significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and fatalities.

The director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Patrizia Cavazzoni, has stated that the approval “demonstrates that it has met the agency’s rigorous safety and efficacy standards.” Paxovid is the fourth medication to be approved by the FDA to treat COVID-19 and provides an important treatment option for people at high risk of developing severe COVID-19, particularly those who already have prior immunity.

If you are an adult with a high risk of disease progression, consider discussing the use of Paxovid with your doctor as a possible treatment option. With its FDA approval, this medication can help to reduce the risk of hospitalization and fatalities related to COVID-19.