The United States FDA (Food and drug administration) has approved the first oral antiviral pill treatment for patients at home. It can be used in emergencies now. These antiviral drugs are from Pfizer’s Paxlovid with a co-package of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir tablets for oral usage to treat the mild and moderate transmission of COVID-19 virus among the pediatric as well as adult patients.
Antiviral COVID Pill Is Approved By FDA For Home Treatment
Researchers stated that for people who are associated with the severe risk of COVID-19 progression and hospitalization risk, Paxlovid tablets are available for them, which is suggested through a prescription.
Investigators of this study say that people diagnosed with COVID-19, five days before the symptoms are confirmed, are suggested using the antiviral pills to stay safe from high-risk symptoms and causes.
Patrizia Cavazzoni is the lead researcher of this study; he says that “this first oral antiviral pill is the major step taken to fight against the new COVID strains and with global pandemic” while this drug will provide new promises among the patients which starts an immediate antiviral treatment inside the immune system who are suffering from high-risk symptoms and virus progression of COVID-19.
Many clinical trials were done to invent the antiviral pills; during the first launch of the drug, the paxlovid is not approved for post-exposure or pre-exposure of COVID-19 prevention and also not authorized for substitution for COVID-19 vaccination while booster vaccinations are suggested. After that only, serious preventive care is warned by the health officials during the initial periods of the COVID pandemic.
Later, researchers started to study vaccinations as well as antiviral pills for more preventive care. Paxlovid is insulated with nirmatrelvir, which is known as a protein that avoids the SARS-CoV-2 virus and also consists of ritonavir which helps to slow down the breakdown of the body towards the higher concentrations for longer hours.
Right now, Paxlovid is approved with three doses which are taken as one tablet of ritonavir and two tablets of nirmatrelvir for five long days after the transmission of COVID-19 is confirmed. Paxlovid medication is only allowed for five days after the symptoms start.
After the first authorization approval, drug pills were shipped to the United States, and their medication has started for people in the onset period of COVID with high risk. CDA of the United States also approved the authorization to distribute the drugs to local stores and hospitals for immediate prevention and treatment.
Now, the FDA has approved Merck’s Molnupiravir antiviral pill for emergency authorization, the same as a paxlovid drug. Molnupiravir drug is also used to treat the mild and moderate coronavirus among individuals suffering from high-risk symptoms and progression of COVID-19.
Researchers say that now we have wide treatment options that help the patients treat themselves at home by just taking antiviral pills for the first five days after the symptoms are developed.
According to the previous studies, the risk of hospitalizations among high-risk patients decreased by 30 percent by using antiviral pills.
Dr. Priya Sampathkumar is the senior author of this study; he says that antiviral drugs are now available in the near term. Many things are coming to notice that antiviral pills are doing miracles that have reduced hospitalizations. But the disappointing thing is if the drug interactions are reduced, cases might fall back.
Researchers state that these antiviral pills are not suggested for people under age 18. The FDA also strongly recommended that it is better to use the antiviral pills first after the symptoms are confirmed and hospitalized.
FDA and researchers highlight that antiviral pills are not suggested for substitution of vaccination and are not encouraged as boosters; they are to be used to prevent viruses as part of medication.
