On Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency use authorization for an antiviral pill intended to help treat COVID-19 cases.
Paxlovid, manufactured by Pfizer, is the first antiviral COVID-19 pill authorized for at-home use. According to the FDA, individuals ages 12 and up—weighing at least 88 pounds—should take the prescription-only pill as soon as they are diagnosed with COVID-19 and “within five days of symptom onset.”
The intention is to take the pill before getting sick enough to require hospitalization.
According to data released by Pfizer, Paxlovid treatment cut the risk of hospitalization or death by 88% among high-risk unvaccinated individuals when administered a few days after seeing symptoms.
“Today’s authorization introduces the first treatment for COVID-19 that is in the form of a pill that is taken orally—a major step forward in the fight against this global pandemic.”
Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
For more information:
All COVID-19 Resources
EOB Featured Workshop
