Belief is strong among many people that Omicron infections are not severe
Worldwide demand for Pfizer’s oral Covid-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid has been unexpectedly light due to complicated eligibility requirements, reduced testing, and potential for drug interactions, a Reuters review of data and interviews with experts has found. Paxlovid was expected to be a major tool in the fight against Covid-19 after it reduced hospitalisations or deaths in high-risk patients by around 90% in a clinical trial.
Hendrix said he had not prescribed Paxlovid in a few weeks. Eligible patients have turned down prescriptions because they believe the Omicron variant causes mild illness. “Most of our patients [say] ... ‘I’m just going to go home and tough this out’,” Hendrix said. “Nationally, the number of Covid-19 cases is low and so too is overall utilisation of Covid-19 therapeutics,” the department of health and human services said in a statement.
In Japan, which has contracted for 2-million Paxlovid courses, the health ministry restricts use to facilities with a track record of treating Covid-19. At the end of March, just under 10,000 courses had been sent out, and 2,900 prescribed. In Italy, which has been receiving around 50,000 courses of Paxlovid a month since February, about 8,300 people have been prescribed the pills. The Italian drug agency has just started allowing general practitioners to prescribe Paxlovid in addition to specialists, which could increase use.Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said last week that restrictions on who can receive Paxlovid have limited use in Europe.
The university has four large health centres around the Salt Lake Valley, each with about 80 Paxlovid courses on hand, Fox said, adding that one day in April they dispensed just two courses.
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