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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer’s Paxlovid for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults and children 12 years of age and older. The approval of the Pfizer pill earlier this month was seen as a significant step forward in the fight against the virus, with trials showing it reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent in high-risk patients.
However, experts have warned that the medication may have severe interactions with other commonly used drugs, including blood thinners, statins and depressants, NBC reported.” Some of these potential interactions are not trivial, and some pairings have to be avoided altogether,” Peter Anderson, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Colorado, told NBC News. The AP also noted that Pfizer’s pill isn’t recommended for patients with severe kidney or liver problems.
This at-home treatment is designed for patients who have tested positive for the virus and are at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. Paxlovid is available by prescription only and should be initiated as soon as possible after a diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset.
In a statement to The Hill, a Pfizer spokesperson said, “The potential for drug-drug interactions (DDI) for Paxlovid was examined in a series of in vitro studies, as well as clinical DDI studies. Its effect on drug metabolism may result in drug interactions, and some drugs may be contra-indicated. However, in light of the fact that Paxlovid has a short duration of treatment of five days, combined with a low dose of Ritonavir of 100 milligrams, we believe that healthcare professionals should find most DDIs to be generally manageable,” the statement reads.
The FDA has issued a list of medications that should not be taken along with Paxlovid.