Pfizer Covid Pill Authorized

[easysurfer]

Pfizer Covid Pill got authorized today.

This is the first antiviral Covid-19 pill authorized for ill people to take at home, before they get sick enough to be hospitalized.
High-risk individuals age 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds and have a positive SARS-CoV-2 test are eligible for this treatment and will need to have it prescribed by a doctor.
The pill "should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of Covid-19 and within five days of symptom onset," according to an FDA statement.
Paxlovid combines a new antiviral drug named nirmatrelvir and an older one called ritonavir and is administered as three pills given twice a day for five days.
Last week, Pfizer released updated results that showed the treatment cut the risk of hospitalization or death by 89% if given to high-risk adults within a few days of their first symptoms. If given within the first five days of symptoms, the efficacy was similar: 88%.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/22/health/pfizer-antiviral-pill-authorized/index.html

 

[explanade]

Probably will be in short supply.

You may first have to test positive then see a doctor.

But I saw a Youtube of some doctors discussing this pill.

They would prefer you do a telemedicine consult and get the Rx remotely. If you are positive, probably do not want you in hospital or doctor's office.

That would be great.

However, pill will probably be in short supply for awhile. Other countries are going to want it as well.

Probably will hear about shortages.

 

[easysurfer]

News tonight said may take a few months for pills to be in large supply.

 

[tb001]

Between this and recent data on omicron suggesting it’s less virulent, I feel like we can start to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[explanade]

Between this and recent data on omicron suggesting it’s less virulent, I feel like we can start to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Some version of that statement has been uttered many times in the past two years, unfortunately.

 

[audreyh1]

I’m afraid I agree. It feels like déjà vu all over again!

 

[Sunset]

With a very approximate number of 35 million people counted as covid cases per year in the USA, I think the total 10 million treatments will be in very short supply.

I think, when a person gets tested and turns out (+) they will have a choice, wait and see if it gets worse and then possibly bad, or get the free pills.
Seems like it will be an obvious choice of what happens and it will be lucky timing if a person finds a pharmacy with a new shipment.

But I think it's great the pill was invented, although now it gives non-vaccer's more excuses to not get the shots.

 

[Montecfo]

Finally a therapy!

Great news.

 

[Car-Guy]

It will/may be great, when we can get it "easily"... From my POV being able to get test kit's and a therapeutic like this is a game changer. (After the vaccine of course)

 

[explanade]

Reportedly it takes 6-8 months to synthesize.

Pfizer prices at like $800.

US govt. will buy some of course.

Supposedly it doesn't take much special manufacturing processes so it could presumably be produced around the world, by contract manufacturers, for lower cost and pricing.

But I believe Pfizer has said it will have lower pricing in developing countries.

There are supposedly other therapeutics in the pipeline.

 

[Sojourner]

High-risk individuals age 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds and have a positive SARS-CoV-2 test are eligible for this treatment and will need to have it prescribed by a doctor.

I wonder how "high risk" will be defined. Unvaccinated? Vaccinated but elderly? Vaccinated but not boosted? I imagine most people who get sick with COVID will want to take a course of these pills, just as a safety precaution. But until there is a large, readily available supply, who will qualify?

 

[USGrant1962]

I wonder how "high risk" will be defined. Unvaccinated? Vaccinated but elderly? Vaccinated but not boosted? I imagine most people who get sick with COVID will want to take a course of these pills, just as a safety precaution. But until there is a large, readily available supply, who will qualify?

High risk for Covid has been defined by CDC for a long time. It is a crappy definition that you can drive a truck through. Not sure how vaccine status will be considered - probably not at all.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-care/underlyingconditions.html

 

[bobbyr]

I've bought some Pfizer stock 2 months ago, anyone have a feel or opinion on PFE?

 

[Gumby]

Probably will be in short supply.

You may first have to test positive then see a doctor.

But I saw a Youtube of some doctors discussing this pill.

They would prefer you do a telemedicine consult and get the Rx remotely. If you are positive, probably do not want you in hospital or doctor's office.

That would be great.

However, pill will probably be in short supply for awhile. Other countries are going to want it as well.

Probably will hear about shortages.

If you need to test positive to get a prescription for the pill, a lot of people around here will be out of luck, because you can't get a test appointment (PCR or rapid antigen) for at least the next two weeks. And even if they were to accept the result of a home test kit, those are all completely sold out. By the time you get a test result, the pills will be ineffective.