Yes, you can now get Paxlovid from a pharmacy. What to know about the COVID treatment

Julia Marnin
Charles Krupa/AP

Pharmacists can now prescribe the COVID-19 treatment pill Paxlovid— the antiviral medication created by Pfizer — at pharmacies throughout the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration announced on Wednesday, July 6.

This comes after physicians were the only ones able to prescribe it to COVID-19 positive patients, McClatchy News previously reported.

Now state-licensed pharmacists can also decide whether Paxlovid is appropriate for those who test positive for the coronavirus, according to the FDA. However, there are certain standards they must follow.

“Since Paxlovid must be taken within five days after symptoms begin, authorizing state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid could expand access to timely treatment for some patients who are eligible to receive this drug for the treatment of COVID-19,” Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, the director for the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

Here’s what to know.

Who can get Paxlovid?

Paxlovid is meant for those who are at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 and experiencing mild to moderate symptoms, according to the FDA. It is not for those who are hospitalized due to the virus.

Patients who test positive must be at least 12 years of age and weigh at least 88 pounds to get Paxlovid, the agency notes.

The FDA granted the drug emergency use authorization in late December.

The Paxlovid package contains two antiviral medication tablets that are to be taken — nirmatrelvir and ritonavir — over the five-day treatment course, according to an FDA fact sheet for health care providers.

Two tablets of nirmatrelvir and one tablet of ritonavir are supposed to be taken twice each day for five days, the fact sheet states.

Before going to a pharmacy for Paxlovid, the FDA advises someone who is COVID-19 positive to first talk with their health care provider or find a Test-to-Treat location to discuss if they are eligible for the medication, according to the agency’s news release.

Conditions for pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid

To see whether a state-licensed pharmacist can prescribe Paxlovid, a person needs to bring certain information about their medical history for review that must be less than a year old, the FDA said.

Information a pharmacist needs to review, according to the agency, includes:

  • Recent health records

  • Lab blood work results for kidney or liver issues

  • Current medications

“State-licensed pharmacists could also receive this information through a consult with the patient’s health care provider,” the FDA states.

A pharmacist may tell someone who is COVID-19 positive that they need to be evaluated further for Paxlovid eligibility by a health care provider, including a doctor, under certain terms, according to the agency.

This includes:

  • A lack of information about how well a person’s kidney or liver functions.

  • A lack of information about how Paxlovid may interact with a person’s medications.

  • The potential need to adjust a person’s medication due to how it may interact with Paxlovid.

Additionally, a pharmacist may refer someone for further assessment if they are unsure if the antiviral medication is appropriate for them according to the FDA’s fact sheet for health care providers.

“Paxlovid is an important treatment and critical tool in the fight against COVID-19,” Dr. Jack Resneck Jr., the president of the American Medical Association, said in a statement on July 6.

“While the majority of COVID-19 positive patients will benefit from Paxlovid, it is not for everyone and prescribing it requires knowledge of a patient’s medical history, as well as clinical monitoring for side effects and follow-up care to determine whether a patient is improving—requirements far beyond a pharmacist’s scope and training.”

In the U.S., Paxlovid and similar antiviral Lagevrio were prescribed to more than 1 million patients from Dec. 23 to May 21, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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