A recent study published in JAMA has found that Paxlovid, an oral antiviral medication approved for severe COVID-19 symptoms, is ineffective in reducing hospitalizations and deaths among older, vaccinated adults in Canada. The study analyzed data from Ontario, Canada, which implemented an age-restrictive policy on access to the drug, limiting it only to those 70 and older.
Researchers compared outcomes among adults aged 65-74 who received Paxlovid with those who did not. Despite a significant increase in the prescription rate of Paxlovid, there were no notable differences in COVID-19-related hospitalizations or all-cause mortality between the two groups. In fact, the study found that Paxlovid’s effect on reducing hospitalizations among vaccinated older adults is four times weaker than previously reported.
The authors emphasize the need for further randomized-clinical trials to investigate Paxlovid’s effects in higher-risk populations, such as frail or immunosuppressed older subgroups.
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/data-suggest-paxlovid-doesnt-reduce-severe-covid-older-vaccinated-adults