Pharmacists can prescribe the leading COVID-19 pill directly to patients under a new U.S. policy announced Wednesday that’s intended to expand use of Pfizer’s drug Paxlovid.

What You Need To Know

  • The FDA announced Wednesday that pharmacists can now prescribe Pfizer's COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid

  • Previously only physicians could prescribe the drug

  • The announcement comes as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are rising again, though they remain near their lowest levels since the coronavirus outbreak began

  • Paxlovid is intended for people with COVID-19 who are more likely to become seriously ill, including older people or those with underlying health conditions

The Food and Drug Administration said pharmacists can begin screening patients to see if they are eligible for Paxlovid and then prescribe the medication, which has been shown to curb the worst effects of COVID-19. Previously only physicians could prescribe the antiviral drug.

The announcement comes as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are rising again, though they remain near their lowest levels since the coronavirus outbreak began in 2020.

Biden administration officials have expressed frustration that several hundred Americans continue to die of COVID-19 daily, despite the availability of vaccines and treatments.

Administration officials have been working for months to increase access to Paxlovid, opening thousands of sites where patients who test positive can fill a prescription for Paxlovid. The FDA change will make thousands more pharmacies eligible to quickly prescribe and dispense the pill, which must be used early to be effective.

“Since Paxlovid must be taken within five days after symptoms begin, authorizing state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid could expand access to timely treatment,” said FDA drug center director Patrizia Cavazzoni.

Still, use could be limited by paperwork requirements. Patients are expected to bring their recent health records— including blood tests — and a list of their current medications so pharmacists can check that Paxlovid won’t negatively interact with other drugs. As an alternative, pharmacists can consult with the patient’s doctor.

Paxlovid is intended for people with COVID-19 who are more likely to become seriously ill. That includes older people and those with other health issues like heart disease, obesity, cancer or diabetes that make them more vulnerable.

The FDA authorized Paxlovid last December based on results showing it reduced hospitalizations and deaths by nearly 90% among unvaccinated patients most likely to get severe disease. The drug has shown less impressive results in patients who already have vaccine protection and some physicians have reported cases of COVID-19 symptoms returning after treatment with the drug.

Expanding the test-and-treat program to include pharmacists could add thousands of additional options for patients. The two biggest U.S. drugstore chains — CVS Health and Walgreens — run around 19,000 locations combined.

CVS Health already provides COVID-19 care at 1,100 clinic locations inside drugstores.

There also are nearly 19,400 independent pharmacies not tied to a big chain, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association.