It has been almost two years since the COVID-19 virus began spreading, and up until now, the world has still not fully recovered. After the development of the vaccine, the world slowly began healing. Since then, scientists and doctors have worked tirelessly to provide us with more means to suppress this virus. The vaccine was efficient because it was easy to distribute. But using pills that serve the same purpose instead will definitely be a game-changer.
Pfizer has announced that their antiviral pill branded Paxlovid, which has been in development for two years, could be approved by the end of this year. The trials for the pill have been terminated early on due to the high success rate they achieved. Pfizer claims that the pill has the power to slash the risk of hospitalization or severe disease for adults by 89%, thus improving the rate of survival for older people, and more importantly sparing hospital beds for patients that need it more. The pill is made in combination with another older pill called Ritonavir. The patient will be required to take three pills twice a day. However, Pfizer is yet to release all the details for their trials. They have neither denied nor confirmed the existence of any side effects. It was only stated that some patients suffered from diarrhea or nausea in about 20% of both the placebo and experimental groups.
Pfizer’s Chief Executive Officer, Albert Bourla, said that they are in constant talks with around 90 countries regarding the pill. The biggest issue with the pill treatment will be the price as it is expected to be in the range of $700 for a therapy spanning over five days. Fortunately, Bourla reaffirmed that they are studying alternatives to help deliver the pills to countries suffering from poverty. It should be noted that the pills are not expected to be a substitute for the vaccine, as the vaccine will remain the much safer option for immunity against COVID-19.