Advance Purchase of 1,004,000 Oral COVID-19 Treatment Courses... Pfizer to Be Introduced in Korea by Mid-January

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The government is pushing forward with a pre-purchase contract for 1,004,000 courses of oral COVID-19 treatments. Currently, pre-purchase contracts have been signed for a total of 604,000 courses, and Pfizer's oral treatment is expected to be introduced domestically as early as mid-next month.

On the 27th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced plans to introduce oral COVID-19 treatments and stated that, in preparation for the spread of the Omicron variant and phased recovery of daily life, they are negotiating additional purchase contracts separately from existing contracted quantities. The contract is expected to be signed in early January next year, with detailed information to be disclosed then.

The quantities for which pre-purchase contracts have been signed so far amount to 604,000 courses: 242,000 courses from MSD and 362,000 courses from Pfizer.

Pfizer's oral treatment will be introduced domestically in mid-January next year, and the government is closely consulting with pharmaceutical companies to expand the initial supply and shorten the delivery schedule. On the same day, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) approved the emergency use authorization for Pfizer's oral treatment 'Paxlovid.'

The oral treatments introduced domestically will be administered based on MFDS approval (indications) and physician prescriptions, primarily targeting mild to moderate adult and pediatric patients (aged 12 and above, weighing 40kg or more) who are at high risk of progressing to severe illness, including hospitalization or death. Detailed administration guidelines will be promptly prepared in consultation with the medical community.

The government expects that the active use of existing domestic antibody treatments and the new introduction of oral treatments will reduce hospitalizations or deaths among high-risk mild to moderate patients, such as the elderly and those with underlying conditions, and contribute to maintaining the healthcare and quarantine systems.

Furthermore, the government stated that it will continue to review the purchase of oral treatments comprehensively based on domestic and international treatment development status, quarantine conditions, and clinical results.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.