Pfizer Oral Treatment to Introduce 30,000 Doses This Month (Update)

Additional 10,000 doses to be introduced this month following 21,000 doses on the 13th
For home treatment and living treatment center patients aged 65 or older or immunocompromised
"Plan to continuously expand the scope of medication"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] A total of 31,000 doses of the oral COVID-19 treatment 'Paxlovid,' which is being hailed as a 'game changer,' will arrive in South Korea this month.

Ryu Geun-hyuk, the 1st Chief Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) and Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, stated at the CDSCH regular briefing on the morning of the 12th, "Paxlovid, the oral treatment developed by Pfizer, will first arrive in the country around noon on the 13th," adding, "In regions where distribution is faster, the first administration will begin from the 14th."

Currently, the South Korean government has secured a total of 1,004,000 doses of oral treatments, combining 762,000 doses of Paxlovid and 242,000 doses of Merck (MSD)'s Molnupiravir. Among these, the initial batch of Paxlovid will first arrive domestically on the afternoon of the 13th. An additional 10,000 doses are scheduled to be introduced by the end of this month.

The initial administration targets mild to moderate cases at high risk of progressing to severe illness within five days of symptom onset, specifically home-treated or residential treatment center patients aged 65 or older or immunocompromised individuals. Asymptomatic patients are excluded from prescription eligibility. Given the limited supply arriving immediately, the authorities will initially restrict prescriptions but plan to gradually expand the administration scope, focusing on those aged 60 and above with underlying conditions who are at high risk of severe progression. Currently, the emergency use authorization for Paxlovid covers adults with mild to moderate symptoms at high risk of severe progression and children aged 12 or older weighing at least 40 kg.

Since the medication must be administered within five days of symptom confirmation, the authorities plan to establish infrastructure for rapid administration. They aim to shorten schedules such as basic epidemiological investigations and initial patient classification to confirm eligible patients within 1 to 1.5 days after symptom onset.

Prescriptions will be available at 91 residential treatment centers nationwide and 281 designated pharmacies. Home-treated patients will receive medication through local governments or designated pharmacies following telemedicine consultations. Prescriptions and dispensing will be available during nights and holidays. Caregivers or others can visit the designated pharmacies to collect the medication. In unavoidable cases, medications will be delivered directly by public health centers. Patients admitted to residential treatment centers will receive medication through dedicated medical staff.

Because many medications should not be taken concurrently with Paxlovid, systematic management of administration will be conducted through related systems. Ritonavir, a component of Paxlovid, inhibits the 'CYP3A' enzyme responsible for metabolizing certain drugs, so patients taking medications affected by this metabolic process should not take Paxlovid. The following 23 drugs, which could pose life-threatening risks if taken with Paxlovid, are prohibited: ▲Painkillers (pethidine, piroxicam, propoxyphene) ▲Anti-angina drugs (ranolazine) ▲Antiarrhythmics (dronedarone) ▲Anti-gout drugs (colchicine) ▲Antipsychotics (lurasidone, pimozide, clozapine) ▲Hyperlipidemia treatments (lovastatin, simvastatin) ▲Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatments (sildenafil) ▲Sedatives and hypnotics (triazolam, oral midazolam), among others. To prevent co-administration with these drugs, the Drug Utilization Review (DUR) system will be used to verify prescription history and determine administration eligibility.

Considering these risks, the authorities warned that taking Paxlovid without a doctor's prescription is extremely dangerous. Even if symptoms improve, the full five-day course must be completed, and selling leftover medication is punishable under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act. Unauthorized sales between private individuals can result in imprisonment of up to five years or fines up to 50 million won. Vice Minister Ryu urged, "Please return any leftover treatment drugs to public health centers or designated pharmacies if administration is discontinued."

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