"Paxlovid Under Spotlight: Will Its Prescription Scope Expand? Which Drugs Are Contraindicated for Combination?"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] As the government announced that it is considering expanding the administration of the oral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid to high-risk groups in their 40s, interest in Paxlovid is rising again. Paxlovid has the advantage of reducing the probability of severe illness and death in COVID-19 patients and being an easy-to-take oral treatment, but there are many medications that should not be taken together with it. Here are the precautions to take when using Paxlovid and the list of contraindicated medications.

First, before prescribing Paxlovid, patients with certain underlying conditions must inform healthcare professionals. These include ▲allergies ▲liver or kidney diseases ▲pregnancy or planned pregnancy ▲breastfeeding ▲other serious illnesses. For those with kidney disease, dose adjustment is necessary, so consultation with a healthcare professional is essential.

To avoid contraindicated drug interactions, all currently taken medications must also be disclosed to healthcare professionals. There are a total of 28 medications that should not be taken with Paxlovid, of which 23 are available domestically.

Among these, 5 medications should not be administered with Paxlovid even if their use has been stopped. These include phenytoin, phenobarbital, and carbamazepine used for epilepsy treatment; apalutamide used for prostate cancer; rifampicin used for tuberculosis treatment; and St. John's Wort, an ingredient in anxiety and depression treatments.

In particular, caution is needed with St. John's Wort as it is also included in over-the-counter drugs and health supplements. This ingredient is commonly used in menopausal treatments due to its effects on relieving general anxiety, depression symptoms, and menopausal symptoms. As of the end of last year, there were a total of 22 over-the-counter products containing St. John's Wort.

Information on contraindicated prescription drugs can be checked and administered by healthcare professionals through the Drug Utilization Review (DUR) system. However, if taking over-the-counter products containing St. John's Wort, patients must inform healthcare professionals in advance.

If side effects occur while taking Paxlovid, patients should consult the prescribing medical institution and report the side effects to the Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management. The main side effects observed so far include taste disorders, diarrhea, increased blood pressure, and muscle pain, but most symptoms were mild. In cases of serious side effects, patients can apply for 'Drug Side Effect Relief,' and if causality is recognized, compensation for damages is possible.

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