Pfizer’s antiviral medication Paxlovid is designed to reduce the risk of hospitalization in patients with COVID-19, and it’s approved for use across Canada.
Although it has the potential to take some pressure off hospitals during coronavirus surges, some doctors and pharmacists believe it isn’t being used as widely as it should.
Dr. Brian Conway is the medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Center and an assistant professor in the University of British Columbia’s Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. He said the lack of uptake could be due to a number of factors, including restrictions on who can prescribe it and a lack of awareness about the treatment, both among the public and medical professionals.
