Paxlovid Reduces Patient Hospitalization Risk by 5 Times

A study published in Epic Research found that, after taking Paxlovid, COVID-19 patients were five times less likely to be hospitalized and ten times less likely to die. Paxlovid is “an oral antiviral drug that should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset,” according to the HHS.  

The treatment was first approved in December of 2021. Since then, the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) was expanded to allow pharmacists to prescribe the medicine.  

Based on information from the Epic Research publication, Paxlovid prescriptions began to rise in March of 2022, following the introduction of the government's test-to-treat programs.  

Shortly after the initial rise, Paxlovid prescription rates peaked at 23%, meaning that 23% of patients testing positive for COVID-19 were given the antiviral medication as a part of their treatment regimen.  

Patients who were prescribed Paxlovid had a hospitalization rate of 1.86%. Meanwhile, the hospitalization rate in patients not taking Paxlovid was over five times as much at 9.67%.  

Similarly, patients who had not taken Paxlovid were significantly more likely to die from COVID-19 infection, with a 1.23% mortality rate. Patients who did take Paxlovid had a mortality rate of only 0.12%.  

The rate of Paxlovid prescriptions differed dramatically by age. Patients over 45 years old were considerably more likely to be prescribed Paxlovid. It is thought that this disparity is based on age being a significant risk factor for developing severe COVID-19.  

Researchers in the publication wrote, “these data support the findings of previous clinical trials that Paxlovid use is associated with reduced risk of severe COVID-19 resulting in hospitalization or death.” 

While the data is significant on the benefits of Paxlovid, this article had some limitations. For example, it did not consider other factors contributing to hospitalizations and mortality, such as vaccination status and comorbidities. 

Additionally, this study looked at data from December 2021 to June 2022. Paxlovid was only approved for prescription by pharmacists in early July 2022. Later data from the coming months may show additional peaks in the prescription rate and provide further insight into the benefits of this antiviral medication.  

New COVID-19 variants continue to appear, and rates of infection fluctuate regularly. According to the CDC, as of July 26, 2022, there is an average of 120,032 new cases daily. However, this number may be under-reported due to the availability of at-home tests.  

The data on Paxlovid suggests that this antiviral may be a successful tool in minimizing the adverse outcomes of COVID-19 infection. The public is heavily encouraged to take preventative measures such as vaccination, masks, and social distancing, as well as talk to their healthcare provider about antivirals if they become infected.