Health Canada authorizes use of Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 drug
CTV
Health Canada has authorized the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid. The agency says the prescription-only medication can be given to adults ages 18 and older to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, if they have a confirmed positive viral test and are at a high risk of becoming seriously ill.
The federal health agency says the prescription-only medication can be given to adults ages 18 and older to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, if they have a confirmed positive viral test and are at a high risk of becoming seriously ill.
The authorization comes with specific instructions on scenarios in which the drug cannot be used, including to prevent COVID-19 infections or to treat patients who are already hospitalized due to severe COVID-19 cases.
The medication cannot be taken for longer than five days in a row, nor can it be given to teens or children.
More details about the authorization will be provided by the federal health agency during an 11 a.m. EST technical briefing.
