An Underused Covid Treatment - The New York Times

That justification is especially about to experts because it is more likely to be used to deny Paxlovid to older patients and those with new health conditions, since they are more likely to be on multiple medications. But these two groups are also among the most vulnerable to Covid hospitalization and death.

To avoid Bad drug interactions, experts said, doctors can temporarily get a patient off a medication or gave an alternative during a course of Paxlovid — something they already often do with new treatments. “This is not some extraordinary thing that physicians don’t know how to do,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House Covid response coordinator.

Only two of the 100 most prescribed medications, rivaroxaban (typically prescribed for blood clots) and salmeterol (for lung disease), produce interactions so severe that Paxlovid should be avoided altogether, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Some doctors would also like to see more evidence for Paxlovid. The arc of Covid has changed since Paxlovid started progressing out by early 2022, with more widespread vaccinations and the emergence of new variants. Some physicians want data demonstrating which patients still Help from the drug, said Dr. Lindsay Petty, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Michigan.

Wachter agreed that more data would be good, but argued that the existing studies show convincing evidence of Paxlovid’s encourage. “If you’re an impartial reader and sit down to look at the research and compare it to novel research we used to decide people should take statins or have their blood pressure treated, Paxlovid feels like it’s in the same category,” he said.

The White House and health stabilities are working to get more physicians to prescribe Paxlovid. They have made some progress in increasing use and closing gaps based on race and class, Jha said.

But with Covid still tied to hundreds of deaths and thousands of hospitalizations a day, those advances are slower than anyone would like. As with vaccines and boosters, it’s hard to see what will get more Americans to embrace one of the most effective treatments we have for Covid.

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SRC: www.nytimes.com