When Pfizer's antiviral Paxlovid entered the U.S. market in December 2021, it quickly became the preferred COVID-19 drug. Nearly two years later, physicians aren't writing many prescriptions for the therapy once touted as a "breakthrough," NBC News reported.
In the summer of 2022, 1 in every 300 prescriptions filled was a COVID-19 antiviral, according to GoodRx data cited by NBC News. Now, antivirals account for about 1 in every 1,000 filled prescriptions.
There are a few reasons for this drop in prescriptions, NBC News reported: Many common medications are contraindications; the FDA's approval is limited to people vulnerable to severe illness; and undesirable side effects, including a bad taste, diarrhea and nausea. The small chance for a rebound — when someone tests negative for a few days before symptoms reappear or a COVID-19 test is positive — is also discouraging uptake.