The White House is finalizing plans to ensure Pfizer's COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid is available at every pharmacy in the U.S., an official told Bloomberg April 22.
The strategy, slated to be released this week, aims to increase use of the drug, which can prevent hospitalizations among people at high risk for severe COVID-19. The White House will encourage clinicians to err on the side of prescribing the antiviral instead of rationing the drug, as many have done since its FDA approval in December, when supplies were initially low.
"We're working to make sure doctors and patients know about Paxlovid," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told Bloomberg. "It's widely available, and the eligibility criteria are pretty expansive."
Nationwide, about 20,000 pharmacy locations stock Paxlovid. The White House plans to allow any pharmacy to order the drug directly from the federal government, the official told Bloomberg.