The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a new agreement with Pfizer that ensures continued access to the antiviral medication Paxlovid for the next few years. This agreement comes as the drug is being prepared for transition into the commercial market.
HHS emphasized that this agreement aims to maximize the investment made by taxpayers.
“This agreement builds on the strong partnership between HHS and Pfizer, which has enabled the rapid development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics over the past three years,” stated the department.
Since its authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2021 as a treatment for the coronavirus, Paxlovid has been provided free of charge by the government. HHS has announced that the transition to commercialization will begin in November.
The federal government has purchased millions of doses of Paxlovid at a discounted price from Pfizer. Additionally, Pfizer has agreed to supply an additional 1 million treatment courses for the Strategic National Stockpile.
Pfizer will also ensure that HHS is equipped with up-to-date inventory of Paxlovid products until 2028, ensuring that none of the supply will have expired and that the agency has access to the most recent formulation.
As part of the transition process, HHS has stated that it will prioritize and reserve doses for uninsured individuals and those on Medicare and Medicaid who have acquired the medication. Orders for Paxlovid can be placed through HHS until December 15.
Unlike vaccines, Paxlovid targets a protein that COVID-19 viruses require for replication. This protein mutates less frequently than the spike proteins targeted by vaccines, allowing Paxlovid to maintain its effectiveness against new strains.
Under the agreement, individuals on Medicare and Medicaid, as well as uninsured individuals, will still have access to Paxlovid doses acquired by HHS until the end of 2024.
From 2025 to 2028, Pfizer will continue its “patient assistance program” for uninsured individuals, and the company will also maintain the copay assistance program for those on commercial insurance plans.
The U.S. government has been paying approximately $530 per course of Paxlovid, a discounted price that is likely to increase once the transition to commercialization begins. In its press release on Friday, Pfizer did not disclose the expected list price, stating that it will be negotiated with health care payers.
Pfizer has stated that courses labeled under Emergency Use Authorization will remain free for patients until the end of the year. During this time, the company will also start distributing courses designated for the commercial market.
© 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
