Pfizer Says Its COVID-19 Pill Greatly Reduces the Risk of Death or Hospitalization

Here’s a promising development in the fight against COVID-19.

In a press release, Pfizer says its novel COVID-19 oral medication, known as PAXLOVID, greatly reduces the risk of hospitalization or death if taken with three days of the onset of symptoms.

The pharmaceutical company conducted the study on a group of patients who were considered high-risk for developing severe symptoms and found an 89% reduction in hospitalization or death compared to those who received a placebo.

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Pfizer has halted all testing due to the high efficacy of the medication and has passed the data along to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in an effort for the drug to receive Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

Pfizer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla says the company is “laser-focused” on helping healthcare systems put an end to the pandemic:

Today’s news is a real game-changer in the global efforts to halt the devastation of this pandemic. These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorized by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients’ lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations. Given the continued global impact of COVID-19, we have remained laser-focused on the science and fulfilling our responsibility to help healthcare systems and institutions around the world while ensuring equitable and broad access to people everywhere.

There’s no word on how long it will take for the oral medication to receive authorization for emergency use.

The pharmaceutical company Merck’s COVID-19 pill was recently approved for use in Britain, making it the first in the world.