Pharmacists in Ontario will have the ability to prescribe the antiviral COVID-19 medication Paxlovid to patients. They will be allowed to give out Paxlovid prescriptions in-person or virtually at no cost. The new ruling will be implemented from December 12 in an attempt to provide care to Ontarians faster and more conveniently.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones made the announcement today, Thursday, and said, “By increasing access to these treatments in more convenient ways, we are helping to keep people healthier and reduce COVID-19-related hospitalizations.” This is a voluntary program and it is unclear how many pharmacies will participate. It will be implemented from December 12.

Patients need a prescription for Paxlovid before getting access to the drug. This new system will allow pharmacies to prescribe the medication and this will be done free of cost. There are about 4,000 pharmacies that have been dispensing the drug not all of them may participate in the program. Jones added, “While it is a voluntary progress, we are quite optimistic that there will be many pharmacists that choose to do this because it is another pathway for them to assist their patients directly.”

This program comes in effect following concerns raised by Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer about certain areas not having easy access to physicians. “There was concern in particular in isolated areas. Where you may not have good access to a primary care physician, you may have access to a pharmacist. So that gap was looked at and I do believe they’re working aggressively on that,” Kieran Moore said.

According to Justin Bates, president of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, taking Paxlovid within five days from the onset of symptoms can prevent severe symptoms. This new program will help in reducing the number of hospitalizations which will, in turn, relieve some pressure on Canada’s medical system. It should be noted that Paxlovid is available for those who are 60 years and older. It is also given to adults who are immunocompromised or have a higher risk of contracting severe COVID-19 symptoms.

Vineet Washington

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