A little more than 41,000 Quebecers have received the drug Paxlovid since the fall, which aims to reduce serious symptoms of COVID-19, but doctors and pharmacists believe it remains underused.
“It’s underused, that’s clear,” says the Dr Donald Vinh, infectious disease specialist and microbiologist at the McGill University Health Center (MUHC).
This week, the national director of public health, Dr Luc Boileau, indicated that at least three million Quebecers had contracted COVID-19 this fall.
However, according to data from the Régie de l’assurance- santé du Québec (RAMQ), a little more than 41,000 prescriptions for Paxlovid have been handed out since September. More than half come from pharmacists, authorized to do so.
From mid-December
The drug, in tablet form, was in particular demand from mid-December, with several days exceeding 100 prescriptions, particularly between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Since 1er September 2023:
– 41,123 prescriptions for Paxlovid (by doctors, pharmacists or specialist nurse practitioners);
– Of which 27,289 came from pharmacists.
497 prescriptions
774 prescriptions
680 prescriptions
694 prescriptions
Source: RAMQ
The president of the Quebec Association of Pharmacist Owners (AQPP), Benoit Morin, emphasizes that the eligibility criteria have recently been relaxed. The drug Paxlovid is intended for people who are severely immunosuppressed or those aged 60 and over who are at risk.
“We could do better collectively,” he said. According to him, there could be more awareness among patients, who must have a positive screening test. Treatment must also be started within five days of the onset of symptoms.
The Dr Mathieu Simon, head of the intensive care department at the University Institute of Cardiology and Pneumology of Quebec (IUCPQ), also believes that Paxlovid is not prescribed at full capacity.
“It would still be useful in many patients who are not aware of it,” he argues.
Multiple interactions
However, the drug has many interactions with other medications, making the task of verification arduous and cumbersome. If specialized clinics have done the work upstream for some patients, he says, this is not the case for all seniors.
“Access is certainly an obstacle that prevents its use,” specifies the Dr Vinh, having seen patients being refused these tablets, in part because they could not see a doctor quickly or a pharmacist did not feel comfortable with the lengthy health history check.
Target clientele for treatment with Paxlovid™
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after individual risk assessment taking into account age, immunity and the number of concomitant diseases or conditions that increase the level of risk of complications from COVID-19;
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which increases the level of risk of complications from COVID-19 and after assessment of individual risk taking into account age, immunity and number of comorbidities;
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after an individual risk assessment taking into account age, immunity, gestational age and the number of concomitant diseases or conditions that increase the level of risk of complications from COVID-19;
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which increases the level of risk of complications from COVID-19, after an individual risk assessment taking into account age, immunity and number of comorbidities.
Source: Government of Quebec