Access to Life-Saving COVID-19 Drug Paxlovid Hindered by Financial Barriers and Lack of Awareness

Despite being free for Medicare, Medicaid, and uninsured patients, many high-risk individuals are not being offered the drug due to concerns about drug interactions and timing of symptom onset.

Access to the antiviral drug Paxlovid, used to treat COVID-19, is being hindered by unexpected financial barriers and lack of awareness among patients and healthcare providers.
Patients on Medicare, Medicaid or without insurance should be able to get Paxlovid for free through the Pfizer Patient Support Program.
Many high-risk patients are not being offered Paxlovid due to concerns about drug interactions or because their symptoms have been present for more than five days.
Studies found that less than a quarter of outpatients who tested positive for COVID-19 were receiving any kind of anti-COVID medication.
There are alarming disparities in who is getting Paxlovid, with Black and Latino patients obtaining such treatment at markedly lower rates.