Paxlovid: Quebec pharmacists can now prescribe this COVID-19 treatment to certain people
Pharmacists in Quebec are now authorized to prescribe the antiviral drug Paxlovid to symptomatic patients with COVID-19 who are at risk of developing complications and who test positive for the virus.
Health Minister Christian Dubé, and the Minister responsible for professional law enforcement Danielle McCann, believe that access to a pharmacist's prescription from one of Quebec's 1,900 community pharmacies will provide proximity to care and encourage faster treatment initiation.
On March 17, the Quebec government announced that Paxlovid would be available in pharmacies after a prescription is obtained from a physician or a specialized nurse practitioner (NP).
On Friday, the authorities specified that a pharmacist can prescribe the medication but if the patient's condition deteriorates two days after the start of the treatment, the pharmacist will have to refer the patient to a physician or a nurse practitioner.
The oral antiviral was approved two and a half months ago by Health Canada. Paxlovid is intended to reduce the severity of symptoms of COVID-19 in people at risk of developing serious complications of this infection. It would also reduce the risk of being hospitalized or dying from the novel coronavirus.
Treatment with Paxlovid should be initiated within five days of the onset of symptoms. However, some patients can not use it due to drug interactions or contraindications.
The government authorities add that it is essential that people with a condition potentially relevant to the use of Paxlovid ensure that they are tested promptly for COVID-19 at the onset of symptoms. If they test positive, they should promptly consult a pharmacist, physician or specialized nurse practitioner.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 1, 2022
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
It's 30 years since apartheid ended. South Africa's celebrations are set against growing discontent
South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital Saturday that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the nation's multicolored flag.