Food and Drug Administration Added pharmacist On Wednesday, on the list of medical professionals who are allowed to prescribe Pfizer tablets to treat Covid-19. This move is aimed at making medicines more accessible to patients and will significantly increase the number of prescribers who can order a treatment known as Paxrovid.
According to the American Pharmacists Association, there are more than 300,000 licensed pharmacists throughout the United States. Lobbying For change.
Previously, only doctors, nurses and doctor assistants Allowed Prescribe treatment. The restrictions often forced patients to scramble to find the prescriber and then find a place to dispense the tablets. It should be taken within 5 days of the onset of symptoms.
The Biden administration moved earlier this year to increase access to treatment By initiating a “test for treatment” program This was intended to make tablet prescriptions available at the same location, often with CVS Minute Clinic, immediately after the patient tested positive for the virus. However, these clinics require the presence of an in-house nurse practitioner or doctor’s assistant to prescribe the drug, and these specialists are not available at many pharmacies.
Pharmacists generally do not have the same prescribing authority as doctors and nurses, but in some states they have more authority to prescribe commonly used medicines in a more manageable manner. A group of pharmacists support these moves as patient-friendly, especially in rural and poor areas that are not well serviced by traditional healthcare providers. Physician groups generally oppose the expansion of pharmacist prescribing powers and have expressed concern about the safety risks posed by pharmacist’s limited information about the patient’s medical history.
On Wednesday, the FDA said Covid patients seeking a pill prescription from a pharmacist would need to bring a record of recent blood tests and a list of other medications they are taking. Authorities then need to review records of potential kidney and liver problems, or problematic interactions between Paxrovid and the patient’s other medications, officials said.Pfizer’s therapeutic component May interfere Certain medications, including common ones for cholesterol and cardiovascular problems, can cause potentially serious side effects.
The agency said the pharmacist should refer the patient to another prescribing person if records and information about other medicines are not available.
Paxlovid has been available with emergency permission for high-risk Covid patients over the age of 12 since the end of last year. Initial supply was limited, but over 800,000 prescriptions were dispensed in the United States in the first five months. Pfizer last week filed for full approval of Paxlovid.
