In a study from the Division of Community Medical Services in Israel, scientists found Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill appears to provide little or no benefit for younger adults. But it still reduces the risk of hospitalization and death for high-risk older people.
The findings clarify the benefits of Paxlovid, which has become the go-to treatment for COVID-19 due to its at-home convenience.
In the study, the team examined more than 100,000 patients.
They found that Paxlovid reduced hospitalizations among people 65 and older by roughly 75% when given shortly after infection.
That’s consistent with earlier results used to authorize the drug in the U.S. and other nations.
However, in people between the ages of 40 and 65, scientists saw no measurable benefit.
These results suggest the changing nature of the pandemic, in which the vast majority of people already have some protection against the virus due to vaccination or prior infection.
For younger adults, that greatly reduces their risks of severe COVID-19 complications.
Scientists say that Paxlovid will remain important for people at the highest risk of severe COVID-19, such as seniors and those with compromised immune systems.
But for many Americans who are now eligible, this really doesn’t have a lot of benefits.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Paxlovid late last year for adults and children 12 and older who are considered high risk due to conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
More than 42% of U.S. adults are considered obese, representing 138 million Americans, according to the CDC.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about new risk factor for severe COVID-19, and the key to curing COVID-19.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that COVID patients on this depression drug are less likely to die, and results show two paths toward ‘super immunity’ to COVID-19.
The study was conducted by Ronen Arbel et al and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Copyright © 2022 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
