Following the Food and Medicine Ministry's decision on Monday to provide emergency authorization for Paxlovid, Pfizer's oral tablet for COVID-19, an oral drug for COVID-19 is expected to be accessible by prescription by the end of January.
After five days of deliberation, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency requested emergency approval for the medicine developed by the multinational pharmaceutical company.
According to Kim Kang-lip, head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, "As the number of COVID-19 patients and those in serious condition has increased, we have carefully considered the need to introduce pills that patients can take themselves, the examination review of the drug's safety and effectiveness, as well as the results of an expert committee meeting," he said during a press briefing held on Monday.
However, approval for Merck Sharp Dohme's Molnupiravir, for which authorization had also been requested, has not been granted as of yet. "We are now analyzing further information on its effectiveness, and the investigation is not yet complete," Kim explained.
According to the FDA, Paxlovid is an antiviral medication used in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients, and it can reduce the likelihood of hospitalization or death in those who are affected. It is also well-known for its effectiveness against strains of the virus. It was the first oral antiviral medication of its sort to be approved for use in the United States. The medicines will be provided at no cost to the public.
Patients in residential treatment programs or those receiving home-based therapy can obtain the medicine with a prescription from their physician. Because the tablets may be stored at room temperature for up to 12 months and do not require an injection, they are reasonably simple to use.
The Minister of Health and Welfare, Kwon Deok-Cheol, stated on Monday during a COVID-19 response meeting that the oral tablets for COVID-19 will most likely be available by the end of January, if not sooner.
In clinical presentations, Pfizer's oral medicine showed a 90 percent reduction in the number of COVID-19 patients who were admitted to the hospital or died, according to Kwon.
The COVID-19 oral medications Paxlovid by Pfizer and Molnupiravir by Merck Sharp Dohme, among others, have been obtained for 604,000 patients, according to Kwon. It is looking towards obtaining further funding.
Paxlovid and Molnupiravir were both granted emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Meanwhile, Korea reported 4,207 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the lowest number in three weeks, in part owing to fewer tests being administered over the weekend, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The total number of cases pending in the country is 611,670.
The number of patients in critical condition reached 1,078, with the figure remaining over 1,000 for more than a week. The death toll was 55 per day on average. There were an extra 69 omicron instances, bringing the total number of omicron cases to 445 for the variation. Of those incidents, 49 included broadcasts within the country, and 20 involved transmissions from outside the country.
According to the latest figures available on Monday, 107 people in Greater Seoul had been waiting for hospital beds for more than a day, while 42 people were waiting to be admitted to a residential treatment center.
The government has been urging individuals to get a third dose of the vaccination, which is recommended. According to the Korean government, 29.6 percent of the population, or more than 15 million people, have gotten the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. Eighty-two percent had gotten two injections, with 85.7 percent having received the first dosage of the medication.
The administration is also considering whether to extend the social separation restrictions, which are now scheduled to expire on Sunday.
