After the announcement of Merck’s antiviral pill that the UK recently approved for distribution, Pfizer has come out with an antiviral pill with 89% effectiveness against covid-19. Pfizer announced its release a day after the UK announcement. Merck’s drug was said to be 50% effective against covid-19.
The FDA (food and drug administration) in the US were scheduled to meet about approval of the Merck drug on November 30. No date is given for FDA approval for the Pfizer drug.
Biden had already approved the purchase of the Merck drug and is expected to approve the purchase of the Pfizer one as well.
Nice! That one is even better because it aims to stop the transmission.
The antivirals are used after the virus is already caught and needs to be taken early in the cycle or it’s not (as) effective. One person in the article said it wouldn’t be effective at all in the second phase of covid.
While I was looking up nasal sprays, I also found that there is a test trial going on for giving the vaccine via nasal spray. From what I’ve read, it won’t be available until the end of 2022, but with the waning effectiveness of the vaccine, the nasal sprays could become an option.
Pfizer signed an agreement allowing generic versions of its antiviral drug to low and middle income countries. Pfizer will not take royalties from low income countries and will waive royalties for other countries as long as covid-19 is an international public health emergency.
Pfizer plans to release information to the FDA (food and drug administration in the US) by the end of the month (November 2021).
