The NHS has scrapped plans to offer a life-saving Covid drug to the elderly and obese this winter, meaning millions of doses already bought could go to waste.
The treatment, called Paxlovid, is given as soon as possible after a positive Covid test and prevents patients from becoming seriously ill and ending up in hospital with the virus.
It is currently offered to people with medical conditions that prevent their bodies from responding to the Covid vaccines, putting them at serious risk. This includes both blood cancer patients and patients who have undergone an organ transplant.
In May, NHS spending watchdog National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended that the drug be offered to people over 70, overweight people and those with diabetes or heart disease. This will increase the number of people eligible for Paxlovid from about 4 million to 15 million.
The antiviral drug is intended for use in patients suspected of being seriously ill with the deadly virus, such as the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions such as heart disease.
READ MORE: WHAT IS THE COVID SPECIALTY MEDICINE PAXLOVID?
But NHS England appealed against that recommendation, arguing the move was unaffordable and would cost around £20m a year. Instead, the health system plans to expand treatment options to patients over the age of 85. This includes those who fall into the new recommended group, but they must also live in a nursing home or have already been hospitalized with an unrelated problem.
However, millions of doses of the drug have already been bought at £150 per treatment. Due to their limited shelf life, many of these cans may be lost.
Experts also say the decision will put lives at risk. Studies show that Paxlovid can reduce the risk of death or hospitalization due to Covid by around 90 percent – and the World Health Organization recommends that the drug be offered to patients who are at risk of presenting with Covid in hospital.
“It is disappointing that millions of patients are not eligible for Paxlovid,” says Professor Azeem Majeed, head of primary care and public health at Imperial College London.
“There is good evidence that older people, people with obesity or diabetes are at risk of having severe Covid symptoms even after vaccination.” “If a larger group of patients can receive Paxlovid, hospital pressure will decrease in the coming months.”
An NHS spokesman said: “The NHS will take time to implement a change of this magnitude in a way that continues to prioritize those most at risk from Covid.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
