Green light from today, even in the approximately 19,000 pharmacies in the area, for the distribution, upon presentation of the family doctor's prescription, of the antiviral pill against Covid19.
The novelty, introduced by the decision of the Italian Medicines Agency published in the Official Journal, will make these therapies more accessible, as Federfarma points out, and will give pharmacists a "decisive role in favoring the 'ordinary' management of the pandemic in the area", specifies the Federation of the Orders of Italian Pharmacists (Fofi).
The drug, explains the National Federation of Medical Associations (Fnomceo), "combines two antiviral drugs: nirmatrelvir, which inhibits the replication of the Sars-CoV-2 protein, and ritonavir, already used to treat HIV and now used to increase levels of antiviral drugs ".
Paxlovid, this is the name of the drug, "is indicated for the treatment of Covid-19 in people aged 18 and over who do not require supplementary oxygen therapy and who are at high risk of progression to severe Covid-19 and should be taken after no later than 5 days after the onset of symptoms ".
It was prescribed, up to now in Italy, for the treatment of mild-moderate Covid-19 in subjects at risk and not hospitalized only by Covid centers, which enter the patients treated in a monitoring register.
Now the prescription can also be made by the general practitioner, on an electronic prescription and after completing the Aifa therapeutic plan.
Once the prescription has been obtained, the medicine will be provided free of charge to the patient based on the memorandum of understanding signed between the Ministry of Health, Aifa, Federfarma Servizi, Federfarma, Assofarm, United Pharmacies and Adf.
"The pharmacies - comments the president of Federfarma Marco Cossolo - are ready to guarantee the dispensing of Paxlovid, to ensure the timeliness of treatment with oral antivirals, which proved to be fundamental for the success of the treatment".
This "will make the drug for the treatment of Covid-19 available and easily accessible", opening "a new phase in the fight against the pandemic,"
In this way, in fact, pharmacists and general practitioners are attributed "a decisive role in favoring the 'ordinary' management of the pandemic in the area", declares Andrea Mandelli, president of the Federation of the Orders of Italian Pharmacists (Fofi).
This is "a fundamental step in making these therapies accessible, in large cities as well as in smaller centers".
As already happened with the administration of anti-Covid tampons and vaccines, adds Mandelli, "the capillarity of pharmacies can play a decisive role in protecting health and as an element of efficiency of the National Health Service. Give citizens the opportunity to obtain more quickly the antiviral, withdrawing it directly in the pharmacy near the house,