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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to make PAXLOVID available for the treatment of COVID-19 in certain patients.

PAXLOVID

PAXLOVID is authorized for emergency use

  • PAXLOVID has not been approved, but has been authorized for emergency use by FDA under an EUA, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
  • The emergency use of PAXLOVID is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of drugs and biological products during the COVID-19 pandemic under Section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization revoked sooner.

Many Americans have a high-risk factor for developing severe COVID-19.
This means PAXLOVID may be right for them.

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Many health conditions and some lifestyle factors could increase the risk of progression to severe COVID-19. In fact, roughly 75% of adults in the United States have at least one risk factor.

If you're one of them, you should contact your healthcare professional as soon as you have COVID-19.

Do you have a high-risk factor that may make PAXLOVID right for you?

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), your risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 may be increased if:

  • You have one or more of the common high-risk factors below
  • You are unvaccinated or not up-to-date with vaccinations against COVID-19
  • You experience healthcare access inequities due to race, ethnicity, disability, or where you live or work

Your risk may also be increased by other factors not listed on this page, so be sure to discuss all of your health conditions and lifestyle factors with your healthcare professional.

If you have one of the high-risk factors below, and have had COVID-19 with mild-to-moderate symptoms for 5 days or fewer, ask your healthcare professional if PAXLOVID is right for you.

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Age

  • The CDC recommends treatment for anyone 50 and older
  • People who are 65 years of age or older are at the highest risk

Additional information to share with your
healthcare professional when discussing PAXLOVID

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Be sure to let your healthcare professional know if you have any allergies

Do not take PAXLOVID if you’re allergic to nirmatrelvir, ritonavir, or any of the ingredients in PAXLOVID.

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Come with a list of all the medicines you take

Including all of your prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. PAXLOVID can interact with other medicines causing severe or life-threatening side effects or death. Be sure to tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take when discussing PAXLOVID.

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PAXLOVID may affect how oral contraceptives work

If you are able to become pregnant, you should discuss birth control with your healthcare professional. You may need to use a different or additional form of contraception.

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Tell your healthcare professional if you have liver or kidney problems or have HIV infection

If you have any recent blood test results, bring them for your healthcare professional to review. PAXLOVID isn't for people with severe liver or kidney disease. PAXLOVID may lead to some HIV medicines not working as well in the future.

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Tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, are breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed

It is not known if PAXLOVID can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare professional right away if you are or become pregnant. It is unknown if PAXLOVID can pass into your breast milk, so discuss the best way to feed your baby during treatment.

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Be ready to talk to a healthcare professional about PAXLOVID.

This COVID-19 Preparedness Plan can help.

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Think PAXLOVID may be right for you?

Learn how to get PAXLOVID

Important Safety Information

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Significant Drug Interactions. PAXLOVID can interact with other medicines, causing severe or life-threatening side effects or death. Do not take PAXLOVID if you are taking any of the following medicines:

  • alfuzosin
  • amiodarone
  • apalutamide
  • carbamazepine
  • colchicine
  • dihydroergotamine
  • dronedarone
  • eletriptan
  • eplerenone
  • ergotamine
  • finerenone
  • flecainide
  • flibanserin
  • ivabradine
  • lomitapide
  • lovastatin
  • lumacaftor/ivacaftor
  • lurasidone
  • methylergonovine
  • midazolam (oral)
  • naloxegol
  • phenobarbital
  • phenytoin
  • pimozide
  • primidone
  • propafenone
  • quinidine
  • ranolazine
  • rifampin
  • rifapentine
  • St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum)
  • sildenafil (Revatio®) for pulmonary arterial hypertension
  • silodosin
  • simvastatin
  • tolvaptan
  • triazolam
  • ubrogepant
  • voclosporin

These are not the only medicines that may cause serious or life-threatening side effects if taken with PAXLOVID. PAXLOVID may increase or decrease the levels of other medicines. It is very important to tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you are taking, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, because additional laboratory tests or changes in the dose of your other medicines may be necessary during treatment with PAXLOVID. Your healthcare professional may also tell you about specific symptoms to watch out for that may indicate that you need to stop or decrease the dose of some of your other medicines. Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare professional.

Before taking PAXLOVID, tell your healthcare professional about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis.
  • have Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) infection. PAXLOVID may lead to some
    HIV-1 medicines not working as well in the future.
  • are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed.

Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking combined hormonal contraceptive (birth control). PAXLOVID may affect how your birth control works. People who can become pregnant should use another or an alternative effective form of birth control.

PAXLOVID may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Allergic reactions, including severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Do not take PAXLOVID if you are allergic to nirmatrelvir, ritonavir, or any of the ingredients in PAXLOVID. Stop taking PAXLOVID and call your healthcare professional right away if you get any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction:

    • skin rash, hives, blisters, or peeling skin
    • painful sores or ulcers in the mouth, nose, throat, or genital area
    • trouble swallowing or breathing
    • swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue, or face
    • hoarseness
    • throat tightness
  • Liver problems. Tell your healthcare professional right away if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of liver problems during treatment with PAXLOVID:

    • loss of appetite
    • yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes
    • dark-colored urine
    • pale-colored stools
    • itchy skin
    • stomach-area (abdominal) pain

The most common side effects of PAXLOVID include: altered sense of taste and diarrhea.

Other possible side effects include:

  • headache
  • abdominal pain
  • vomiting
  • high blood pressure
  • nausea
  • feeling generally unwell

These are not all of the possible side effects of PAXLOVID. For more information, ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist.

There is no experience treating pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers with PAXLOVID.
For a mother and unborn baby, the benefit of taking PAXLOVID may be greater than the risk
from the treatment. It is recommended that you use effective barrier contraception or do not
have sexual activity while taking PAXLOVID. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, discuss
your options and specific situation with your healthcare professional.



Take PAXLOVID exactly as your healthcare professional tells you. If you take too much PAXLOVID, call your healthcare professional or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away. If you are taking a ritonavir- or cobicistat-containing medicine to treat hepatitis C or HIV-1 infection, you should continue to take your medicine as prescribed.



Talk to your healthcare professional if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 5 days.


Please see Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers and Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents, and Caregivers.

AUTHORIZED USE

The FDA has authorized the emergency use of PAXLOVID for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years of age and older weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kg) who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, under an EUA.

PAXLOVID is not authorized for use in children younger than 12 years of age or weighing less than 88 pounds (40 kg). There is limited information about the safety and effectiveness of using PAXLOVID in these patients.


Please see Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers and Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents, and Caregivers.

AUTHORIZED USE

The FDA has authorized the emergency use of PAXLOVID for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years of age and older weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kg) who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, under an EUA.

PAXLOVID is not authorized for use in children younger than 12 years of age or weighing less than 88 pounds (40 kg). There is limited information about the safety and effectiveness of using PAXLOVID in these patients.


Please see Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers and Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents, and Caregivers.

Important Safety Information

Significant Drug Interactions. PAXLOVID can interact with other medicines, causing severe or life-threatening side effects or death. Do not take PAXLOVID if you are taking any of the following medicines:

  • alfuzosin
  • amiodarone
  • apalutamide
  • carbamazepine
  • colchicine
  • dihydroergotamine
  • dronedarone
  • eletriptan
  • eplerenone
  • ergotamine
  • finerenone
  • flecainide
  • flibanserin
  • ivabradine
  • lomitapide
  • lovastatin
  • lumacaftor/ivacaftor
  • lurasidone
  • methylergonovine
  • midazolam (oral)
  • naloxegol
  • phenobarbital
  • phenytoin
  • pimozide
  • primidone
  • propafenone
  • quinidine
  • ranolazine
  • rifampin
  • rifapentine
  • St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum)
  • sildenafil (Revatio®) for pulmonary arterial hypertension
  • silodosin
  • simvastatin
  • tolvaptan
  • triazolam
  • ubrogepant
  • voclosporin

These are not the only medicines that may cause serious or life-threatening side effects if taken with PAXLOVID. PAXLOVID may increase or decrease the levels of other medicines. It is very important to tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you are taking, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, because additional laboratory tests or changes in the dose of your other medicines may be necessary during treatment with PAXLOVID. Your healthcare professional may also tell you about specific symptoms to watch out for that may indicate that you need to stop or decrease the dose of some of your other medicines. Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare professional.

Before taking PAXLOVID, tell your healthcare professional about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis.
  • have Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) infection. PAXLOVID may lead to some HIV-1 medicines not working as well in the future.
  • are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed.

Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking combined hormonal contraceptive (birth control). PAXLOVID may affect how your birth control works. People who can become pregnant should use another or an alternative effective form of birth control.

PAXLOVID may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Allergic reactions, including severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Do not take PAXLOVID if you are allergic to nirmatrelvir, ritonavir, or any of the ingredients in PAXLOVID. Stop taking PAXLOVID and call your healthcare professional right away if you get any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction:

    • skin rash, hives, blisters, or peeling skin
    • painful sores or ulcers in the mouth, nose, throat, or genital area
    • trouble swallowing or breathing
    • swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue, or face
    • hoarseness
    • throat tightness
  • Liver problems. Tell your healthcare professional right away if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of liver problems during treatment with PAXLOVID:

    • loss of appetite
    • yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes
    • dark-colored urine
    • pale-colored stools
    • itchy skin
    • stomach-area (abdominal) pain

The most common side effects of PAXLOVID include: altered sense of taste and diarrhea.

Other possible side effects include:

  • headache
  • abdominal pain
  • vomiting
  • high blood pressure
  • nausea
  • feeling generally unwell

These are not all of the possible side effects of PAXLOVID. For more information, ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist.

There is no experience treating pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers with PAXLOVID. For a mother and unborn baby, the benefit of taking PAXLOVID may be greater than the risk from the treatment. It is recommended that you use effective barrier contraception or do not have sexual activity while taking PAXLOVID. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, discuss your options and specific situation with your healthcare professional.



Take PAXLOVID exactly as your healthcare professional tells you. If you take too much PAXLOVID, call your healthcare professional or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away. If you are taking a ritonavir- or cobicistat-containing medicine to treat hepatitis C or HIV-1 infection, you should continue to take your medicine as prescribed.



Talk to your healthcare professional if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 5 days.



Please see Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers and Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents, and Caregivers.

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AUTHORIZED USE

The FDA has authorized the emergency use of PAXLOVID for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years of age and older weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kg) who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, under an EUA.

PAXLOVID is not authorized for use in children younger than 12 years of age or weighing less than 88 pounds (40 kg). There is limited information about the safety and effectiveness of using PAXLOVID in these patients.