Ontario considering letting pharmacists prescribe Paxlovid for COVID-19: Moore – CBC

Paxlovid recommended for people at high risk of COVID-19 complications

Nov 06, 2022

Ontario is considering allowing pharmacists to prescribe the COVID-19 treatment drug Paxlovid in order to expand access, the province’s top doctor says.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said recently that the health system will see a “triple threat” of COVID-19, a bad flu season and the resurgence of a childhood respiratory virus this fall and winter.

Finding ways to ensure greater availability of medication to keep people with COVID-19 out of hospital is of particular importance for more rural communities, he said.

“I do know the government is reviewing the ability of pharmacists to be able to prescribe this directly after a positive test,” Moore said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

“There was concern in particular in isolated areas. Where you may not have good access to a primary care physician, you may have access to a pharmacist. So that gap was looked at and I do believe they’re working aggressively on that.”

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-pharmacists-covid19-prescriptions-1.6642434