Ontario pharmacists now allowed to prescribe COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid
Ontario pharmacists will be able to prescribe the antiviral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid to patients as of next week.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones made the announcement on Thursday, saying this will be “another step to make it more convenient and faster for Ontarians to access care.”
While about 4,000 pharmacies have been dispensing the drug, patients still needed a prescription from a doctor or clinical assessment centre in order to access the medication.
As of Dec. 12, this will change. Eligible patients will be able to get prescriptions for Paxlovid in-person or virtually at no cost.
“By increasing access to these treatments in more convenient ways, we are helping to keep people healthier and reduce COVID-19 related hospitalizations,” Jones told reporters on Thursday.
It is unclear how many pharmacies will participate in the voluntary program.
“While it is a voluntary progress, we are quite optimistic that there will be many pharmacists that choose to do this because it is another pathway for them to assist their patients directly,” Jones said.
Justin Bates, president of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, said the expectation is that the majority of pharmacies will participate.
“But they'll have to look at their patient population and individual circumstances to make that determination,” he added.
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health said back in early November the province was considering this change to help expand access to the drug and keep people out of hospitals amid the triple threat of COVID-19, influenza and RSV.
“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,” Kieran Moore told the Canadian Press.
Ontario interim Leader John Fraser said that while having pharmacists prescribe Paxlovid is "a good thing," it's months late.
"There's a whole bunch of people who didn't get access to that who should have had," he said.
Bates added this will reduce barriers to the medication and ensure patients can get the treatments they need.
“We know that by using Paxlovid within five days from the onset of symptoms that we can prevent severe symptoms, and our ultimate goal is to prevent hospitalizations and by doing that we relieve some of that burden in emergency departments and hospitals and ICU units,” he said.
Paxlovid is available for individuals who are 60 years of age or older, adults who are immunocompromised or at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes including having chronic medical conditions.
With files from the Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.