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WHAT:
Many people have questions about a range of new COVID-19 medications that recently became available to outpatients. Rita Shane, PharmD, vice president of Pharmacy Services and chief pharmacy officer at Cedars-Sinai, is available to comment on key points about these therapies.
- Treatments: Four new treatments are available for high-risk outpatients with COVID-19: monoclonal antibody infusion sotrovimab, antiviral infusion remdesivir, and oral antiviral pills Paxlovid and molnupiravir.
- Preventive Medication: One new combination monoclonal antibody injection, Evusheld, is available to help prevent COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients who may not have an adequate response to vaccines, and other patients who had a significant allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Eligible Patients: These new medications are prescribed for patients at high risk of developing a severe COVID-19 illness. They appear to be effective in treating or preventing COVID-19 illness caused by the omicron variant.
- Access: Cedars-Sinai has developed an algorithm to determine who will benefit most from these medications and how to prescribe them equitably. With the exception of remdesivir, all of these medications are in short supply across the country as manufacturers ramp up production. Patients should contact their physician to discuss their eligibility for these medications and where to get them.
- Safety Concerns: Paxlovid has a number of significant interactions with other drugs that must be avoided, and anyone starting this treatment should share an accurate list of the medications they're currently taking with their physician and pharmacist. For molnupiravir, there are risks associated with pregnancy. Women should take a pregnancy test before starting molnupiravir and use contraception for four days after completing the five-day therapy. Men also should use contraception during treatment and for three months afterward.
"We are at a point in the pandemic where oral pills and outpatient medications have become available to reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization with COVID-19. And for patients who are immunocompromised, we now have the ability to reduce the risk of developing COVID-19 symptoms. It's amazing that we have all of these new tools considering they didn't exist a year ago," Shane said.
WHO:
Rita Shane, PharmD, vice president of Pharmacy Services and chief pharmacy officer at Cedars-Sinai.
Spanish-speaking experts are available to comment as well.
WHERE:
Cedars-Sinai can accommodate most virtual interview formats, including Zoom, FaceTime and Skype.
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