Thousands more vulnerable people are now eligible to receive the UK’s second oral (tablet) antiviral treatment for coronavirus (COVID-19).
Paxlovid, made by Pfizer, has been added to PANORAMIC, the UK’s national clinical trial led by researchers at the University of Oxford to test new treatments for people with a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19). It is being run in collaboration with GP hubs.
The PANORAMIC trial wants to find out if antiviral treatments can reduce the chance of people aged over 50 years or with underlying health conditions becoming seriously ill and needing to go into hospital if they have Covid.
In clinical trials, Paxlovid reduced the risk of hospitalisation or death from COVID-19 by 88% and is already available directly through the NHS to highest-risk patients including people with cancer.
In just over three months, more than 20,000 patients have joined the nationwide study to help generate vital data on Lagevrio (molnupiravir), the first oral antiviral to be made available. The introduction of Paxlovid will allow a further 17,500 patients in England to enrol to access this ground-breaking treatment.
We already know that these treatments are safe and effective. But the trial is looking for more information about how effective they are in the wider population. You can still join the trial.
The study is looking for people who:
- have had a positive PCR test for Covid,
- feel unwell with symptoms of Covid that started in the last five days, and
- are aged over 50 years or aged 18-49 years with an underlying medical condition that can increase their chance of having severe Covid.
The medical conditions that make you eligible if you are aged 18-49 years include all types of diabetes, as well as chronic kidney disease, chronic heart disease and if you are living with a BMI of over 35.
If you’re eligible, you’ll be contacted by a member of the trial team or by a local healthcare professional, like your GP, to talk about joining the trial. You can also sign up directly on the trial website at www.panoramictrial.org.
Some people who are offered the new antiviral treatment will be put in the control group and not given the treatment. They’ll receive standard NHS care instead.
If you have diabetes, we strongly encourage you to get the coronavirus vaccine and boosters when you're invited. This is because people with diabetes are vulnerable to developing a severe illness if they do get Covid and vaccines are the most effective way to prevent that from happening.
We also recommend that you get your annual flu jab. Getting your vaccinations will help protect you from both Covid and flu and stay well this winter.
