COVID-19 Symptoms May Return Despite Paxlovid

nj.com

Doctors are investigating reports of coronavirus patients’ symptoms returning after taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid.

Paxlovid is a drug developed by Pfizer that was granted emergency use authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2021.

Pfizer made the drug to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 and prevent them from progressing into more serious cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommended the drug, and clinical trials have shown the drug is highly effective.

According to a study from the New England Journal of Medicine, experts estimated the drug would lead to 89% less hospitalizations and deaths related to the virus.

Rebound Symptoms

A number of patients have reported testing positive for COVID-19 after taking a 5-day treatment course of the drug.

They say that they felt worse than they did before starting treatment, according to ABC News.

“We’re seeing people get better on Paxlovid,” Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, told ABC News. “But then, when they stop at the end of 5 days, we’re hearing stories of symptoms coming back and even tests becoming either more positive, i.e. a darker line, or tests that had gone negative turning positive.”

According to Bloomberg News, experts do not know much about the rebound cases, including how often they occur and if the omicron variant is a factor. Researchers are still studying the effects of the drug on patients, given it was only approved for emergency use for a period of 5 days.

Pfizer says that patients whose symptoms rebound after a course of Paxlovid can take a second course, like you would with antibiotics, according to Bloomberg.

However, the FDA has not authorized the drug to be used for longer than 5 days.

FDA Office of Infectious Diseases Director John Farley said in a statement Wednesday there is “no evidence of benefit at this time for a longer course of treatment” with Paxlovid.

What to Do

The FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) said their teams of scientists are looking into the rebound symptom reports and will provide further guidance as necessary.

If you are taking Paxlovid and experience rebound COVID-19 symptoms, the FDA recommends health care providers and patients follow CDC guidance. That includes wearing a mask and isolating if you have any COVID-19 symptoms. The recommendations come regardless of whether or not you have taken an antiviral to treat COVID-19.