April 29, 2022 -- U.S. researchers are planning to study how often and why coronavirus levels come back for some COVID-19 patients who take Pfizer’s Paxlovid drug, according to Bloomberg News.
The CDC and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases are considering a variety of epidemiological and clinical studies to examine potential relapses after the five-day antiviral treatment, including which patients face higher risks and whether it can be avoided with a longer course of treatment.
“It is a priority,” Clifford Lane, MD, the institute’s deputy director for clinical research, told Bloomberg News, adding that the question is “a pretty urgent thing for us to get a handle on.”
Paxlovid treatment is becoming an increasing part of the Biden administration’s pandemic approach, the news outlet reported, and is more widely available at pharmacies nationwide.
Researchers know little about the rebound cases so far, including how often they occur, whether the Omicron variant may play a role, or whether the drug is even related to the relapse in the first place, the news outlet reported. Scientists are eager to learn more so that doctors know how to help patients who receive Paxlovid treatment and then experience a resurgence of infection.