Paxlovid saves lives. So why is it hard to access?

The antiviral pill has been shown to help COVID-19 patients recover quickly, but some say it’s hard to get a prescription in the first place.

COVID patient
Nurse Paula Dow helps COVID-19 patient Sall Un, 40, with his oxygen as he is prepared to be transported from his room at Kent Hospital to recover at their field hospital, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Cranston, R.I. David Goldman/Associated Press
COVID patient
Nurse Paula Dow helps COVID-19 patient Sall Un, 40, with his oxygen as he is prepared to be transported from his room at Kent Hospital to recover at their field hospital, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Cranston, R.I. David Goldman/Associated Press

Paxlovid saves lives. So why is it hard to access?

The antiviral pill has been shown to help COVID-19 patients recover quickly, but some say it’s hard to get a prescription in the first place.

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In clinical trials, the antiviral drug Paxlovid cut hospitalization and death rates in high-risk COVID-19 patients by 89%. But some people have struggled to get a prescription due to supply chain bottlenecks and confusion over eligibility. Reset talks to an infectious disease specialist about Paxolovid’s efficacy, and hears from a mom who fought to get the drug for her daughter.

GUESTS: Dr. Robert Murphy, infectious disease specialist with Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine

Diana Berrent, founder of Survivor Corps