The Canadian Ministry of Health has allowed the use of the antiviral treatment Paxlovid from Pfizer, which is the first oral and at-home prescribed medication to be licensed for use in this country.

The federal health agency says the prescription-only drug can be given to adults aged 18 or older to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, if they have a confirmed positive test and are at risk of developing severe illness.

The authorization comes with specific instructions about scenarios where this treatment cannot be used, including the prevention of COVID-19 infection or treating patients who have already been hospitalized due to severe COVID-19 conditions. The medication—two antiviral drugs combined—cannot be taken for more than five consecutive days, nor can it be given to teenagers or children.

The authorization also provides today a new tool, the COVID-19 toolkit, at a critical time in the pandemic as we face new variants.

For his part, the Chief Medical Advisor at the Canadian Ministry of Health, Dr. Subria Sharma, said during a technical briefing discussing the Paxlovid treatment authorization, "Most importantly, it is an easily accessible antiviral treatment for those at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19."

She said that while this treatment may help reduce the number of COVID-19 patients who end up hospitalized, "there is no medication, including Paxlovid, that is a substitute for vaccination" when it comes to reducing hospitalization risks.

Before obtaining the license for this oral drug, a shortlist of COVID-19 treatments approved by Canada in clinical settings had to be presented.

Kevin Mohammed, Head of Pfizer Canada's Hospital Business Unit, said in a statement: "Our healthcare system and hospitals are under significant pressure amid this ongoing pandemic, and this new treatment will provide a new option in managing COVID-19."

Adding, "Pfizer is ready to begin delivery in Canada immediately to help get PAXLOVID into the hands of the right patients as quickly as possible."