Confederation of British Industry President has asked regulators for urgent approval of an antiviral medication that may be crucial in combating Covid, as well as protecting the economy.
Pfizer’s Paxlovid has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. It has been shown to reduce the likelihood of death or hospitalization by 99% in trials.
The Government has ordered 250,000 courses of the £375 drug, and 480,000 of rival Merck Sharp and Dohme’s antiviral drug Molnupiravir, which reduces the risk of hospitalisation or death by 50 per cent.
President of CBI Lord Bilimoria stated that “that pill could prove to be a gamechanger.”
The Mail’s Lord Bilimoria is the president of CBI. He stated that the same effort and urgency should be used to approve and roll out the tablets. This pill may be the key to tackling this terrible virus.
Because of the complexity involved in manufacturing, it is very difficult to quickly produce these drugs in large quantities. Bilimoria demanded that Ministers make additional orders.
For patients who have positive Covid test results, he said that the tablets should be given to ‘every GP in this country.
Bilimoria asked that Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of India, offer new support for businesses affected by the Omicron surge.
Bilimoria said: ‘Look at restaurants and bars and retail – there’s so much suffering and they need support again.
It’s as if you strike the ball in tennis, but then stop following up.