Frequently Asked Questions

PAXLOVID^TM is used in adults to treat mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients who:

Have a positive result from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral testing and
Have a high risk of getting severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.

PAXLOVID is NOT approved for any of the following:

To treat patients who are hospitalized due to severe or critical COVID-19.
To prevent COVID-19.
To be used for longer than 5 days in a row.
For use in children and adolescents less than 18 years of age.

Patients with kidney problems: Tell your healthcare professional before you take PAXLOVID if you have any kidney problems. You might need a lower dose of PAXLOVID. Your healthcare professional will prescribe a dose that is right for you.
Serious interactions with other medicines: Many medicines interact with PAXLOVID. Taking PAXLOVID with these medicines may cause serious or life-threatening side effects. Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take before you start taking PAXLOVID.

How do I take PAXLOVID?

PAXLOVID consists of 2 medicines co-packaged together:
- nirmatrelvir (pink tablet)
- ritonavir (white tablet)
You must always take the nirmatrelvir tablet(s) at the same time as the ritonavir tablet.
Always take PAXLOVID exactly as your healthcare professional has told you to.
Check with your healthcare professional if you are not sure.
You can take PAXLOVID with or without food.
Swallow the tablets whole. Do not break, chew, or crush the tablets.
You must take PAXLOVID for 5 days in a row. Complete the entire 5-day treatment with PAXLOVID.
Even if you feel better, do not stop taking PAXLOVID without talking to your healthcare professional.
Talk to your doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 5 days.
If you have kidney problems, talk to your healthcare professional. You may need to take a lower dose.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss taking your dose and it:

is within 8 hours of the time it is usually taken, take it as soon as you remember.
has been more than 8 hours, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at your regular time.

Do not take 2 doses of PAXLOVID at the same time.

What if I take too much PAXLOVID?

If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much PAXLOVID, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, or regional poison control centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.

Do I need to continue the treatment if I feel better before completing the full treatment course?

A course of treatment lasts 5 days. For each dose, take all tablets together at the same time. Even if you feel better, do not stop taking PAXLOVID without talking to your healthcare professional.

What are the possible side effects of taking PAXLOVID?

These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking PAXLOVID. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.

Side effects may include:

altered sense of taste
diarrhea
muscle pain
vomiting
high blood pressure
headache
abdominal pain
nausea
general feeling of discomfort

Not many people have taken PAXLOVID. Serious and unexpected side effects may happen. PAXLOVID is still being studied, so it is possible that all the side effects are not known at this time.

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.

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Pfizer is committed to ensuring that people have accurate
information about the drug PAXLOVID, including how it is
accessed and administered.