China allows the sale of Paxlovid, the oral Pfizer covid drug as cases rise in china and demand grows. Here’s all you need to know.
China authorizes Pfizer Paxlovid sale
For combating the rising Covid cases, China approved sales of Paxlovid, the Pfizer Covid oral pill. The decision comes after China started moving away from its strict “zero-Covid” policy as protests were rising. While the official number of cases is low, people are queuing up in front of fever clinics in long lines. Additionally, the Chinese government, anticipating a new wave, is pacing itself to vaccinate vulnerable groups. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in the past has raised concerns that people in China were not vaccinated adequately.
China Meheco Group, a healthcare platform announced on Wednesday about signing a deal with Pfizer to import and distribute Paxlovid. However, the deal is valid from December 14, 2022, to November 30, 2023. The oral drug was earlier available for treating high-risk patients in Chinese hospitals. It is now approved for retail sales. Moreover, in the first retail sale of the two-drug oral treatment, it was sold out in under 30 minutes.
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On Thursday, Dr. Ashish Jha revealed that the Biden government “was not involved in any way” in the approval process. He also added that they are welcoming other nations benefiting from the US innovation. Dr. Jha is the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator.
“Since the beginning of this administration, the president has been very clear that we think it’s really important for the world to benefit from the fruits of American scientific innovation,” stated Dr. Jha. “The president’s been very clear. We stand ready to help any country that needs help in terms of vaccines, treatments, or anything else. So, that offer stands globally for any country that could benefit,” he concluded.