(Cory Herperger/CBC Radio-Canada - image credit)New Brunswick plans to expand eligibility for the antiviral drug treatment for COVID-19, Paxlovid, starting Monday. "But moving forward [it] will be prescribed by primary care practitioners, for those who meet the eligibility criteria, in the province in an effort to increase uptake." Primary care providers who can now prescribe the drug without the need for a team assessment include doctors and nurse practitioners, Macfarlane said. New Brunswick is, however, following Quebec's lead by making Paxlovid doses available for distribution to all pharmacies instead of just the current 55. Paxlovid combines a new antiviral drug developed by Pfizer called nirmatrelvir with an existing antiretroviral drug named ritonavir.

Source: CBC News April 08, 2022 21:52 UTC