Paxlovid May Offer Little Benefit for Vaccinated Older Adults [Video]

Key Takeaways

Paxlovid didn’t lower COVID hospital or death risk for vaccinated adults ages 65-74It may still benefit high-risk or immunocompromised patients, experts sayThey say the drug’s $1,650 cost should be part of the doctor-patient conversation

THURSDAY, March 6, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The antiviral drug Paxlovid may not offer much protection against COVID-related hospitalizations or deaths for vaccinated older adults after all.

Research published recently in JAMA Network Open looked at data from more than 1.6 million adults ages 65 to 74 in Ontario, Canada, during 2022.

Most participants (nearly 88%) had received at least two doses of the COVID vaccine, and only certain high-risk groups or adults 70 and older were eligible for Paxlovid at the time.

The study found that Paxlovid did not significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization or death from COVID in this mostly vaccinated population.

“We were surprised and disappointed,” lead study author John Mafi, an associate professor of medicine at the …