Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Pfizer’s says its COVID pill is highly effective in high risk cases. Some people believe them despite their bad integrity reputation

Pfizer’s says its COVID pill is highly effective in high risk cases. Some people believe them despite their bad integrity reputation

The pharmaceutical company says it intends to ask for authorisation for the pill from international regulators.

Pfizer said on Friday that its experimental, easy-to-use antiviral pill for COVID-19 cut rates of hospitalisation and death by nearly 90 per cent in high-risk adults.

Currently all COVID-19 treatments require an IV or injection, except for in the United Kingdom where Merck’s COVID-19 pill was approved for use on Thursday. The UK became the first country in the world to give it authorisation.

Pfizer said it will ask the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and international regulators to authorise its pill as soon as possible, after independent experts recommended halting the company’s study based on the strength of its results.

"We were hoping that we had something extraordinary, but it’s rare that you see great drugs come through with almost 90 per cent efficacy and 100 per cent protection for death,” said Dr. Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, in an interview.

Researchers worldwide have been racing to find a COVID-19 pill that can be taken at home to ease symptoms, speed-up recovery and reduce the burden on hospitals and doctors.

What did the results show?


Pfizer released the preliminary results of its study, which surveyed 775 adults on Friday.

Results showed patients taking the company's drug along with another antiviral had an 89 per cent reduction in their combined rate of hospitalisation or death after a month, compared to patients taking a placebo.

Fewer than 1 per cent of patients taking the drug needed to be hospitalised and no one died. In the comparison group, 7 per cent were hospitalised and there were seven deaths.

Study participants were unvaccinated, with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, and were considered high risk for hospitalisation due to health problems like obesity, diabetes or heart disease. Treatment began within three to five days of initial symptoms, and lasted for five days.

Pfizer reported few details on side effects but said rates of problems were similar between the groups at about 20 per cent.

An independent group of medical experts monitoring the trial recommended stopping it early, standard procedure when interim results show such a clear benefit.

The data has not yet been published for peer review, the normal process for vetting new medical research.

How does it work?


The European Medicine Agency said last week that it started a rolling review of the oral antiviral medicine molnupiravir, produced by Merck.

While pregnant women were excluded from the Merck trial due to a potential risk of birth defects, Pfizer’s drug did not have any similar restrictions.

The Merck drug works by interfering with the coronavirus' genetic code, a novel approach to disrupting the virus.

Pfizer’s drug is part of a decades-old family of antiviral drugs known as protease inhibitors, which revolutionised the treatment of HIV and hepatitis C. The drugs block a key enzyme which viruses need to multiply in the human body.

The drug, which has not yet been named, was first identified during the SARS outbreak originating in Asia during 2003.

Last year, company researchers decided to revive the medication and study it for COVID-19, given the similarities between the two coronaviruses.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
×