17 Jul 2022

Covid-19: Risks associated with antiviral treatments, GPs warn

11:32 am on 17 July 2022

GPs are concerned antiviral treatments for Covid-19 could cause reactions in patients with comorbidities.

01 March 2022, Berlin: A person holds the drug Paxlovid from the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer against Covid-19. Photo: Fabian Sommer/dpa (Photo by Fabian Sommer / DPA / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP)

Photo: AFP

From tomorrow the access criteria for three antiviral treatments will include people aged 75 years and over and those who already have been in intensive care because of the virus.

General Practice Owners Association chair Tim Malloy said although the intention was good, there were real risks associated with the treatments.

"Our biggest worry in primary care is of course that that could generate even more work."

Another risk was that some of the antivirals' formula could interact poorly with other common medications, he said.

It was important patients with comorbidities didn't change their current treatments in order to take the antivirals, Malloy said.

Malloy was concerned it could lead to more people needing hospital treatment.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs