Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what drugs are made available to NHS patients with covid-19 to treat them and help keep them out of hospital.

Since December 2021, National Health Service patients can access new COVID-19 therapies, including antivirals and monoclonal antibodies which can reduce the risk of becoming hospitalised. In England, 1.3 million of the highest risk patients are eligible for monoclonal antibody Sotrovimab and antiviral drug molnupiravir directly. Eligible patients who receive a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result will be contacted by a clinician from a COVID Medicines Delivery Unit to discuss treatment suitability. The clinician will be responsible for assessing the patient and deciding which treatment option is most appropriate for them and their existing condition/s.

In addition, over 20 million people are eligible for the antiviral molnupiravir through the new PANORAMIC national study, run by the University of Oxford. This study is open to individuals in the United Kingdom who have received a positive PCR test result, are aged 50 years old and over, or are aged 18 to 49 years old with an underlying medical condition that can increase the risk of developing severe COVID-19.

The antiviral PF-07321332+ritonavir (co-packaged and brand name Paxlovid) received approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on 31 December 2021 and will be made available to eligible patients in due course.