Starting today, general practitioners can also prescribe the antiviral drug Paxlovid for the early treatment of coronavirus disease. Thus the Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa) in a note published on its website. Aifa’s decision became enforceable with the publication of the Aifa determination in the Official Gazette of 20 April. With the prescription of the general practitioner, the patient will be able to collect the drug directly at the pharmacy, without costs to be borne by the citizen and without surcharges for the NHS. “Paxlovid is indicated for the treatment of adult patients who do not require supplemental oxygen therapy and who are at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19, such as patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, uncompensated diabetes mellitus, chronic pulmonary disease and severe obesity “, remembers the Aifa. Treatment should be started as early as possible, and in any case within 5 days of the onset of symptoms. “The prescription of the drug requires a preventive pharmacological anamnesis, to exclude the presence of any interactions with drugs taken at the same time by the patient – the Aifa experts remark – The summary of the product characteristics and the link to the main websites for the verification of drug interactions “. With the prescription of the general practitioner, the patient will be able to collect the drug directly from the pharmacy and the distribution to the pharmacy network (through the so-called distribution on behalf) will be free of charge by pharmacists and wholesalers, thanks to a memorandum of understanding between the ministry of health, Aifa and the network of pharmacies (Federfarma, Assofarm and FarmacieUnite) and pharmaceutical distributors (Federfarma Servizi and Adf). “However, prescription by all Coivd-19 specialist centers identified by the Regions is still possible. This modality will guarantee access to the drug in the phase of activation of distribution by pharmacies to the public, as well as in the event that distribution by pharmacies was temporarily unavailable “, specifies AIFA. The prescription carried out by the general practitioner will be monitored through the electronic prescription system, while the AIFA monitoring register remains active for the treatments prescribed by the Covid-19 centers identified by the Regions and autonomous provinces.