Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE EUROPEAN MEDICINES Agency (EMA) has approved Pfizer’s coronavirus pill, making it the first oral antiviral treatment for the disease to be authorised in Europe.
Studies showed the drug called Paxlovid reduces hospitalisation and death in patients at risk of severe Covid, and may also be effective against the Omicron variant.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said Ireland has formally indicated its intention to participate in an EU procurement agreement for Covid antivirals, including the Pfizer drug.
“A National Therapeutics Advisory Group has been established by the HSE to evaluate, advise, and provide recommendations on all therapeutics with potential for use in the treatment of COVID-19 in Ireland,” the spokesperson said.
“This encompasses a range of antivirals and monoclonal antibodies currently awaiting, or having recently received, EMA approval.”
Coronavirus treatment pills are seen by some as a potentially significant step in ending the pandemic as they can be taken at home, rather than in hospital.
“Paxlovid is the first antiviral medicine to be given by mouth that is recommended in the EU for treating Covid-19,” the European Medicines Agency said in a statement.
The United States, Canada and Israel are among a handful of countries to have already given the green light to the Pfizer treatment.
The European Commission must now formally authorise the drug but that is a rubber-stamp procedure that usually takes hours or days.
“Paxlovid is the first oral antiviral for home use in our portfolio, and has the potential to make a real difference for persons at high risk of progression to severe Covid,” EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said in a statement.
We have also seen the promising evidence regarding Paxlovid’s effectiveness against Omicron and other variants.
The Pfizer treatment is a combination of a new molecule, PF-07321332, and HIV antiviral ritonavir, that are taken as separate tablets.
The EMA said it “recommended authorising Paxlovid for treating Covid-19 in adults who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of the disease becoming severe”.
EMA experts looked at a study “showing that treatment with Paxlovid significantly reduced hospitalisations or deaths in patients who have at least one underlying condition putting them at risk of severe Covid-19″.
Patients were given the pill within five days of developing symptoms and over the following month only 0.8% of the 1,039 people studied ended up in hospital, compared with 6.3% of those who received a placebo.
There were no deaths in the Paxlovid group and nine deaths in the placebo group, the EMA said.
In December the EMA cleared individual states to decide whether to make early emergency use of Paxlovid, but held off on deciding on full authorisation across the 27-nation bloc.
The watchdog is still weighing a similar application for US drugmaker Merck’s anti-Covid pill.
Unlike vaccines, the Pfizer treatment does not target the spike protein which the coronavirus uses to invade cells.
It should therefore in theory be more variant-proof, and the company has said preliminary lab studies have backed up that hypothesis.
Additional reporting by Orla Dwyer.
Who does he think he is
@Paul Dolan: Well he is the Chief Medical Officer, and will remain so after NPHET have been disbanded. The problem lies more in the fact that his opinion of the scope of his power is grossly inflated after being the pseudo Taoiseach for the past 18 months.
As has been stated by both himself and the Taoiseach, we need to move away from what has been viewed as an emergency towards living with the virus. The scrapping of those emergency powers to strip rights should go hand in hand with that. With the levels of immunity in the community now, infection rates will cease to matter as reinfections or breakthrough infections have a massively small percentage of people who require hospital treatment. As per other Coronavirus’ (the cold) that we have been living with for years.
@Kevin Kilcoyne: people don’t seem to understand that his remit is the Chief Medical Officer. He is only concerned with the prevention of the spread of the disease. He will suggest things that will do this. He doesn’t care about, nor should he, the impact on communions, confirmations, weddings, eating out or going to the pub. It’s up to government to find the balance based on his advise. Sadly the government aren’t willing or capable of doing that.
@Paul Dolan: The Chief Medical Officer
@Paul Dolan: The Chief Medical Officer whose advice and courage saved thousands of people from the worst rigours of this virus.
@Ted Logan: Agreed that the government have been sorely lacking in their assessment of the wider societal costs of the restrictions over the past 18 months and the blame for that is at their feet. The CMO however should have been conscious of the other healthcare costs however, such as the mental health crisis we now have, or the excess deaths were going to have from cancer for the next 10 years to name but two. You could even argue that his role as head of the emergency team assembled to deal with Covid, and their remit to reduce deaths and hospitalisations, was a conflict of interest between his responsibility to ensure provisions for all ailments and to provide a level of care that was balanced to the risks presented.
@Elrond Rivendell: it really didnt
@Paul Dolan: The voice of reason and science.
@Paul Dolan: Agreed. Almost the entire population will be vaccinated soon.Why are the need for more restrictions?
@Paul Whitehead: The voice of science? Where was the science behind the 2k travel limit? Where was the science behind the 40k in Croke park one weekend and only 24k the next? The actual science now, not the theory of it.
That’s just two examples of this so called science.
He more been the voice of pseudoscience than science in this pandemic.
@Kevin Kilcoyne: And what’s your area of expertise, I wonder! Typical bar-room experts, and only platform is the journal..
@Elrond Rivendell: No it didn’t.
@Paul Dolan: King of Ireland.
@ed w: Eh, it actually did. Had we listened to the whining hâlfwits who wanted to open up at all costs for their chicken wings and indoor scoops instead of NPHET’s advice, we would have experienced far worse than we did. But yeah, Tony bad because something something freedom, something something George Soros. Gotcha.
@Paul Dolan: “advisers advise, ministers decide”
@Paul Dolan: hahaha….triggered! Good man
@Paul Dolan: it’s his bloody job!
@Kevin Kilcoyne: “ massively small percentage “ lmfao what a contradictory statement
Any restrictions in the future would not be adhered to with the current public mood.
@Vincent Bickerstaffe: I think you will see a divide in that public mood dependent on IQ
@Craic_a_tower: Or dependent on cozy ar$$holes who expect everything to be delivered to them while they sit at home.
@Seth Mcguinness: I think when he mentioned IQ thats what he implied.
@Vincent Bickerstaffe: Your mood does not equal the public’s mood. The vast majority of people in this country are capable of rational thought and will realise that no-one is bringing in restrictions for the craic. I hope it doesn’t happen because it will mean somethings gone badly wrong. But if it needs to be done it will be done. Sad fact is it will be done, if needs be, by use of laws and threats of fines. That’s down to the irrational minority, the anti-maskers, the anti-vaxxers and their kidult mob.
@Tommy Roche: and your mood does?
@Vincent Bickerstaffe:
The public “mood” has in general been quite rational. Massive uptake of vaccines. General compliance with public health guidelines and an understanding of the risks involved with the virus. Take a peak at less developed European countries with lower vaccination rates, poorer education levels, greater levels of superstition & a historical mistrust of the institutions of government and you see an unsurprising higher death rate from the virus.
@Vincent Bickerstaffe: wrong
They can impose what they want but this country has had enough and wont adhere any further restrictions.
@Mary OGorman McGuire: We all know that’s not true. The majority will comply, some will take to College Green and protest and a mix of both groups will go straight to the Journal comment section with their newfound expertise on infectious diseases to argue over things like R rates, case numbers, vaccine efficacy and why they should be CMO instead of Tony because they googled a load of articles that said masks are no better at preventing virus spread than loud music is at disguising farts.
@WadeBoggs: I can honestly say I don’t know how people will react in the event of new restrictions. It would be my guess and it’s only a guess that the number who react negatively will greatly increase from the current level of same. I could easily be wrong. I’m no expert. It’s a bit ironic you slagging off people who comment here about their ‘new found expertise’ when it seems you’ve gained some new found expertise in mind reading when you claim ‘We all know that’s not true…’ in relation to a particular view of how people will react…
@Mary OGorman McGuire: good woman Mary, you show them who’s boss, while you contract and spread covid.
@Fr. Cyril McDuff: Here’s some groundbreaking news for you, Father. You can also contract and spread Covid when fully vaccinated. Do you suggest everyone hide under the bed even with the vaccine?
@WadeBoggs: Well put, the journal comments section is full of “experts”, man oh man.. so many comedians! NOT
@Mary OGorman McGuire: Get over yourself. Intelligent people will do whatever is necessary to deal with a global disease pandemic. The CMO isn’t responsible for disease, he advises how to cope.
@Mary OGorman McGuire:
Grab your torch & pitchfork Mary. We’ll see you outside the Dáil in an hour…!
@Mary OGorman McGuire: wrong
Is Tony running the country again?
He needs to go now.He keeps making it up as he goes along
@Mick Dunne: Was wondering how long it would be before the Facebook researchers turned up.
@Mick Dunne: the other way to say that, he keeps responding to an ever changing pandemic.
@Mark Brown: I am entitled to my opinion don’t like it then piss off
@Tony Gordon: True
@Mick Dunne: you’d prefer he never change his opinion regardless of new evidence ?
@Mick Dunne: Are you back on FB?
@Mick Dunne: what a response are you running to mammy to tell on the bad Internet people lol..
@Mick Dunne: if you don’t like Tony’s opinion, then – by the same measure you laid out – why don’t you pïss off instead of dissing it ?!
Check yo’self. If you can’t take criticism of your opinions mate – don’t diss others’ opinions.
@Mick Dunne: Miaow
@Mick Dunne:
You can believe whatever you want babycakes….. :-))
Will someone tell this supposedly highly intelligent man that ship has sailed, u will never be able to reimpose that level of restrictions on the Irish public again, u can impose what u want, very few will pay any heed to you, lol
I think the general public will rule it out
Doom merchant Holohan just can’t let go can he. Between himself and the gangsters in the WHO like Nabarro. There hasn’t been a squeak from the CMO’s all over Europe but some how Holohan knows more and feels he has more authority to talk nonsense and to throw around I’ll founded gobbledygook when he feels like it. Jog on.
@Robert Clifford: When you say ‘there hasn’t been a squeak from the CMOs all over Europe’, you don’t think that you more aware of Tony Holohan because he’s the CMO of the country you’re in? I can tell you, the CMOs in many countries have been very active and very vocal. Mostly because it’s their job. Have you heard of Chris Whitty? The UK CMO. Likely you have because he’s the neighbouring CMO and we get exposed to all their media. But have you heard from the Czech CMO? Unlikely. But doesn’t mean there hasn’t been a squeak out of him…
Despand nphet
Had enough of his threats and incompetence
@Richarddoherty: disband Richard Doherty…waaaay too much whining
@Captain Unsensible: haven’t started on the cmos incompetence yet what about all the unnecessary suffering by sick women under his watch
@Captain Unsensible: he is entitled to his opinion no need to be rude
@Richarddoherty: Very true also sending covid patients back into nursing homes without the necessary ppe.
@Richarddoherty: You mean the team of scientists and Doctors who saved thousands of lives? Did they disturb your drinking routine?
@Paul Whitehead: no can drink at home if I choose which I did the team of scientists doctors are replacing our government ministers who are employed to make major decisions which oviously are government are incapable of
@Richarddoherty: *our
@Richarddoherty: we should listen to because you know best? Are you a doctor or scientist? Maybe you should run the country instead?
He calls it as he sees it as he is supposed to do. He does not make the decisions. He just gives them the options.
Other CMOs of other country’s are saying exactly the same thing.
he is not just making it up.
None of us wanted the policies to last as long as they have but many lives were saved.
@Gary Kearney: Adopting a widespread antigen testing strategy also saves lives.
Many of you have short memories. His advice in the early stages of Covid ( and it was only advice) saved hundreds if not thousands more from dying in the Republic. Remember Bergamo and the build up of coffins – we could have been like that scenario.
@Irish big fellow: People with low IQ’s have short memories it seems. It must be a sickener when you have spent 10 years doing a doctorate and then you find yourself being questioned on your expertise by folks who barely scraped through their junior cert.
@Irish big fellow: yeah we could have had 80k dead by Sept 2020 like Dr. mcConkey predicted. My bloody eyeball, such bs. This disease is only deadly to the elderly and obese. Time to start educated yourself on it and turn off propoganda mam channels
@Irish big fellow: His advice in the early stages of Covid was to recommend putting Covid patients into nursing homes and as a result thousands of our most vulnerable people died.
@Irish big fellow: Maybe tell that to the elderly he, NPHET and HSE literally culled back in the early stages of covid. The elderly removed from hospitals, to free up beds, to nursing homes homes unfit for purpose. Nursing homes that were not given any proper PPE, never mind given any guidance or assistance on covid protocols. Ask the relatives of these poor people if theyhave short memories.
@Alan Biddulph: – Just because He is well educated does not mean He is intelligent.
Get lost, sick of hearing from this guy, stand up people of Ireland and collectively grow a pair
@Hugo Bugo: a pair of what? They’ll be the last thing on your mind if this isn’t handled properly. Tony is doing his best with the information he’s been given and trying to do what’s best. I don’t know why you and so many others here are determined to poke fun at him and criticise. Tell me, because I’m interested. What EXACTLY would you have done back in March 2020 and all the months since. Give me your unending wisdom, kind Sir.
@Hugo Bugo: If we collectively grow a pair, who gets to keep them? How big do they need to be? Where will we keep them? Is there a gofundme for the science behind this? Ironically enough Tony is probably a man who would know the science behind such a proposal. Maybe we can ask him when he’s finished trying to save some people from themselves.
@Anna Carr: grapefruits :), yes I am a wise old owl but unfortunately no I am not kind.
@Anna Carr: Well I wouldn’t have taken 1000 people from all over the world into this country for a conference on Alcohol pricing. Some from countries with infection rates higher then ours at the time. Yet Holohan thought it was appropriate. I also would not have thrown our elderly into nursing homes which were unfit for purpose and without proper P.P.E or guidance.
@Franny Ando: yep there’s the other people’s 20/20 hindsight vision. Have you any concept of the difficult position Tony is in. Some here are like the ones on the couch sloshing down beer and burgers telling the footballers and the ref how to do everything. Different story when you’re it.
@Anna Carr: Nothing to do with hindsight. NPHET and Government had already put the 1st restrictions in place 2km etc. Holohan still went ahead with this ridiculous and completely unnecessary conference to bolster his own ego. He also refused to answer questions from the media at time regarding same. Representatives came from countries that were a lot worse then this country at the time. You can verify all of this for yourself.
@Franny Ando: if I was him I’d adopt a phrase from the commitments movie, when Jimmy rabbit stood up and said “ya know what?, go and fluck yourselves” and just walk away. Whatever he does is wrong.
@Anna Carr: Well that’s at least one thing you are correct about..”whatever he does is wrong “and it is past time he walked away.
CMO trying to stay relevant. Go back to your office and let the rest of us get on with earning a living.
look he earns squllions so he has to keep saying these things to appear he’s, worth the money
@Geoff Bateman: no he doesn’t. In fact he could earn way more if he got out of public health. His salary is public info. He is paid €187k
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/dr-tony-holohan-paul-reids-24469958
@Geoff Bateman: a consultant earned €640,000 from the HSE last year for contrast
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hse-paid-hospital-consultant-more-than-640-000-last-year-1.4612395
@Geoff Bateman: average consultant doctors earn €470,000
https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/health/consultants-earn-more-than-1bn-in-three-years-to-treat-private-patients-38558199.html
@Elaine Phelan: so what you are saying is if he was any way competent he’d be working as a consultant?
@Anthony Guinnessy: no that’s not what I am saying at all. Interesting interpretation. My point is that he clearly cares about public health, and he put that ahead of earning potential. The man worked crazy hours, through some of the most difficult personal circumstances, to guide us through a once-in-a-generation global pandemic, whilst people on the journal sat around calling him awful names from the sidelines
@Geoff Bateman:
Such insight….
Would he ever and go and…… rhymes with right
@Fargo Boyle: how’s Chris?
This man needs to go away now. And stop talking about covid-19. Hasn’t he got other things to be doing. Like sorting out the mess that was make in cancer testing
Obvious thing to say. New variants will arise.
@Munster1: sounds like you really want to go back into lockdown.
Would someone ever put a muzzle on that man
@Margaret Kane: The man who saved thousands of lives?
@Paul Whitehead: thats fine in the past. he’s now talking into the future when all cohorts who wanted a vaccine will have 1 and presumably boosters available for the vulnerable. life has to move on and not with continues restrictions. thats not life moving on. he needs to give it a rest at this stage.
Love the ‘Il Duce’ pose…
Many ppl in this country are afraid of heights. That’s why it’s not compulsory to climb stuff. Every accomodation has been afforded the population. Tim for those who wish to get on with it.
Whatever gets rid of this virus is fine by me. Yes, I’m fed up like everyone else but a choice between that and dying is kind of no contest in my book.
@Anna Carr: You would be terribly unlucky to die once you’re vaccinated.
@Benny McHale: lol. My life has always been defined by “Murphys Law” if it CAN happen, it usually does. Haha!
@Anna Carr: if you want to stay locked up then stay inside. Don’t impose your fear on the rest of us. Let us get on with our lives. Our health is our own responsibility. If your afraid of your shadow stay away
@Anna Carr: I don’t believe people like you are as fed up as the rest of us. I think you love it. you’re the sorts of people who probably always resented the rest of the world for being able to enjoy themselves without worrying about everything.You’re abject cowards who have suddenly been able to surround yourselves with other abject cowards and for the first time in your life you don’t feel like a fish out of water and you’re loving it.You can pretend that’s untrue if you wish but I don’t believe you for a second
@Francis40Masks: thanks so much. Have a great evening.
@bartleby: haha. You’re so right. I love this situation. It’s what I prayed for all my life. How perceptive you are. I’m so envious of your high intelligence and insight. Next problem I have, I hope you don’t mind me coming straight to you for advice. Thanks SO much. I’m all fixed now. My hero.
This is classic psychological torture 101.pretend to give a person freedom and then whip it away. My god people please please wake up
No chance of new restrictions with the lads getting into election mode.
Tony’s on the payroll for this worldwide control system that enjoys controlling people’s lives. It’s no longer or ever was about health. Can ye not see this now? First the vulnerable, then the general population and now the kids! Control Control Control. Stand up and fight this dictorial regime before it’s too late..
Here’s a selfish one. I know a person who thinks lockdowns are great because they protect her immune compromised sister. So everybody should suffer for her sister, that’s the thinking.
He hasn’t gone away, you know!
@Stephen Doyle: There’s more chance of covid going away than him.
I’d rather die.
@leartius: would you rather kill others?
@Craic_a_tower: Dont be silly.
Not a chance !!
Classic neoliberalism. No accountability from the useless government that has had over 18 months to increase hospital capacity, but the people may have to suffer again soon because of that very lack of accountability.
Since the vast majority of recent Covid cases are occurring in the unvaccinated young, these are the people that should be targeted in any further restrictions, has to be said and to help with the Loud minority who think otherwise…
@Charles Coughlan: lots of people who were vaccinated are getting it. Some very sick.
@Mary Oliver: But not as sick as those not vaccinated, simple as, vaccines are designed to protect against serious illness, Covid jabs have around 90% efficacy, means that for a small minority they don’t work very well, probably better than those who don’t get vaccinated..
I was going to go to a concert on Friday but not only did everyone need to be vaccinated (fair enough) but they are also supposed to wear a mask for the duration! Moronic
Public measures such as wearing a mask,using hand sanitizer and following social distancing when in Public places I agree kinda wish they would keep distancing at the tills in shops forever. As before Covid, next person was already unloading their shopping on the belt and I still had items in my trolley I had nowhere to place. But I don’t think I can deal with another lockdown Mentally. Last lockdown was a lot harder than first one and have been working through out this whole thing.
Girl, bye.
What a weak Taoisach we have?. Tell this guy to get lost as he doesnt run the country.
Sorry Tony no more lockdowns , you all did a fabulous job but no more lockdowns not at any price, we’ve all paid enough.
I miss an aul lockdown
@Genera L Consensus: I miss the Saturday night neighbours and the street bingo.
Go fluich you Tony
I love the Journal
I think it’s fairly unlikely there will be any return of restrictions unless we have a new even worse strain at some point. If that was the case it would be less of an issue to normal people. Though you would still have a minority who don’t care how many dies as long as they get to the pub. But if things continue to go the way they are it’s hard to envisage a need to increase restrictions again.
have your say