Medical Health Cluster

21 junio, 2022

Dispensing of Oral Antiviral Drugs for Treatment of COVID-19 by Zip Code–Level Social Vulnerability — United States, December 23, 2021–May 21, 2022

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Lagevrio and Paxlovid are oral antiviral drugs effective at preventing hospitalization and death in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for progression to severe disease.

What is added by this report?

During December 23, 2021–May 21, 2022, 1,076,762 oral antiviral prescriptions were dispensed in the United States. The overall number of antivirals dispensed increased; however, by the end of the study period, dispensing rates were lowest in high vulnerability zip codes, despite these zip codes having the largest number of dispensing sites.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Additional public health, regulatory, and policy efforts might help decrease barriers to oral antiviral access, particularly in communities with high social vulnerability.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated long-standing inequities in the social determinants of health (13). Ensuring equitable access to effective COVID-19 therapies is essential to reducing health disparities. Molnupiravir (Lagevrio) and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) are oral antiviral agents effective at preventing hospitalization and death in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk* for progression to severe COVID-19 when initiated within 5 days of symptom onset. These medications received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2021 and were made available at no cost to recipients through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on December 23, 2021. Beginning March 7, 2022, a series of strategies was implemented to expand COVID-19 oral antiviral access, including the launch of the Test to Treat initiative.§ Data from December 23, 2021–May 21, 2022, were analyzed to describe oral antiviral prescription dispensing overall and by week, stratified by zip code social vulnerability. Zip codes represented areas classified as low, medium, or high social vulnerability; approximately 20% of U.S. residents live in low-, 31% in medium-, and 49% in high-social vulnerability zip codes. During December 23, 2021–May 21, 2022, a total of 1,076,762 oral antiviral prescriptions were dispensed (Lagevrio = 248,838; Paxlovid = 827,924). Most (70.3%) oral antivirals were dispensed during March 7–May 21, 2022. During March 6, 2022–May 21, 2022, the number of oral antivirals dispensed per 100,000 population increased from 3.3 to 77.4 in low-, from 4.5 to 70.0 in medium-, and from 7.8 to 35.7 in high-vulnerability zip codes. The number of oral antivirals dispensed rose substantially during the overall study period, coincident with the onset of initiatives to increase access. However, by the end of the study period, dispensing rates in high-vulnerability zip codes were approximately one half the rates in medium- and low-vulnerability zip codes. Additional public health, regulatory, and policy efforts might help decrease barriers to oral antiviral access, particularly in communities with high social vulnerability.

Nationwide oral antiviral dispensing data are reported to HHS daily through the HHS Health Partner Ordering Portal (HPOP)**; 85%–95% of oral antiviral sites report dispensing data to HHS. Information regarding the location of oral antiviral prescription dispensing and the number of active sites dispensing oral antivirals is geocoded to the zip code level. An active site dispensing oral antivirals was defined as any provider that had ordered oral antiviral courses during the previous 60 days or that reported inventory during the previous 14 days. For this analysis, zip codes were ranked according to the Equitable Distribution Index scale, a proxy for social vulnerability. Based on Equitable Distribution Index score, zip codes were classified as having low (0–0.33), medium (>0.33–0.66), or high (>0.66–1.00) social vulnerability.

Total numbers of Lagevrio and Paxlovid prescriptions dispensed and the number of dispensing sites during December 23, 2021–May 21, 2022, were tabulated and examined by week and zip code–level social vulnerability. Social vulnerability–stratified rates of oral antiviral prescription dispensing (prescriptions dispensed per 100,000 population) were calculated; the population denominators used for rate calculations were obtained from 2018 CDC and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry social vulnerability index (SVI) data (4). This activity was reviewed by HHS and CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.††

During December 23, 2021–May 21, 2022, a total of 1,076,762 oral antiviral prescriptions (248,838 Lagevrio; 827,924 Paxlovid) were dispensed (Figure 1); overall, 70.3% (756,858) were dispensed during March 7–May 21, 2022. The weekly number of oral antiviral prescriptions dispensed initially peaked at 56,073 (30,636 Lagevrio; 25,437 Paxlovid) during the week ending February 12, 2022; declined to 14,925 (3,821 Lagevrio; 11,104 Paxlovid) during the week ending March 26, 2022; and increased to 179,728 (19,162 Lagevrio; 160,566 Paxlovid) during the week ending May 21, 2022. The number of dispensing sites increased from 49 during the week ending December 25, 2021, to 39,687 during the week ending May 21, 2022 (Figure 2).

As of May 21, 2022, the largest number of dispensing sites was located in high-vulnerability zip codes (18,844; 47.5%), approximately one third (13,072; 32.9%) were in medium-vulnerability zip codes, and approximately one fifth (7,771; 19.6%) were in low-vulnerability zip codes. Overall, during December 23, 2021–May 21, 2022, the highest rates of oral antiviral prescriptions dispensed were in low-vulnerability zip codes (373.3 per 100,000), followed by medium- (359.5) and high- (287.4) vulnerability zip codes. During December 23, 2021–March 5, 2022, the rates of oral antiviral courses dispensed ranged from 0.2 to 27.0 per 100,000 in high-, 0.2 to 13.4 in medium-, and 0.1 to 8.6 in low-vulnerability zip codes (Figure 3). During March 6, 2022–May 21, 2022, the rates of oral antivirals dispensed increased from 3.3 to 77.4 per 100,000 and from 4.5 to 70.0 in low- and medium-vulnerability zip codes, respectively; rates in high-vulnerability zip codes increased from 7.8 to 35.7, reaching approximately one half the rate in low- and medium-vulnerability zip codes. At the end of the study period, (May 21, 2022), COVID-19 continued to cause an average of 291 deaths and 3,833 new hospitalizations per day.§§

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7125e1.htm?s_cid=mm7125e1_w


Créditos: Comité científico Covid

Deja un comentario

Tu dirección de correo electrónico no será publicada. Los campos obligatorios están marcados con *