Health Canada to authorize Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 drug

Health Canada is expected to authorize the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid on Monday, CTV News has confirmed.

The official announcement is expected to come from the federal health agency at 11 a.m. EST.

Pfizer submitted clinical data for the oral medication that can be used to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 in adults, on Dec. 1, 2021.

The government has a deal in place with the pharmaceutical giant securing access to an initial one million doses of the oral antiviral treatment.

Responding to recent calls from the provinces for a swift rollout of this medication in the face of an expected surge in Omicron hospitalizations, the federal government has vowed that delivery of the drug will happen in short order.