are aged 50 or older with with other risk factors for severe disease.
The eligibility criteria for PBS prescription of the two treatments, as well as their contraindications, are outlined below.Īccess to PBS subsidised prescriptions is available for adults who have mild to moderate COVID-19 confirmed by a PCR or medically verified rapid antigen test and who can start treatment within five days of symptom onset, if they: See the 2 May webinar for the most recent information. There have been a number of webinars held by the Department of Health (DoH) discussing the treatments and their presciption in primary care.
Nirmatrelvir in combination with ritanovir (sold as Paxlovid) and molnupiravir (sold as Lagevrio) are now available on the PBS in Australia for the treatment of COVID-19. They were provisionally approved for use in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in January 2022. The article was subsequently updated in July to reflect expanded eligibility for the treatments. It was updated in May to reflect that the oral antiviral treatments are now available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and also includes the specific PBS eligibility criteria for both. UPDATED, July 2022: This article was first published in February 2022. Initial supplies of COVID-19 antiviral oral treatments will be available through the National Medical Stockpile. Both oral antiviral COVID-19 treatments are now available, with significant restrictions, on the PBS.