The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has drafted an announcement that will allow pharmacies to fill prescriptions for Covid-19 medication, in line with a decision by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.
Dr Paisarn Dunkum, the FDA secretary-general, said on Saturday that the draft was awaiting approval from the Ministry of Public Health so that it may take effect on Sept 1.
The announcement will require pharmacies that have supplies of antiviral medication approved for treating Covid-19 to fill the prescriptions of patients or their relatives, he said.
The prescriptions must be issued by physicians, as not all patients require antiviral medication, but the new system will make it more convenient for patients to decide when and where to obtain the medicines.
Dr Paisarn stressed that medications such as favipiravir, molnupiravir and paxlovid must be supplied by FDA-authorised distributors only. Approved suppliers will keep records of where the drugs are distributed.
Pharmacies will be tasked with tracking the provision of coronavirus medications in a similar fashion to steroidal drugs.
Asked about whether the prices of the drugs would be controlled, Dr Paisarn said his office would not be managing all available brands, but increased availability and diversity of Covid-19 medication should result in lower prices.
The FDA is now focusing on combating unauthorised Covid treatments, he added.
