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Test To Treat Tug-of-War: Pharmacy, Physician Groups Each Have Concerns With Biden COVID Plan

 
• By Brenda Sandburg

Community pharmacists say widespread implementation of Biden’s rapid pill dispensing initiative necessitates allowing pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid and molnupiravir. But AMA worries that even clinic-based prescribing puts patients at risk because it bypasses primary care doctors.

Pharmacy
Community pharmacies face hurdles in implementing COVID-19 Test to Treat initiative • Source: Alamy

Large chain pharmacies are prepared to boost the dispensing of COVID-19 oral antivirals under President Biden’s Test to Treat Initiative. But participation of smaller pharmacies may depend on a change in prescribing policy and an increase in the dispensing fees they receive – while some physicians worry that even the current plan’s emphasis on clinics puts patients at risk.

The initiative, included in the administration’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, is establishing “one-stop” locations at pharmacy-based clinics, community health centers, long-term care facilities and US Department of Veteran Affairs locations where people can get free tests and treatment pills. Authorized prescribers will be on site in these locations

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