European Union countries can use Pfizer's antiviral Covid-19 pill Paxlovid early after diagnosis of an infection even though its full review for regulatory approval has not been completed, the bloc's drugs regulator said on Thursday, December 16, Reuters reports.

Patients at risk of suffering severe forms of the infection should start the five-day course of Paxlovid as soon as possible after diagnosis or within 5 days of symptom onset but not when supplemental oxygen is already required.

"The Agency's advice can now be used to support national recommendations on the possible use of the medicine before marketing authorization," the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in a statement.

EMA has given such clearances before for some antibody-based injectable drugs as governments scramble to boost their arsenal to fight the new Omicron variant. Omicron has likely grown resistant to some of those antibody drugs already. read more