COVID-19 Treatment 'Lagevrio' Prescribed Only for Those Aged 70 and Over

KDCA, "More Time Needed Until Product Approval Completion"

The government has decided to change the prescription age criteria for the oral COVID-19 treatment 'Lagevrio' to 70 years and older.

Yonhap News

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 26th that starting from the 27th, the prescription target for Lagevrio supplied by the government will be changed from the previous criteria of 60 years and older or immunocompromised and underlying disease patients aged 18 and older to elderly people aged 70 and older.

The government initially planned to register three COVID-19 treatments?oral treatments Paxlovid and Lagevrio, and injectable treatment Veklury?under health insurance within this year to transition to a general medical system. Among these, Paxlovid and Veklury have already received product approval and have been covered by health insurance since last month, allowing distribution and use.

However, Lagevrio has not yet received product approval and is currently being supplied by the government under emergency use authorization. The KDCA expects that it will take a considerable amount of time to complete the product approval for Lagevrio, and to continue limited supply during this period, it has decided to raise the prescription age criteria. This decision references overseas research results from the United States, Australia, and Hong Kong, which show clearer therapeutic effects of Lagevrio in elderly people aged 70 and above.

The KDCA plans to continue national support and supply of Lagevrio through this winter wave and will make a comprehensive judgment by monitoring the COVID-19 epidemic situation thereafter.

Ji Young-mi, head of the KDCA, stated, "We will continue to make efforts to ensure stable supply of COVID-19 treatments such as Lagevrio to effectively protect high-risk groups from the winter wave of COVID-19."