Paxlovid fails to reduce Long COVID symptoms in NIH trial

A clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that extended courses of the antiviral drug Paxlovid do not reduce Long COVID symptoms compared to a placebo. The results, published in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, were part of the NIH’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative.

The study involved 959 adult participants across 69 sites in the United States. Patients were categorized into three symptom groups: cognitive dysfunction (brain fog), autonomic dysfunction (dizziness, rapid heart rate, or shortness of breath), and exercise intolerance/post-exertional malaise.

Researchers investigated whether Paxlovid could alleviate chronic symptoms by targeting potentially lingering virus in the body. While the extended regimens were found to be safe, the trial demonstrated no clinical benefit in reducing the severity or duration of Long COVID symptoms.