Paxlovid shows no significant benefit for Long Covid in large US study

A large-scale clinical study known as RECOVER-VITAL has found that extended treatment with the antiviral drug Paxlovid does not significantly reduce Long Covid symptoms compared to a placebo. The study, published in ‘Lancet Infectious Diseases’, involved 959 adults across 69 centers in the United States.

Researchers tested whether a more aggressive antiviral course could alleviate three primary symptom profiles: cognitive impairment (brain fog), autonomic nervous system issues (such as dizziness and tachycardia), and severe fatigue. Participants were divided into three groups: a 25-day Paxlovid regimen, a 15-day Paxlovid course followed by a placebo, and a group receiving only a placebo for 25 days.

After 90 days, results showed that improvement rates were similar across all groups. For cognitive symptoms, 58% of the 25-day Paxlovid group reported improvement, compared to 55% in the placebo group. In cases of autonomic dysfunction, the placebo group showed a 70% improvement rate, matching the 15-day Paxlovid group. The findings suggest that while many patients improve over time, the extended use of Paxlovid does not appear to accelerate this recovery.