Pharmacy Daily | MSD aims to ensure Lagevrio supply

MSD is partnering with PharmaPrograms to create a national network of pharmacies stocking its COVID-19 oral therapy, Lagevrio (molnupiravir), to ensure patients have timely access to the medication and follow-up support.

PharmaPrograms Systems Architect, Kos Sclavos, told Pharmacy Daily that the program was designed to help ensure pharmacies have Lagevrio in their dispensaries to minimise delays in patients commencing treatment, and to deliver patient support beyond the traditional dispensing process.

"Because a lot of people have fear about the potential impacts of COVID-19, this is a scheme where we're trying to make sure that there's a national network of pharmacies that have stock in place," he said.

"The program allows for pharmacists to go above and beyond normal dispensing, and that's why there's a remunerated fee for service for pharmacists to participate."

Sclavos noted that pharmacists have a crucial role in providing guidance on dosages to ensure patients use Lagevrio effectively.

"It's supposed to be taken every 12 hours, so depending on the exact time the medication is presented to the patient, we encourage [pharmacists] to follow up with a call to make sure somebody has started therapy and from there take it until the end of therapy every 12 hours for five days," he said.

"Pharmacy has done an amazing job stepping up during COVID-19, and this is another program that will hopefully ensure that there is a national network, because the last thing we want to see is blogs saying, 'I'm looking for the medicine desperately for my Mum and Dad and can't find it anywhere, no pharmacy is stocking it' - that's what's occurred in some jurisdictions around the world.

"Before this program, if somebody presented at a pharmacy on a Fri afternoon you would have a situation where the pharmacist would say, 'well I can get it in, it'll be in on Mon', that's certainly not good enough, we're talking about someone with COVID-19."

Sclavos said the program, which is being run alongside MSD's sale and return policy allows pharmacies to return unused stock of the medicine, which has a wholesale price in excess of $1,000 per course of treatment.

"We'd encourage pharmacists to at least review the program's details, terms and conditions, and if they've got any issues they are encouraged to contact PharmaPrograms," Sclavos said.