Paxlovid’s Promise Falls Flat (Not Worth the Price Tag?)

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted April 7, 2025

It looks like Big Pharma has done it again.

Remember when Paxlovid was rolled out with great fanfare—promising it would be a game-changer for COVID-19 patients?

Pfizer executives certainly hoped you were paying attention—especially while they were charging a whopping $1,650 per treatment.

But a new study suggests this expensive medication might not be worth the price tag or the hype—at least not for everyone.
In research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) this year, scientists used Canadian data to see what really happens when people take Paxlovid.

Turns out, Paxlovid may not deliver much benefit—especially for vaccinated older adults.

I have to admit, I’m not exactly shocked. After all, Big Pharma meds that don’t live up to their marketing claims are a dime a dozen—and the $1,650 price tag makes this case particularly disturbing.

The Canadian health policy in 2022 only allowed Paxlovid prescriptions for symptomatic people aged 70 and older (unless they had specific risk factors).

It was meant to reserve the drug for those who needed it most. But it also created a natural experiment, allowing scientists to compare people in this age group who took Paxlovid to those who didn’t.

And guess what? The results were dramatically different from what the drug company’s studies concluded when they first rolled out this cash cow in 2022.

At best, Paxlovid’s potential impact on hospitalization in vaccinated seniors is four times weaker than reported in Pfizer’s 2022 clinical trial.

Even the study’s co-author, Peter Wu, said he was surprised, “If you are vaccinated without additional risk factors, I wouldn’t prescribe Paxlovid, and I probably wouldn’t take it if I was a patient.”

More research is needed before we can draw hard conclusions, of course. But there’s certainly plenty to question here. Especially since Pfizer’s own study published in April 2024 also suggests Paxlovid may not be beneficial for people who have been fully vaccinated.

Of course, the mainstream medical establishment will likely be slow to change their prescribing habits. After all, there’s big money to be made in pushing expensive antivirals, and pharmaceutical reps are masters at convincing doctors that their products are essential.

But I have a better idea. Instead of rushing to take an expensive antiviral with questionable benefits, why not take natural steps to avoid catching COVID or the flu in the first place?

Following are my tried-and-true tricks to reduce your risk for viral infections:

• Shore up your immune system by boosting your vitamin D levels. Spend more time in the sun and consider a 1,000-2,000 IU supplement daily, especially during winter.
• Get plenty of good quality rest, stay hydrated, and wash your hands frequently.
• And finally, consider elderberry, echinacea, astragalus, and oregano oil supplements, which have been used in traditional medicine for centuries to support the immune system.

There’s a lot you can do to avoid getting sick. But remember, COVID is a serious infection. So, if you think you may have it, talk with your doctor and follow their advice.

[SIGNOFF]

P.S. The “Cellular Wildfire” fueling long-COVID has been revealed.

Source:

Mafi JN, Vangala S, Kapral MK, et al. Hospitalizations and Mortality Among Older Adults With and Without Restricted Access to Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir. JAMA. 2025;333(13):1172–1175. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.28099

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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