The_AT0 Food_NN1 and_CJC Drug_NN1 Administration_NN1 announced_VVD Wednesday_NP0 it_PNP has_VHZ greenlighted_VVN Pfizer_NP0 's_POS antiviral_AJ0 pills_NN2 to_TO0 treat_VVI COVID-19_NN1 for_PRP emergency_NN1 use_NN1 ,_PUN allowing_VVG limited_AJ0 use_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 drug_NN1 in_PRP Americans_NN2 as_CJS young_AJ0 as_CJS 12_CRD who_PNQ are_VBB at_PRP "_PUQ high_AJ0 risk_NN1 for_PRP progression_NN1 to_PRP severe_AJ0 COVID-19_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 new_AJ0 treatment_NN1 option_NN1 comes_VVZ as_CJS doctors_NN2 are_VBB facing_VVG a_AT0 nationwide_AJ0 shortage_NN1 of_PRF monoclonal_AJ0 antibodies_NN2 to_TO0 treat_VVI high-risk_AJ0 cases_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 disease_NN1 ,_PUN with_PRP most_DT0 formulas_NN2 ineffective_AJ0 against_PRP the_AT0 fast-spreading_AJ0 Omicron_NN1 variant_NN1 ._SENT Early_AJ0 data_NN0 suggests_VVZ Pfizer_NP0 's_POS pills_NN2 ,_PUN called_VVD Paxlovid_NP0 ,_PUN are_VBB effective_AJ0 against_PRP Omicron_NN1 cases_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 drugmaker_NN1 says_VVZ it_PNP works_VVZ to_TO0 block_VVI the_AT0 ability_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 virus_NN1 to_TO0 make_VVI copies_NN2 of_PRF itself_PNX ._SENT "_PUQ This_DT0 authorization_NN1 provides_VVZ a_AT0 new_AJ0 tool_NN1 to_TO0 combat_VVI COVID-19_NN1 at_PRP a_AT0 crucial_AJ0 time_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 as_CJS new_AJ0 variants_NN2 emerge_VVB and_CJC promises_VVZ to_TO0 make_VVI antiviral_AJ0 treatment_NN1 more_AV0 accessible_AJ0 to_PRP patients_NN2 who_PNQ are_VBB at_PRP high_AJ0 risk_NN1 for_PRP progression_NN1 to_PRP severe_AJ0 COVID-19_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ the_AT0 FDA_NN1 's_POS Dr._NP0 Patrizia_NP0 Cavazzoni_NP0 said_VVD in_PRP a_AT0 statement_NN1 on_PRP Wednesday_NP0 ._SENT Pfizer_NP0 first_ORD sought_VVD emergency_NN1 use_NN1 authorization_NN1 for_PRP Paxlovid_NP0 in_PRP November_NP0 ._SENT The_AT0 company_NN1 said_VVD it_PNP was_VBD shown_VVN in_PRP clinical_AJ0 trials_NN2 to_TO0 cut_VVI the_AT0 chances_NN2 of_PRF hospitalization_NN1 or_CJC death_NN1 by_PRP 88_CRD %_NN0 among_PRP adults_NN2 at_PRP high-risk_AJ0 of_PRF severe_AJ0 COVID-19_NN1 ,_PUN compared_VVN to_PRP a_AT0 placebo_NN1 ._SENT Pfizer_NP0 is_VBZ also_AV0 running_VVG clinical_AJ0 trials_NN2 to_TO0 gather_VVI data_NN0 on_PRP its_DPS use_NN1 in_PRP two_CRD other_AJ0 potential_AJ0 groups_NN2 of_PRF patients_NN2 :_PUN for_PRP treating_VVG cases_NN2 in_PRP people_NN0 at_PRP "_PUQ standard_AJ0 risk_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ as_CJS well_AV0 as_CJS for_PRP preventing_VVG disease_NN1 in_PRP people_NN0 who_PNQ are_VBB household_NN1 contacts_NN2 of_PRF a_AT0 COVID_AJ0 patient_NN1 ._SENT If_CJS it_PNP proves_VVZ safe_AJ0 and_CJC effective_AJ0 in_PRP those_DT0 uses_NN2 ,_PUN the_AT0 drugmaker_NN1 could_VM0 seek_VVI wider_AJC authorization_NN1 from_PRP the_AT0 FDA_NN1 ._SENT Paxlovid_AJ0 treatment_NN1 needs_VVZ to_TO0 begin_VVI within_PRP a_AT0 few_DT0 days_NN2 of_PRF first_ORD developing_AJ0 symptoms_NN2 ._SENT A_AT0 course_NN1 of_PRF treatment_NN1 is_VBZ made_VVN up_AVP of_PRF three_CRD tablets_NN2 that_CJT are_VBB taken_VVN twice_AV0 a_AT0 day_NN1 ,_PUN in_PRP the_AT0 morning_NN1 and_CJC evening_NN1 ,_PUN over_PRP the_AT0 course_NN1 of_PRF five_CRD days_NN2 ,_PUN for_PRP a_AT0 total_NN1 of_PRF 30_CRD pills_NN2 ._SENT Two_CRD of_PRF the_AT0 tablets_NN2 are_VBB nirmatrelvir_AJ0 ,_PUN an_AT0 antiviral_AJ0 Pfizer_NN1 designed_VVN to_PRP target_NN1 SARS-CoV-2_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC one_PNI is_VBZ ritonavir_AJ0 ,_PUN a_AT0 drug_NN1 that_CJT has_VHZ also_AV0 been_VBN used_VVN to_TO0 treat_VVI HIV_NP0 ._SENT Like_VVB with_PRP some_DT0 other_AJ0 COVID-19_AJ0 treatments_NN2 that_CJT have_VHB been_VBN authorized_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 FDA_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 regulator_NN1 will_VM0 limit_VVI Pfizer_NP0 's_POS drug_NN1 to_PRP only_AV0 people_NN0 at_PRP "_PUQ higher_AJC risk_NN1 of_PRF being_VBG hospitalized_VVN for_PRP COVID-19_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ That_DT0 includes_VVZ seniors_NN2 and_CJC people_NN0 with_PRP underlying_AJ0 conditions_NN2 like_PRP heart_NN1 disease_NN1 or_CJC diabetes_NN1 ._SENT Distribution_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 drug_NN1 will_VM0 be_VBI controlled_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 Biden_NP0 administration_NN1 ,_PUN which_DTQ purchased_VVD 10_CRD million_CRD courses_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 drug_NN1 in_PRP November_NP0 ._SENT 
