Pharmac update: Widened access to eligibility criteria for Covid antiviral medicines

From 1 September 2025 the eligibility criteria widened for access to COVID-19 antivirals.

• The funded COVID-19 antivirals are nirmatrelvir with ritonavir tablets (Paxlovid) and remdesivir injection (Veklury).

The new addition to the eligibility criteria allows access for people who are 50 years and over and considered by their healthcare professional to be at high risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 infection. Other access criteria remain the same.

Additional information about the criteria change and guidance to help identify patients who are at risk of severe illness with COVID-19 infection can be found on the Pharmac website.

BPAC has developed guidance to support health care professionals assess whether someone is at high risk of hospitalisation or death from COVID-19, this can be found on the BPAC website.