Covid-19 patients will be able to buy anti-viral pills with drug stores starting next month, government speaker Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said yesterday.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed the general public Health Ministry to help make the public aware that will purchasing such medications still requires a prescribed, Mr Thanakorn mentioned.
At present, the anti-viral capsules are designated since specially controlled medications and only the Government Pharmaceutic Organization can obtain them for the Open public Health Ministry in order to distribute to hospitals nationwide.
After the National Communicable Disease Committee lately announced that state and private hospitals, clinics plus drug stores may procure Covid-19 medications from Sept one, Covid-19 patients will have easier access to the medicines, Mr Thanakorn said.
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said the anti-viral pills are not considered common household medications that people need to have.
“To buy the drugs, people should have a prescription from the hospital or a medical center. It is not the type of medication that anyone should stock at home, inch he said.
Dr Somsak Akksilp, director-general from the Department of Healthcare Services, said the particular medicine is not for everyone.
“A person must be identified by a doctor just before they are able to purchase these types of anti-viral drugs over-the-counter, ” Dr Somsak said.