Where will the US public go for antivirals in a pandemic?
January 25th, 2019Public Views on Alternative Methods for Antiviral Distribution and Dispensing During an Influenza Pandemic
Gillian K. SteelFisher, Hannah Caporello, Anita Patel, Lisa M. Koonin, Ericka McGowan, Eran Ben-Porath, and Robert J. Blendon
Published Online: 13 Dec 2018 https://doi.org/10.1089/hs.2018.0073
“…..The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in coordination with state health departments, has plans to distribute antiviral drugs from federal stockpiles in the case of a pandemic. These plans are currently under review and include evaluation of the benefits of pharmaceutical supply chain distribution and dispensing of antivirals through community pharmacies. ……
Overall, there was widespread support for the proposed system, and a majority predicted they would be likely to get antivirals in pharmacies compared to public health clinics. However, preference for using pharmacies dropped substantially when even modest fees were introduced. Those without insurance were less likely to say they would get antivirals and, along with those in lower income groups, were more likely than others to use public health clinics at all cost points. Further, sizable proportions expressed concerns about side effects, a desire to wait until symptoms got worse, and hesitation about using drugs beyond the labeled expiration dates. …..”
