Merck Covid-19 Pill Prescribed Frequently in Some Countries Despite Low Efficacy

Doctors in some countries are frequently prescribing a Covid-19 antiviral from Merck & Co., as safety concerns about a more effective pill from Pfizer Inc. mixing with other medications take on greater importance than elsewhere.

Merck’s drug, which it developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, has been administered to patients more than Pfizer’s Paxlovid in Australia, Japan and Italy, despite research showing Paxlovid to be much better at keeping people out of hospitals.