On Wednesday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed the requirement for a positive test to initiate COVID-19 therapies from Merck & Co., Inc., and Pfizer, Inc.

In December 2021, emergency use authorizations were issued for Paxlovid and Lagevrio pills from Pfizer and Merck for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID who tested positive for the virus and who were in danger of progressing to severe COVID.

However, the FDA insisted that the patients should have a recent diagnosis of mild-to-moderate COVID infection. The health regulator stated that even if a person′s test results are negative or if they have recently been exposed and are exhibiting symptoms, their healthcare practitioners may still diagnose them with COVID.