Prescription charge waiver for COVID-19 Antivirals and Therapeutic Clinical Trials

We are pleased to announce that, from today until 31 March 2022, we have agreed to make arrangements for the purposes of regulation 13 of the NHS (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2015 for antiviral medicines to be supplied to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and who are in the eligible cohorts of patients identified by the UK Chief Medical Officers. Where the patients are not already eligible for free prescriptions, the antiviral medicines will be supplied free of charge.

This waiver will also apply to therapeutic treatments that are being made available through the NIHR funded HEAL-COVID clinical trial platform treating patients who have been hospitalised for COVID-19, for long-term effects and STIMULATE ICP treating community patients for Long COVID.