COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine Alternatives Compared

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine	Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir)	Remdesivir	Enter another drug to compare

COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine

Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir)

Remdesivir

Prescription only

Prescribed for COVID-19. COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Prescription only

Prescribed for COVID-19. Paxlovid may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Prescription only

Prescribed for COVID-19. Remdesivir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

More about COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine

More about Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir)

More about Remdesivir

Ratings & Reviews

COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine has an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 from a total of 17 ratings on Drugs.com. 65% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 18% reported a negative effect.

Paxlovid has an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 from a total of 535 ratings on Drugs.com. 63% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 21% reported a negative effect.

Remdesivir has an average rating of 5.3 out of 10 from a total of 39 ratings on Drugs.com. 41% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 46% reported a negative effect.

View all 17 reviews

View all 535 reviews

View all 39 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

View all COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine side effects

Bad taste (29.3%)
Metallic taste (23.7%)
Diarrhea (18.3%)
Nausea (12.3%)
Headaches (9.5%)
Sore throat (7.3%)
Upset stomach (6.5%)

View all Paxlovid side effects

View all Remdesivir side effects

Drug Class

Viral vaccines

Antiviral combinations

Purine nucleosides

Generic Availability

N/A

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

We could not find an exact match for this medicine. Try searching the Price Guide directly.

Quantity	20 each
Strength	150 mg-100 mg (150 mg-100 mg Dose)
Per unit^*	$75.76
Cost^*	$1,515.11

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Dosage Forms

N/A

Oral tablet

Intravenous powder for injection
Intravenous solution

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

8 hours

6.05 hours

11 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Summary unavailable.

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Summary unavailable.

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Summary unavailable.

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 350 drugs are known to interact with COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine:

1 major drug interactions (2 brand and generic names)
346 moderate drug interactions (1016 brand and generic names)
3 minor drug interactions (3 brand and generic names)

A total of 699 drugs are known to interact with Paxlovid:

263 major drug interactions (838 brand and generic names)
394 moderate drug interactions (1593 brand and generic names)
42 minor drug interactions (181 brand and generic names)

A total of 653 drugs are known to interact with Remdesivir:

2 major drug interactions (8 brand and generic names)
478 moderate drug interactions (1905 brand and generic names)
173 minor drug interactions (598 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

No known alcohol/food interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Ritonavir should be taken with food to lessen gastrointestinal side effects. It is important that... View more

Remdesivir may cause liver problems, and using it with other medications that can also affect the... View more

Disease Interactions

No known disease interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Liver dysfunction

First Approval Date

N/A

WADA Class View classifications

N/A

More Information

Patient Resources

Paxlovid uses

Remdesivir uses

Professional Resources

Prescribing information

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine Alternatives Compared

See also:

Abrysvo

ACAM2000

Ozempic

Afluria

Afluria Preservative-Free Pediatric Quadrivalent

Afluria Preservative-Free Quadrivalent

Afluria Quadrivalent

Arexvy

Audenz

Comirnaty

Further information

COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer) vaccine Alternatives Compared

See also:

Further information

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