Comparison of Demand for Drugs Used for COVID-19 Treatment and Other Drugs During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

Abstract
In February 2020, Italy was the first European country to detect coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in individuals and rapidly turned into one of the most-affected regions of the world. The National Health Service (NHS), which provides universal coverage to citizens, was challenged as never before in the history of the institution. Because no approved drug was available, patients received potentially effective drugs, participated in clinical trials, accessed compassionate drug use programs, or self-medicated.1 The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in drug demand during the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy compared with the period before the outbreak.