Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), in a press release late Monday, called on the President Joe Biden administration for revoking the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Regeneron’s and Eli Lilly’s monoclonal antibody treatments. The Food and Drug Administration quietly revoked the EUA leading to all of Florida’s state-run monoclonal treatment sites to be shut down.
Read MoreTag: Monoclonal Antibody Treatment
Republicans Push for Greater Access to COVID Therapeutics
Republicans are pushing for greater access to monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19 after the federal government took over the distribution of such drugs last year.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, filed Senate Bill 3440 to prohibit the federal government from limiting state access to monoclonal antibody treatments.
Read MoreMonoclonal Treatment Sites Open in Florida After Federal Delivery
The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) announced they will be opening additional monoclonal treatment sites after the federal government delivered its most recent shipment of treatment kits. Approximately 15,000 doses will become available in Duval, Seminole, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade County sites.
Read MoreDeSantis Pushes for More Monoclonal Treatments from Federal Government
At a press conference yesterday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called for more monoclonal treatments to be sent to Florida from the federal government. DeSantis said the vaccine is not preventing COVID transmission like they were marketed to do.
The most recent variant spike, omicron, is the least severe variant of COVID and shows characteristics no more deadly than the common cold.
Read MoreFlorida Surgeon General Says Biden Is ‘Actively Preventing’ Monoclonal Shipments
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra saying the Biden Administration is “actively preventing” the shipments on Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatments to states, including Florida.
Read MoreFlorida Gov. DeSantis Announces New Preventative Monoclonal Treatment for Immunocompromised
Yesterday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced a new preventative monoclonal treatment will be available for immunocompromised Floridians like cancer patients and transplant recipients. DeSantis said the new product from AstraZeneca, a pre-exposure prophylactic called Evusheld, is the newest development in Florida’s fight against COVID.
Read MoreFlorida’s COVID Numbers Continue to Decline, Reports Lowest Daily Cases per Capita in U.S.
Florida’s positive coronavirus cases have continued to decline over recent weeks, allowing the state to report the lowest number of cases per capita in the country.
According to data compiled by The New York Times, the state has an average of 1,393 cases per day, as of Friday. The average represents approximately six cases per 100,000.
Read MoreFeds Trim Florida’s Monoclonal Antibody Allotment After State Fueled National Surge in Demand
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has spent two months cross-crossing the state promoting sites and clinics that offer monoclonal antibody treatments, an increasingly popular alternative to vaccines for protection from COVID-19.
In fact, so popular that last week, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHS), while increasing overall supplies by 50%, from 100,000 to 150,000 doses a week nationwide, but capping the number of doses being delivered to Florida and six other Southern states that had previously consumed more than 70% of the nation’s monoclonal antibody treatments.
Read MoreStates Prepare for Limits on Key COVID Treatment, Criticize Federal Rationing
Demand for a key COVID-19 treatment has led to a nationwide shortage, and as President Joe Biden’s administration rations how much each state receives, some governors are pushing back over having to decide how to use their limited supplies.
Many states are warning their residents that the treatment may not be available, and some are discussing offering it only to unvaccinated individuals. On Tuesday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, warned his states’ residents that there is “not going to be enough” of the treatment.
Read MoreTampa General Hospital CEO Highly Critical of Biden’s Monoclonal Rations
The CEO of Tampa General Hospital has gone on the offensive, criticizing the President Joe Biden administration’s decision to ration monoclonal antibody treatments to states like Florida. The Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) announced they will be handling the nationwide distribution of the treatments, earning much criticism from Florida officials who have been implementing the treatment for months.
Read MoreFlorida Gov. DeSantis Says Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Has Decreased COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Governor DeSantis announced Thursday that the 21 monoclonal antibody treatment centers he issued last month have positively resulted in a decrease in the number of hospitalizations in Florida that surged due to the COVID-19 delta variant.
Data from the Florida Hospital Association from Wednesday showed that 14,682 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Tuesday – a decrease of 9.9% in the last seven days.
Read MoreRegeneron’s Monoclonal Antibody Treatment in Florida Is Having Positive Impact
In Jacksonville and Ocala, Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment sites are seeing hundreds of people receive the therapy, and it is proving successful in its early treatment phase.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been pushing for the use of the treatment for COVID patients early in their infection. The design is to receive the monoclonal treatment before serious symptoms kick in.
Read MoreGovernor DeSantis Supports Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for High-Risk COVID Patients
Governor DeSantis expressed his support for Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment Thursday, as COVID cases and the number of hospitalizations continue to surge in Florida.
According to DeSantis, “These treatments have been proven successful, with clinical trials resulting in a 70% reduction in hospitalization and death for COVID patients,” especially those who have higher risk for severe complications due to age or preexisting medical conditions.
As reported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful antigens such as viruses.” The treatment is meant for individuals who have tested positive or recovered from COVID.
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