The BIG secret, eh ?
ALL the money and attention is going to the vaccine makers…
The fight for masks….
But no mention of treatment?
Monoclonal antibodies are free to patients and there have been almost no side effects. They are accessible on an outpatient basis, via a single infusion or four injections. Hospitals, urgent-care centers and even private doctors are authorized to dispense them.
But Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, maker of the only authorized, free monoclonal antibodies, said it is reaching fewer than 30 percent of eligible patients, up from fewer than 5 percent a month ago.
The White House COVID-19 Response Team reported last week that just more than 600,000 people have received the treatment since Regeneron and Eli Lilly received approval for separate versions in November. (Distribution of Lilly’s product has been paused nationwide because it is ineffective against some variants.)
“We have a long way to go on how do we reach the general public where they are,” said Erin McCreary, director of stewardship innovation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which has treated 3,427 patients with the drugs since Dec. 9.
“It is absolutely the standard of care for covid-19,” she said. “It is my hope that clinics know that.”
In interviews, experts cited a federal government that has not done enough to promote monoclonal antibodies alongside vaccines; logistical issues that can make delivery of the drugs complicated and costly for medical facilities; and the difficulties the pandemic presents for providers of all kinds of medical care.
“Momentum is a tough thing to get going and I’m glad it’s starting to,” said Jason C. Gallagher, clinical professor of pharmacy practice and infectious diseases at Temple University School of Pharmacy. “But it still needs to be improved.”….