Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Still FDA Outcast?

The WSJ recently explained how a wider spread of the less deadly Covid strains is the reason behind a continuing high death rate. Should a perceived lack of therapeutic development priority be a part of story? Florida’s Gov. De Santis, a monoclonal antibody advocate, thinks so. FDA not always so sure.

Last year, for example, NPR covered how the governor was expanding monoclonal antibody treatment in Florida to help Covid patients and got emergency approval from the FDA to use it. Among other things, a “mobile” unit was created & numerous patients signed up. A number of other states followed Florida’s lead. As NPR explained, monoclonal antibodies – which hold the coronavirus in check by mimicking the body’s natural immune defenses – can be used to treat people with mild to moderate Covid” and “former President Donald Trump received Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment when he contracted coronavirus” in the WH. Yet, while many docs attest to its efficacy, critics say the treatment is still largely unproven, can be expensive & requires extra medical staff to administer it.

Last week, President Biden’s FDA revoked that emergency ok, making De Santis suggest politics rather than science was behind what he called a “disgusting” decision made “without clinical data & without any advance warning to states & medical providers, leaving sick Floridians scrambling to find an alternative treatment.” The FDA? It’s working on its studies.

Davd Soul