Republicans question policy behind Biden’s decision to ration COVID treatment

RRepublican governors criticize the Biden administration after announcing it would restrict the distribution of monoclonal antibody treatments, one of the only medically sanctioned remedies for those who have contracted COVID-19.

The move has also drawn criticism from medical officials in the Red State who fear it will further overwhelm hospitals facing a deluge of COVID-19 patients.

Biden announced Tuesday that the federal government is facing a drug shortage due to “a substantial increase in use” associated with the highly transmissible delta variant.

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The Department of Health and Human Services will now monitor and limit the amount of treatment provided to each state.

The move drew immediate criticism from GOP governors, even in states with high vaccination rates. Earlier this month, the Biden administration pledged to increase “the average pace of shipments” of the drug to states and to “speed up access” to treatment. He now appears to be changing course.

“Today I urged President Biden’s team to explain the sudden rationing of these life-saving treatments, without any warning, after the administration urged us to promote them,” the governor of Maryland said Tuesday. Larry Hogan in a statement. “This is yet another example of confusing and contradictory directives coming from the federal government.”

A spokeswoman for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has criticized Biden’s COVID-related mandates and aggressively developed the free monoclonal antibody treatment centers, suggested the president target the Sunshine State and others who challenge its mandates.

“It is unfortunate that the Biden administration is playing politics with people’s lives during a pandemic by denying life-saving treatment and sending mixed messages to Americans,” spokeswoman Christina Pushaw told the Washington Examiner.

The new restrictions are expected to affect a group of southern states, including Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, which have expanded the use of the treatment to fight rising hospitalizations.

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Biden administration officials say those states used 70% of the supply.

Government statistics show Florida topped the list and received 30,000 doses last week. Texas, in second place, received 24,000 doses in the past week, according to statistics from the HHS.

Many states have resisted mask and vaccine mandates, drawing criticism from the Biden administration and other Democrats.

DeSantis has sharply criticized Biden’s mask and vaccination warrants and plans to impose fines on his state governments that try to enforce them.

Florida and other southern states facing the increase in COVID-related hospitalizations have expanded monoclonal antibody treatment centers as a way to alleviate the virus in the early stages before it becomes serious.

DeSantis has opened dozens of treatment centers and attributes the drug to lower hospitalization rates.

According to state statistics, there were around 10,700 COVID-19-related hospitalizations as of September 14, down from the August 22 peak of 17,121.

“Our focus on early treatment with monoclonal antibodies has made a real difference,” DeSantis said Tuesday. “Our admissions today are at their lowest since mid-July, and they’ve dropped, very, very quickly. In the last few weeks we have seen a sharp drop. “

House Republicans question the shortage and say they want answers.

Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, tweeted that the Department of Health and Human Services “needs to explain why and how it interferes with the distribution of monoclonal antibodies.”

States hard hit by spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations are dropping plans to expand life-saving treatment due to new restrictions.

Antibody treatment has reduced hospitalizations from COVID-19 by helping those infected develop rapid immunity to the virus.

In Alabama, the new limitations reduced the supply of treatment by 30%.

The president of the Alabama Medical Association issued a statement expressing “strong concerns” about the new rationing and its impact on the state’s ability to cope with the high number of hospitalizations linked to COVID-19.

“Alabama hospitals are full and under tremendous stress. This is why doctors are very concerned about federal efforts that will eventually limit our supply and access to this effective treatment,” the president said. ‘Association, Dr Aruna Arora. “We are asking the federal government to help us provide more of this treatment – not less – so that we can save lives and keep COVID patients out of hospital. “

The Biden administration said the rationing was temporary and aimed at “optimal and fair use” of the drug, but gave no indication of how long the restrictions last.

“We will continue to monitor product usage rates, variant prevalence and overall availability of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies to determine when we return to the normal direct ordering process,” HHS officials said in a statement.

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Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis, said as of September 14, Florida was operating monoclonal antibody centers backed by 25 states that have treated more than 90,000 people.

“We are working to ensure that the supply of monoclonal antibody therapy in Florida remains sufficient to meet the needs of patients in our state,” Pushaw told the Washington Examiner. “I expect the governor to speak publicly about this soon.”

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Key words: News, Congress, Coronavirus, Biden Administration, Larry Hogan, Ron DeSantis, Joe Biden, Delta Variant

Original author: Susan ferrechio

Original location: Republicans question policy behind Biden’s decision to ration COVID treatment