FDA Blocks Florida From Using Monoclonal Antibody Treatment, Sites Shut Down Statewide

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Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida is furious with the Biden administration after the FDA made an “abrupt decision” and effectively shut down monoclonal antibody treatment sites in the state.

In a statement, the FDA claimed the treatments “are highly unlikely to be active against the omicron variant.”

This ended the emergency use authorization for two monoclonal antibodies.

In a scathing response, the Florida Health Department blasted the FDA in a press release.

“Florida disagrees with the decision that blocks access to any available treatments in the absence of clinical evidence,” the press release read.

“To date, such evidence has not been provided by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” the statement added.

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Back in September, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) secured additional doses of the potentially lifesaving treatment despite the Biden administration taking control of the treatment and effectively reducing Florida’s necessary supply.

As highlighted by The Daily Wire, the Biden administration announced in September that they’d be rationing supply of the treatment, effectively cutting supply from COVID-positive Floridians:

As reported by Fortune, “Hospitals and other care providers will no longer be able to directly order monoclonal antibody therapies from distributors, according to a Sept. 13 update posted on the Department of Health and Human Services website.”

“Instead, the U.S. government will determine what quantity of the drugs to ship to each state and territory based on Covid-19 case numbers and use of the treatments locally. State health departments will then determine how to distribute the antibody therapies to hospitals and other sites, according to the HHS update,” the outlet added.

The move was made to apparently limit potential shortages elsewhere, though there aren’t any signs of a treatment shortage. The takeover was widely criticized and even deemed an act of “partisan payback” by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).

“Antibody treatments aren’t a substitute for vaccines. But they have prevented thousands of hospitalizations including in breakthrough cases,” Rubio posted to Twitter. “Now in a move that reeks of partisan payback against states like Florida, the Biden administration is rationing these treatments.”

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