A.G. Gancarski
On Saturday in St. Augustine, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that an important COVID-19 drug would be coming to Florida hospitals.
DeSantis, at a press conference at Flagler Hospital, said that within the next 48-72 hours, enough of the drug would be shipped to hospitals directly from the federal government to help five or six thousand patients.
This is good news, the latest last-minute resolution of a shortage that has been a concern not just for lawmakers in Tallahassee but also in Washington.
On Thursday, Gov. DeSantis, at a press conference in Apopka, acknowledge the shortfall, but suggested that hospitals themselves needed to manage their supplies better.
“We did have some treatments of it where you were going beyond the five days which obviously uses up more vials.” DeSantis said. “Basically, I think the White House’s view is, scientifically, we think the five day regimen can be beneficial. They don’t have much evidence that going beyond that tends to be beneficial.”
“I spoke with the White House, the Vice President, and so the recent shipments were expedited,” DeSantis said.
Even as DeSantis was wrestling with the shortage, and apparently resolving it, Florida’s Senior Senator was sounding the alarm from the nation’s Capitol, warning of a “bad disconnect” between hospitals and government.
“Shipments are coordinated by the federal govt & we have a bad disconnect between what they think we need & what we really need,” U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio said.
“These numbers will get much worse if discharges slow down due to not enough doses of Remdesivir,” Rubio tweeted. “We can’t wait until July 27th for next allocation.”
The Governor, for his part, disagreed with Rubio’s take.
“I wouldn’t say there is a disconnect in terms of them understanding that this is something a lot of physicians are prescribing now,” DeSantis said, adding: “I think as this has come online, it’s kind of defaulted to the standard of care. So as people come in I think they are tending to get prescribed the remdesivir so we obviously want to help with that.”
2 comments
S.B. Anthony
July 18, 2020 at 1:40 pm
“On Thursday, Gov. DeSantis, at a press conference in Apopka, acknowledge the shortfall, but suggested that hospitals themselves needed to manage their supplies better.”
“governor,” you must have gone to the same medical school as the stable genius in the Whore House.
When you get a medical degree, put on a mask, and are on the frontline, you can make suggestions to real doctors about how they’re treating patients. In the meantime, learn how to govern a state before you start throwing around pointless and meritless criticisms of the real people who are doing real work to help Floridians.
Harriet N BRINKER
July 18, 2020 at 2:23 pm
WOW! Who will pay the high cost of Remdesivir?? per patient is listed at $1,300. dose. This drug has the potential to develop lesions with the Liver so patient’ with liver disease need to be cautious when agreeing to accept and must sign consent to that affect. This drug is ordered to be given by injection as opposed to HCQ by pill form which brings to mind will that take more hospital days to complete treatment? You can not take this drug home to take either. The label indicates for Investigation usage only. This is sponsored per label by Gilead Sciences, Inc. 333 Lakrside Dr., Foster City, Ca. 1-800-445-3235. Call for more information. As far as known that treatment with HCQ according to many Doctors have claimed no patient died from and the cost only cents and can be taken as out patient with out hospitalization utilization concerns. How can one wonder to this being a big rip off financially to the American people. In the past, experiment drugs used were of no CHARGE for trial. Now, cost factors guessing by me is the Patient. Insurance providers, Medical providers, Federal Government payoff and how about Dr. Fauci who has never talked about HCQ when available and people were dying and now he talks about investigations usage!! Remesivir for money making and not caring about how the patient gets better, cheaper and in more comfort affordable. Washington shame on you if this is about politics and money. My heart is crying. Shame on you Governor when studies in the past were present and failed as far back as the Ebola disease. I remain. (Experts opinions have been presented.)
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