Peter Schorsch
Mr. President, respectfully, you are wrong about cutting off monoclonal antibody treatments to Florida.
Before I go on, I guess it needs to be said that I am vaxxed and boosted and I wear a mask 98% of the time in public settings. I also encourage everyone to get vaxxed, get boosted, and take steps to protect yourself and others.
Now that that is off my chest, I also want to say that Gov. Ron DeSantis is right to be pissed about the sudden change of heart from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Here’s what happened over the last 24 hours.
For months, the feds have been sending down monoclonal antibody treatment kits (MATs) and these have been primarily REGEN-COV (made by Regeneron), bamlanivimab and sotrovimab. These treatments have been found to be effective in lessening the severity and duration of sickness caused by COVID-19 and the COVID-19 variants.
Well, sort of.
If you have omicron, the above have proven to not be all that helpful, and the suggestion has been for those who have omicron to forgo that treatment. The sort of good news is that, for almost everyone, omicron doesn’t kill you.
But here’s the rub.
When we get tested — and you must show a positive COVID-19 test in order to receive MAT — without an extra lab test, we just can’t know what variant of COVID-19 has taken up residence in your body. So, if 80% of those with COVID-19 have omicron, then it is kind of wasted on them. But as there are little to no side effects, it was felt that because a certain percentage were still catching the more-deadly delta variant, the treatment was well worth it.
So, we pressed onward and have been giving everyone who asked (and within the limits of available supplies) the existing crop of MATs.
Until Tuesday.
Without warning, the FDA yanked approval, and mid-stride the state was forced to shut down monoclonal treatment statewide. (I don’t want to hear about the prior tests. On Monday, they were sending them and then on Tuesday they simply said, “Nope.”)
In my not-so-humble opinion, this is total BS and frankly, DeSantis is right to call out the FDA — and more pointedly, the Biden administration — for this 11th-hour shutdown without any real warning and especially since they are also not distributing the types of MATs shown to be more effective in treating omicron.
Anecdotally, I know several people who tested positive for omicron, immediately received Regeneron, and within 24 hours were feeling better.
So there you have it! For those of you who said I am biased against the Governor, this is me standing up and shouting, “DeSantis is correct and Biden is wrong for taking away — without warning — this treatment option.”
For me, this isn’t about whether to vax or not to vax, to wear a mask or not, this is about offering a lifeline to those who are sick — irrespective of how they got sick — and putting their care first. What the FDA has done is ham-handed, wrong and cruel.
12 comments
Tjb
January 25, 2022 at 5:58 pm
“Anecdotally” …. Come on Peter, you know better.
I had a friend that tested positive for omicron and his Doctor gave him a placebos and within 24 hours he was feeling fine and he went back to work.
There are much better treatments for Covid and monoclonal antibodies are not on the list.
Tjb
January 25, 2022 at 6:19 pm
Anecdotally???
Elaine Mann
January 25, 2022 at 9:04 pm
If your friends were boosted they probably recovered on their own. In my family, four of us had it and recovered within a couple of days of testing positive. Only my 15 year old that wasn’t boosted took a little longer. I would not credit Regeneron for the recovery if they had the Omicron variant. Did you read the German studies?
Tom
January 25, 2022 at 9:58 pm
My compliments Peter.
I’ve been critical of FP, you and your reporters.
You set the bar high today with this story.
I agree with your reasoning essentially. I hope you can offer more objectivity in analysis.
Btw, $4 billion later in new additional revenues thanks to Gov.
Biden and his team have failed to offer all avail options. Amazingly, Pfizer announced a omicron vaccine in production today.
Peter Btw, Biden still does not have a confirmed FDA commish but decisions are made in a mysterious manner on vaccines, no therapeutics and lack of testing. Appalling.
Dr. Bob
January 25, 2022 at 10:01 pm
Mr. Schorsh,
As I read this post of yours, I couldn’t help but ask myself, what is your agenda? Are you educated in medicine? Do you have access to scientific information, or are you like your governor?
First of all, your self centered notion of “what’s the harm” in giving mAB’s to people if they don’t work isn’t just wrong headed—it’s deadly.
These are patients who are severely ill, many of whom do not have time to “wait and see” if your idea of mAB therapy is going to work. Secondly, these infusions cost upwards of $1500-2000– which should be your first clue that production of this drug product is difficult, and these are in short supply. But since you live in a state who’s governor favors this over recommending a $20 vaccine, I can understand the lack of fiscal responsibility.
In addition the idea that omicron is 80% is just sloppy work. 15 seconds of a phone call to a doctor would tell you that currently in Florida Omicron cases are 99.7% of reported. Not only are you wrong about the medicine, you’re also very wrong on the facts.
As far as the “shred of evidence” that the governor claims: Multiple reports have been not only published in scientific journals, repeated experiments have been going on all over the world. 15 seconds of educated searching will point you to the relevant scientific information.
You and the governor are turning your own pandemic shortcommings into political cannon fodder. I certainly hope that voters in Fl aren’t so stupid to fall for this— and can see through what is clearly an uninformed politik who can’t stay in his own lane.
JEFF
January 26, 2022 at 7:01 am
Hi, my name is Peter, and I’m an opinion writer telling you not to believe the scientists, and place all your trust in a Governor who knows nothing about science. This country is doomed…
Steve
January 26, 2022 at 8:37 am
We’ll said, Dr. Bob !
Mary Jane
January 26, 2022 at 8:08 am
Renegeron does not work against Omicron. Even the makers of it have come out and said that.
DeSantis is upset because he had stock in the company that makes it. This has nothing to do with giving access to Floridians but making sure his pockets are lined. There is 1 monoclonal antibody that works and we are going to receive that. I know someone who got Covid and received Renegeron and they still are not better.
Tom
January 26, 2022 at 9:34 am
Total lie Mary Jane, that liberal tall tale has been debunked. It’s a false, total lie, U S govt. bout all the Regeneron under the great effort of Trump, warp speed. Greatest U S initiative since Apollo moon shot under 45. Furthermore, no study has been released stating it does not help. It has proven to be less treating of the all 3 therapeutics.
Typical liberal Manchurians dr Bob, Jeff, Steve, and Mary Jane candy bar trying to limit options so they can have blue state tyrannical rule. Not happening, DeSantis is America’s Gov.
DeSantis saves lives with therapeutics unlike any other state and Gov or Biden. You incompetents support Cuomo, fondler and a abuser. Made millions $$ on Covid book, dead people. Pathetic being. DeSantis America’s Gov is on side of the peeps! I suffer you manchurians gladly!
DeSantis Wins bigly Nov 22 and Gov mansion to WH. Go blow it!
Ron
January 26, 2022 at 2:51 pm
Right there with you Tom, I could pick their BS out in a minute, not worth my time but our Gov is the best Gov in the USA 🇺🇸 on his way to the WHITE HOUSE!!!!
Jason
January 27, 2022 at 2:36 am
You don’t understand virology and the hard decision to stop these antibody treatment therapies. They do NOT work on Omicron. You are wrong when you say there’s no harm in giving it…. there are consequences… specifically with viral mutations. Continuing to give treatments that allow for stronger variants would be wreckless.
Tom
January 27, 2022 at 9:17 am
One does, the other two appear to be less effective. No one knows for certain, no final study has been released. To take them off market is reckless as well.
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