Most have already heard of Monoclonal antibody treatment, which is quite rampant in hospitals. However, the Federal government is planning to reduce the use of Monoclonal antibody treatment. They may have not any utility against the Omicron variant, as there is no staunch proof for the same.
FDA Asks To Limit Monoclonal Antibody Treatment
The US FDA is making plans to curb the use of this antibody cocktail to cure patients. It has been taken amidst various discussions that point to the fact that these do not work. The National Institute of Health has recently updated its guidelines to abstain from using such treatments, which show moderate and mild Covid-19 symptoms.
The White House’s Covid-19 Response Team called the various government and state health officials, and urged them against using these treatments with Omicron growing out of proportions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 99% of cases are due to the Omicron variant.
However, the governors of many of the states continue to push the use of the therapy as cases surge in some places. The states have already distributed 110,000 doses of the famous Lily and Regeneron treatments.
There were news reports of a high number of cases from Florida. The governor of the said state was deeply aggrieved because of the decision of the Biden administration to hold the treatment with antibodies. It says that the Florida government will continue to press for the use of Monoclonal antibody treatment.
DeSantis, the Governor has said that Omicron is not the only variant that is around. Thus, it is extremely necessary to think of ways to mitigate the effects of other variants as well. Omicron cases indeed occupy 95% or more.
There has been in the southern part of the US, and Regeneron treatment is not effective against the Omicron variant, as already stated below. However, more than 13,000 doses were used in Florida a few weeks back for various treatment modalities.
DeSantis is relying on Monoclonal antibody to stop the surges in Coronavirus. Last summer, the governor had started many clinics where he facilitated the use of this antibody treatment. There are reports as well as first-hand statements made by patients, who have benefitted from the treatment and have got well.
The Texas Government had also opened many health centers that were administering the treatment to all Delta-affected patients. Texas Governor Greg Abbott himself received the treatment when he went down with Covid-19 in August 2021.
The Biden administration has stopped the generation of the treatments, from now on and is planning to restrain the orders. So, it remains to be seen how effective the government is in handling the situation, as Omicron cases rise. Moreover, doctors are not able to initially determine which strain has hit the patient. They only go by general diagnosis.
Delta now accounts for a small percentage of the infection. Thus, the Biden administration is hoping that the doctors and healthcare facilities can stay away from the Monoclonal antibody treatment. There are various adverse effects of the treatment, which the government fear.
Some patients have also seen rashes, nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness in various cases. For the uninitiated, the treatment was the most prominent one from the start of the pandemic. They are just like your body’s antibodies but are much stronger and can fight with the protein spikes of the virus.
After the monoclonal antibodies are made to enter the body, they get attached to the protein spike of the virus and block the virus from proliferating and entering cells. The most common treatment is not effective against the Omicron, and that is one reason its use has been deterred.
