No doubt there is going to be a shortage of monoclonal drugs.
Got this e-mail this morning from a leading BOSTON Hospital.
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Dear Patient,
You are probably seeing in the news that the rates of COVID-19 infection are rising again. If you are not vaccinated, the most important thing you can do is get vaccinated. Also, if you are eligible to receive a booster and have not, you should do this as soon as possible. Please encourage others to get vaccinated or get a booster as well.
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Monoclonal antibody therapy and antiviral therapy
The Federal Drug Administration has issued emergency use authorization for several investigational monoclonal antibodies. These antibodies can help the immune system respond to better fight the virus. The NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines provide information about these drugs.
Sotrovimab is the only monoclonal antibody effective against the COVID-19 omicron variant. We have limited supplies of this therapy. Sotrovimab therapy is available for patients who have symptomatic COVID-19. To receive this treatment, you must have COVID-19 confirmed by either antigen or PCR testing and be within 10 days of the start of symptoms. You must also have a health condition that makes you more likely to have severe COVID-19 infection. Please note that sotrovimab is not authorized to prevent COVID-19 for those who are exposed.
If you think you might be eligible for treatment, please contact your primary care provider. They can place a referral for you for treatment. Please note that due to the limited supply, not all patients referred will be able to receive the treatment. snip
Sincerely,
Thomas Sequist, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Mass General Brigham
That letter actually sounds reasonable.