Why is the Government Limiting Monoclonal Antibody Treatments for COVID-19?
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The government's newest rules for which COVID-19 treatments can be used sparked significant backlash from the state of Florida.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) halted monoclonal antibody treatments made by Regeneron and Eli Lilly this week after reporting that they’re "highly unlikely" to work against the now-dominant Omicron variant. In Florida, where multiple monoclonal antibody facilities had been treating patients, Gov. Ron DeSantis condemned the FDA's move as "indefensible," saying it "takes treatment out of the hands of medical professionals." A Monday press release from Florida's Department of Health announced closure of the state's monoclonal antibody treatment sites while citing a study on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website that says the effectiveness of monoclonal remedies against Omicron "remains to be determined." Before Omicron's rise, the treatments were found to be effective in preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Coverage from left-rated sources often highlighted the FDA's announcement and other health experts who said monoclonal antibody treatments were ineffective against Omicron; few, if any, highlighted experts who opposed the FDA's announcement. Conversely, reports from right-rated sources typically focused more on experts who celebrated the monoclonal treatments and were skeptical of the FDA's move. Many also highlighted the study that suggests more research is needed on how effective monoclonal antibodies are against Omicron. Several voices from left-rated media outlets, such as Salon (Left bias) and Washington Post (Lean Left), accused DeSantis of lying about the effectiveness of the treatments in an attempt to appease anti-vaccine voters.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Experts Divided on US Drug Regulators Revoking Authorization of Key COVID-19 Treatments
The Food and Drug Administration’s decision to effectively revoke emergency use authorization for two monoclonal antibody treatments has left experts divided, with some calling it the right move and others asserting it shouldn’t have been done.
The agency, of the FDA, on Jan. 24 announced it was barring use of treatments from Eli Lilly and Regeneron anywhere in the country because of federal data that indicate the Omicron virus variant is behind the vast majority of COVID-19 cases.
The regulator cited “the most recent information and data available” but did not link to...
From the Left
DeSantis fumes over FDA interference
Gov. Ron DeSantis is blasting the Biden administration after the FDA revoked the use of two different monoclonal antibody treatments, forcing Florida to shutter treatment clinics across the state.
Driving the news: The FDA halted monoclonal antibody cocktails made by Regeneron and Eli Lilly on Monday after finding they’re not effective against the Omicron variant.
The FDA pointed to CDC statistics showing that Omicron accounted for 99% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as of Jan. 15.
The agency noted that "data show these treatments are highly unlikely to be active" against Omicron, so monoclonal...
From the Left
Monoclonal antibodies were 'doing nothing' against omicron: That's why FDA pulled its authorization. 
The Food and Drug Administration pulled its authorization of two of the most used monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19 this week, leaving doctors with fewer options to help their patients avoid the hospital.
Why did the FDA shut them down?
Because the two, from drugmakers Regeneron and Eli Lilly, don't work against the omicron variant that now causes more than 99% of coronavirus infections in the United States.
"All the data show that these older antibodies are ineffective against omicron," said Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and...
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