By: Mark Glennon*
It’s perhaps the most effective way to save your life if you are infected with COVID-19, but probably the least known. It reduces the risk of even being hospitalized by 70% to 85%, though it must be administered early to be effective – within four days of infection. Lives probably are being lost unnecessarily because people don’t know about it.
It’s monoclonal antibody treatment, abbreviated as mAb. To the extent the public has any familiarity with it, they may know it as Regeneron, though that’s actually the name of the company that makes the leading treatment, REGEN-COV2, and there are several other mAbs from other makers.
Health authorities for months back should have been issuing this message constantly: “Immediately after being exposed or you have COVID symptoms, get tested and ask if an antibody treatment is right for you.”
But they didn’t. They still aren’t. At least not in Illinois and most of the nation.
Why not?
No reasonable explanation is evident and a significant number of lives may have been lost because of the failure to inform the public properly. And now, with antibody treatments getting more attention, the treatments must be rationed, adding to the tragedy. At least in part, the explanation is a sad one – politics, and politicized media.
The effectiveness of REGEN and other antibody treatments has been known since at least November when the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorization for REGEN and another mAb. Earlier tests had found REGEN to be over 70% effective in heading off serious illness and multiple subsequent tests have confirmed it. “Many of us were talking about this as early as March [2020] wrote Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA commissioner. “Regeneron did extraordinary work to secure their own manufacturing, but we needed a concerted industrial effort to get the supply we needed.”
Only over the last month have antibody treatments started to gain more attention. That’s probably because Dr. Anthony Fauci finally – belatedly – spoke up, saying that the treatments can reduce the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization or death by 70% to 85%. That seems to have been a signal to the establishment herd that it was permissible to talk about the treatments positively. The Biden Administration thereafter announced it would be stepping up purchases of the treatments.
But the increased attention has now caused a shortage of the treatments. What was in oversupply only a couple months ago is now being rationed. The Biden Administration just announced restrictions on how much of the treatments may be shipped to each state. From the Washington Post: “Soaring demand for the therapy represents a sharp turn from just two months ago, when monoclonal antibodies were widely available and awareness of them was low. With little promotion by the government, consumers, doctors and states were using just a tiny fraction of the available supply.”
Here in Illinois, health authorities and the media are completely behind the curve. It’s difficult to find even a word that has been said on the subject. The message isn’t being given that you should get tested fast if you think you are infected and see if antibody treatment is available to you.
Intensive care units in some parts of downstate Illinois are now full of COVID patients. How many of those hospitalizations would have been avoided if the victims had been aware of the treatment and acted quickly to get it?
That goes for most of the nation as well. Florida is one of six states among the exceptions. Those six states have been using the treatments aggressively, consuming 70% of the supply in recent weeks. That’s partly due to high, recent infection rates in most of those states, but also because they have seen the value of antibody treatment that other states have ignored, and they’ve told their people about it. That’s especially true of Florida, which I’ll get to.
Why haven’t health authorities and supposed experts been making a life-saving treatment better known?
One benign but irrational answer is that they don’t want to distract from the importance of vaccinations because they view prevention as better than treatment. For example, CNN’s expert, Dr. Leana Wen, said, “It’s totally backwards to say that we should be focused on treatment instead of emphasizing prevention, and the steps that we know work to stop Covid-19 in the first place.” And Dr. Christian Ramers, an infectious-disease specialist, told the Daily Beast. “It’s so much better to prevent a disease than to use an expensive, cumbersome and difficult-to-use therapy,” Ramers submitted. “It does not make any medical sense to lean into monoclonals to the detriment of vaccines. It’s like playing defense with no offense.”
That seems irrational on its face. Preventative vaccines and therapeutics like antibody treatment are not alternatives. Promote vaccines all you want, but when somebody is facing possible death, treat them.
But another explanation at least partially accounts for why mAbs have been shunned: The establishment doesn’t like the politics of who championed antibody therapy, particularly Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a leading, likely, Republican candidate for president.
Since at least November, DeSantis has been encouraging Floridians to seek the treatment if they get infected. “And the good thing about this is millions of doses are ready to ship as we speak,” he said then. “Soon as the FDA approves they will then go out within the next 24 hours and we expect our hospitals hopefully to receive these within the next three to six weeks. He later set up clinics specifically for providing the treatment.
Well, we certainly can’t be agreeing with anything he says, as MSM sees things, so the Associated Press led the charge. They did it by trying to implicate two others the left doesn’t like, Ken Griffin and his hedge fund, Citadel. Griffin is a Chicago billionaire who frequently supports Republicans and conservative causes.
So, in a column reprinted almost universally in the national and Illinois media, the AP linked DeSantis’ support for antibody treatments to a Citadel investment in Regeneron and Griffin’s campaign contributions to DeSantis.
It was a smear job, creating the impression that Regeneron’s product is snake oil peddled by DeSantis as a return favor. DeSantis responded appropriately, saying the column was a blatant political attack.
The AP wasn’t alone. A Bloomberg columnist on Twitter mocked DeSantis and the Regeneron product because of what he claimed it costs – $1,250 per dose – though vaccines are free. That’s false. DeSantis made the treatment free.
As you would expect, the press had another reason for dismissing the value of antibody treatments – Trump. He credited Regeneron’s product for helping with his recovery when he was infected. But that was because Regeneron’s CEO was a member of Trump’s golf club, said the Daily Mail. And Trump owned shares of Regeneron and Gilead, another mAb maker, so that must explain his claim, as USA Today would have you believe. “No, Regeneron did not cure Donald Trump of COVID,” The New Republic flatly told us in a headline, as if they had any idea.
The facts on antibody treatment have now overrun that political hype. Still today, however, the public remains mostly unaware of the efficacy and availability of the treatment, except in a few states like Florida. Although treatments are now being rationed, they are available to people in high risk groups everywhere.
Too bad the federal government didn’t ramp up its purchases of the product earlier. Too bad every state didn’t promote it as heavily as Florida did. Too bad states like Illinois still aren’t talking about it. Too bad governors in states like Illinois aren’t saying what DeSantis is now saying, which is that he will “fight like hell” to get what he can of the available treatments now being rationed.
Too bad because we will never know how many lives might have been saved.
*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
My wife has received antibodies twice. My boss, fully vaccinated has received them once after testing positive.
It comes down to the same reason a cure for cancer or diabetes the big pharmaceuticals are making millions off people with these diseases requiring medication to stay alive. Feels like a control problem for sure
Here’s an interesting study from Japan.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.22.457114v1.full
Everything about the virus has been politicized. Everything about the treatments has been politicized & monetized.
And, as usual, a certain political party has maintained absolute control of their low-info minions, who follow blindly, while their mind-masters control their thoughts & the party of tolerance kills their grandma to save money in medicare & medicaid payments.
This country is polarized. I see no way out ot the polarity. All the righteous can do is continue to love God, love people, do what’s right & speak truth.
Why couldn’t a mobile unit be established, licensed medical professionals who would administer MABs via house call?
No reason that I could see the procedure consists of nothing more than putting in an IV tube and hanging up a bag of Regeneron until its empty. They did do a quickie EKG before hand, no biggie, and thats probably a legal precaution. You could be sitting or laying. The reason it wont happen is because its way too smart of an idea and govt seems to be in control of everything covid-wise.
Let’s back up even further. Why weren’t health authorities and media out there trumpeting in March 2020 “eat fresh foods, don’t drink 5 cokes a day, get lots of sleep, take Vitamin D/zinc/multivitamins, get fresh air, etc”? Where? Anyone? It was dead silence. Oh wait, Pope Fauci DID say that in 2019 before all this started. But then he went mysteriously silent during the pandemic. The notion that somehow the “experts” didn’t know what to do in March 2020 is blasphemy. It was all part of the plan to raise fear. We’ve been had. Fauci in 2019: Best Way to… Read more »
have you seen the line at any given mcdonalds drive thru lately?!-so its my responsibility to keep all the overweight fat asses from getting covid!?-yeah,right
hello mcfly, early treatment is not being promoted BECAUSE THEY WANT US ALL DEAD OR ENSLAVED WITH A PASSPORT SYSTEM!!!!
WAKE UP!!!
Waggs absolutely nailed it. The US Government’s management of COVID is the crime of the century. FFS Fauci funded the Wuhan lab’s work on gain of function research into this man-made coronavirus with US tax payer money (my money). This is a statement of fact. There are endless questions about the effectiveness of the original US vaccines, endless. Over 200 million have been vaccinated in the US over the past year and COVID case rates are 400% higher than a year ago when no one was vaccinated. Every single place in the world that has instituted the US vaccines has… Read more »
The government thinks we’re all stupid. Here’s a question, why can’t they work on, and supply, vaccines and treatments simultaneously? It’s not an either/or situation! There is another agenda here and that’s also part of the reason people are resisting the vaccines. Science/Medicine has been politicized in this country and that’s a shame because trust in our medical system is at an all-time low.
Because the politicians are in the pockets of the vaccine makers.
I wonder how much Hunter Biden gets for each vaccine shot.
Follow the money.
Vaccines and masks are all they want to talk about. I think it’s just incompetence, which they’ve dug in because they are so politically invested in it.
75% of vax eligibles have gotten the vax. That’s why mandates are so popular. They got the shot and now they want you to get the shot too.
The fact that prophylactic and early treatment therapeutics are being not only not routinely offered, but in many cases doctors are being told by their networks to not mention them, is the crime of the century. People have been (and still are) being told by the medical establishment that there’s nothing they can do, unless they get so sick as to need hospitalization. I don’t know how a doctor with any integrity allows this. Can you imagine an asthmatic wheezing for days and/or weeks, and being given no treatment, until he gets to the hospital?!? I love how the same… Read more »
“Every reporter in every presser should be asking every politician, director of public health, Fauci-acolyte, etc. the following until they get some actual answers.” Dead on. And you listed exactly the right questions. But they won’t do squat.
I would also add this question to the mix, in light of the WGNTV report asking when the mask mandates will end (as cases/hospitalizations/deaths are dropping): The CDC defines “close contact” as being within 6 feet of someone for 15 minutes or longer, thus you should wear masks for protection in that scenario. So, what is the point of wearing a mask in Target or Jewel when a) I am rarely within 6 feet of anyone, and b) if I am, it most certainly is not for anywhere near 15 minutes? “It’s much easier to fool people, than to convince… Read more »
Yes, that is among a number irrational edicts.
1.This is discussed and mentioned all the time. Natural immunity exists and is important. It’s just that, for Covid, natural immunity has been clearly shown to be inferior to vaccine-induced immunity. Did you perform fundamental analysis of the evidence or did you just click nonspecific sources that confirmed your views? 2.The medical world is far from perfect but the outcomes are still based on solid foundations and, usually, the medications and treatments prescribed are a result of a solid and peer-reviewed process, not some kind of superficial hunch tainted by ideology. Almost all of the alternatives mentioned so far, individually… Read more »
Carl, how on earth can you say that “natural immunity has been clearly shown to be inferior to vaccine-induced immunity”? It seems to me that experts now universally agree that natural immunity is more robust, especially in light of the Israeli study finding that natural immunity is 13X more robust that the Pfizer vaccine? Yes, I know that we aren’t certain how long natural immunity lasts, but that’s because there is no good evidence yet that it is expiring, though we know vaccine immunity often is expiring.
Mark, I think Carl was referring to the studies that show that COVID infection doesn’t always lead to antibody production, while the vaccine produces a consistent B humoral response.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/9/21-1042_article
Buddy, true enough if that’s what he meant, but I do not read it that way.
The intent here is not to morph this discussion using the ‘us’ vs ‘them’ prism. Both natural and vaccine-induced immunity are important. It’s not one against the other; they are complementary. Studies are coming along and are helping to define the relative importance of both and one of them recently suggested (in specific circumstances) advantages for natural immunity but the evidence that has been gathered so far overwhelmingly show the significant superior efficacy of vaccine induced immunity. If your dogmatic conclusion maintains that the earth is flat and you want to force me to agree, i will say: “and yet… Read more »
Carl, I said nothing about prioritizing natural immunity as a policy. Natural immunity is an outcome, not a policy, and the only point is to recognize that it exists. If you think I am wrong to say that natural immunity is at least as robust as vaccine immunity, you are willfully blind to the overwhelming majority of experts who have said so recently.
It’s interesting that you refer to ‘experts’ in order to support your point of view, interesting because it’s a good starting point.. Are you referring to Alex Berenson? Just name the source and i will look at it (or them) (i’ve been really trying hard to find solid disconfirming evidence). Please help. You may be interested to read the recent article from the WSJ editorial board (i typically appreciate their focus on personal responsibility) about vaccines, booster shots and antibody treatments and the relative effectiveness of options given your hybrid private-public healthcare system: “By the way, the U.S. government is… Read more »
Jeez, do a Google search on natural immunity. I already mentioned the Israeli study but there is lots else out there. WSJ has been especially on top of the natural immunity story. It’s as if you are reading things to say the opposite of what they say. I think our little exchange on this illustrates what has been going on nationally: When the subject of natural immunity comes up, reason goes out the door in denying its role.
??? i suggest to submit specific factual and fundamental data in order to engage in a constructive discussion and the reference given is Google? i wonder also if you realize that i’m on your side except that i’m trying to help you build a stronger case instead of emotional and divisive political rhetoric. i follow the literature and literally do the work and, in order to counter conscious and unconscious bias (at least i try), i typically start with the hypothesis contrary to where consensus seems to be going ie natural immunity is better and reject that hypothesis only when… Read more »
Don’t make us do the work for you. Onus is on you to prove it since you are the one out there trumpeting vaxx and mandates.
Fair point, Carl, in that the best way to strengthen an argument is to do your damndest to poke holes in it yourself. Here’s the rub, though (and I will use the “our side v. their side” euphemisms, because we all know what they mean)… Whenever “our side” tries to present “disconfirming evidence”, it is routinely dismissed as… a few stories, a conspiracy theory, or misinformation, and not real data. Unfortunately for “their side”, the efficacy and/or safety of the vaccines can now also be dismissed as “stories” and also not based on data. It happened the moment they unmasked… Read more »
To stop a trial when a research arm shows clear and significant benefit has become the norm (and rightly so). It’s still possible to obtain relevant data for decision making. In 2020, i was betting more on treatments than on vaccines but developing evidence eventually clearly pushed in favor of vaccines. It is what it is and the coronavirus doesn’t care about your politics. Here’s a summary of best evidence for safety, at this point: A survey published in The Lancet identified that concern about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines due to rush development (36%, 139/388) and concern about potential side effects… Read more »
You have stated multiple times that you work in the industry, and your analysis has led you to conclude that vaccine-induced immunity is superior to natural. But, I have a close friend who worked his entire career in vaccine development, who (like you) has read the studies, looked at the data, reflected on his own knowledge, and has concluded the opposite (natural > vaccine immunity). He is also not anti-vax, since he got it himself. So, when we have two people who (seemingly) have the same knowledge and background drawing two different conclusions, what are the rest of us supposed… Read more »
If you hesitate with important decisions when uncertainty is present… If you don’t do the work, you have to rely on someone else and then it’s a question of trust. In various posts, i supply the basic underlying data and reasoning so that you can formulate your own opinions. The basic data for vaccines is highly skewed to superior results vs natural immunity and natural experiments (countries vs countries, states vs states etc) that put more emphasis on natural immunity are reporting worse disease burden results (it’s quite obvious really). A response would be to acknowledge the developing conclusions. Another… Read more »
There is no “overwhelming” evidence of superior immunity by the vaxx. The fact that we are talking about boosters demonstrates the waning usefulness of the vaxx. Natural immunity can last a lifetime. Vaxx immunity length is completely unknown. Why do I know that? They skipped the long term trials. Good grief.
I rarely see reinfection stats posted anywhere. I don’t know if they even keep track of these things.
1.) Natural immunity is discussed by people who have intellectual curiosity, and dismissed by people who are pushing the one-size-fits-all (i.e. vax or die) solution to this. 2.) Again, hundreds of doctors using a treatment with positive results are routinely dismissed, and their results are not followed up on. Often, doctors have their jobs threatened for trying to help their patients. It’s almost as if no one is interested in hearing something promising. It’s a “novel” coronavirus. We most certainly haven’t been taking the time to “peer-review” the vaccines. Just going to go whole hog with those. Where is your… Read more »
First, allocating your hip OA to volleyball is controversial and one needs to assess this cause-and-effect relationship on a case by case basis and there is always residual uncertainty. If we ever meet, my BMI is 21, my % body fat is 11 and my resting heart rate is 47 this week (and i do play volleyball). i’m not afraid of the virus but got the vaccines including one dose (1st) from Astra-Zeneca given by the US to Canada (thank you) and the second was an RNA vaccine. The ‘ideology’ used was get this thing done and let’s move on… Read more »
Carl – Here is an interesting study out of Japan that natural immunity produces more antibodies against Delta mutations. Somewhat long but detailed. We are learning more every day since studies do take some time. In the meantime while they sort things out I will keep my Vitamin D level at 40-70-take b-complex-melatonin-zinc-probiotic-magnesium daily to keep my immune system at optimum levels. So far blood tests confirm I am close to optimum. It does take time to increase Vit. D levels (weeks to months) but the others I mentioned can be done quicker.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.22.457114v1.full
Yes, interesting and valuable study. You are stretching the conclusion though. The study suggests that the virus will eventually escape immunity barriers (whatever their origin) if given the opportunity to do so (like when allowing high levels of community spreads (see Florida, Texas etc). The focus on spike proteins used as antigens came with many great advantages but also comes with this immunity escape possibility and, as the author mention, a potential solution is to alter the target antigens for the development of new vaccines, if necessary. For your benefit, here are two excellent studies showing amazing efficacy of vaccines,… Read more »
Two people I know in CI who had been ‘vaccinated’ with the J&J ‘jab’ contracted Covid a few months ago. They got the J&J because they both have a number of serious comorbids and thought the J&J was the least harsh ‘vaccine’ given the side effects from Pfizer and Moderna mRNA. They were smart enough to quickly get tested when they thought they had Covid symptoms. They were given intravenous antibody at home, and within a day felt significantly better.
Pritzker says he’s been ‘fighting like hell for Illinois’. Except when it goes against the Democrats political narratives.
It has to come down to money and who stands to profit. You say DeSantis was smeared for his support of Regeneron, likely so.It was widely known that this treatment was likely what got Trump up and running after he had to be hospitalized due to COVID. Why then, did HE not direct the government to acquire, purchase, and promote its efficacy? You see, this goes both ways. Even our health care system has become politicized. We do not do what is medically prudent if the other team is in favor. Israel, which is also polarized, has somehow been able… Read more »
Once people realize the Fedal level Demonrats and RINOs are playing on the same team, it becomes much easier for them to realize why we are doomed. There is only 1 party in the USA with a super duper majority (maybe 20% of Republicans that are truly conservatives and trying to help citizens).
In Illinois, its like 99% Demonrat controlled because of Crook County, so we are only left with 2 choices: stay or leave.
yea,and in the meantime,shutup ,dont ask any questions,and wear your mask!-and the sheeple willingly comply with anything our ” picture of health” governor mandates!-all a bunch of weak lemmings
perhaps another hypothesis on why…..
the EUA’s for the vaccines are legally predicated on the current formal approval status of prophylactic and therapeutic treatments
or HCQ and Ivermectin
If any are officially approved as such the EUA for the vaccines is put at risk….and the resulting profits of the Big Pharma giants because of it.
GO to the EUA and read them its in black and white.
Definitely another part of the arsenal to help already infected people!! Unfortunately most people I know are still denying they have COVID at the point in which these antibodies are most effective.
Interesting info on how these are made. Originally from a COVID patient from Singapore and GM mice (modified to have a human immune system) exposed to COVID. Drugs are harvested from hamster cells! Wow!!
https://apnews.com/article/new-york-health-coronavirus-pandemic-07814fd9e08036e6d15cf04add374d2b
It appears that it’s taking awhile for the *right people* to obtain enough Regeneron stock at a low enough price, to make it worthwhile to promote & thus gain financially…
Regeneron the company deserves to make a fortune on this stuff, so they keep making more!
It depends on where you go when you get Covid. Just stay away from a hospital, you’ll lose all control over getting Regeneron. The hospital may also decide to intubate you, needlessly, and you cant say a thing about it. Going into a hospital means you give up all control. On 8/31 my wife and I tested positive for Covid. We went to an Express medical place. Upon telling us we were positive the doctor listed to us our options. Of course he listed hydroxychloroquin as something that wouldn’t work, same for ivermectin, those might have prophylactic value though. But… Read more »
Wow. Thank you for sharing that story and that advice.
Ill add the irony of all this… I contracted Covid from my regular doctors office. The only time I left the house was for my bi-annual prescription renewal appointment at the doctor. 3 days later I felt sick. Also ironically I probably got it from a vaccinated person carrying a high viral load, comfortably.
Wow. Thank you for sharing that story and that advice.
For some reason, your post made me think of a song: Comfortably Numb.
“I’ll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts?”
Interesting perspective.
There are some positive aspects in favor of the use of neutralizing antibodies.
However, reading the above and the comments below, one gets the impression that the way Florida is handling the Covid disease burden is the gold standard?
Carl, there is nothing whatsoever in the column implying that. The column is solely about antibody treatment.
Fair enough. You are correct if the angle is: The politicization of antibody treatment. i’ve been exchanging with MDs and healthcare workers in Florida and they are really tired of the politicized aspect. FWIW, my practice over the years involved a growing share of second, third etc opinions and the message that i get from this is that the growing proportion of unsatisfied ‘clients’ would have never grown to this extent if the ‘right’ thing had been done in the first place. Note: i’ve always respected patients’ opinions even when going against strong evidence but it’s hard to reconcile with… Read more »
.
Is it a hobby of yours to go on the WP site and post silly stuff?
President Joe Biden’s administration including HHS has changed the rules of how antibody treatments are distributed in the name of equity.
And for some odd reason that definition of equity uses race as the primary distribution criteria, as opposed to for instance medical need?
One would assume from the chart above that Texas has a bigger need for the product at this point in time than Illinois.
So what will the Joe Biden / HHS distribution allocation to Florida and Illinois look like?
That’s not my understanding based on the stuff i’ve looked at so far. i will look into it more (the political aspect…) and wouldn’t mind being educated here if you share substantial info to support your opinion. From what i’ve read, the new distribution ‘strategy’ is based on actual disease burden by state. Reading a balanced source of inputs reveals that complaints are coming from a bipartisan spectrum: some in both the individual and collective responsibility crowds suggest that the new ‘strategy’ is unfair. Biden administration moves to prevent shortage of COVID-19 antibody treatments | Fortune i’d like to add… Read more »
http://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/03/17/biden-administration-to-invest-150-million-to-expand-access-to-covid-19-treatments-in-underserved-communities.html
Read the press release not just the headline.
Also, the obsession on equity masks a trend to socialism.
Thank you, that’s helpful for perspective and to understand what you’re getting at. The ‘equity’ discussion is a much larger one (and one which ‘we’ won’t resolve today). i wonder if your political prism is not amplifying an issue which IMO would require constructive pushback instead of a divisive approach. If you see the situation like the CEO of a company whose aim is to maximize the wellbeing of workers, the ‘equity’ question would come along. A large part of the allocation ‘strategy’ is to promote the use of the treatment across the country with a marginal impact in order… Read more »
The Biden administration has made it clear that equity is embedded in the COVID treatment decision making process. Thus it is helpful to include equity in every analysis of Biden administration COVID treatment decisions. Equity in this sense is a philosophy, pursued with a religious like fervor. Notice once again the wording in the HHS press release. Notice what the press release does and does not say. For instance, the press release leads not with “surging cases” or something along those lines, but “underserved communities.” Are the underserved communities those with the most critical need? Or is the obsession with… Read more »
Here is the framework mentioned in the HHS press release that is being used to determine the distribution of the referenced COVID treatments.
CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/index.html
That is a Federal agency (CDC) equity initiative being used by another Federal agency (HHS) in justifying Federal intervention in the delivery of COVID medical treatments.
These points are interesting and help with perspective but the topic here is the “shortage” of neutralizing antibody treatments. You (the US and in a bipartisan way) have developed a hybrid private-public healthcare system and ‘equity’ discussions need to happen, somehow. The political (and ‘values’) angle adds a level of difficulty. From bottom (people i’ve spoken to on the ground; from both sides of the political aisle) and from the top (policy announcements etc), i get the sense that there is an ‘equity’ component but the policies seem to be primarily designed to deliver the product where it is most… Read more »
Equity discussions are political discussions.
Start making sense.
Problem is that if a treatment is available and works without FDA “approval” doctors cannot advise patients to take them for fear of litigation. Like I posted a link before about the FDA not approving Metformin for 37 years and possibly causing the premature deaths of up to 8 million people assuming they were all prescribed the drug. Metformin was approved in England in 1958 and Canada in 1972 but not widely available in the US until 1995. How many drugs have the FDA approved and caused great harm and then taken off the market? Vioxx-Bextra-Thalidomide come to mind. Accutane… Read more »
Abundant research available on Google Scholar.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejme2034495
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00382-5/fulltext
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867421007030
A friend of mine was very sick with covid. He received the REGEN treatment and started feeling better within a day. FDA is one of the most corrupt organizations out there. Fauci needs to go, not getting rid of him was one of Trumps mistakes.
Had President Trump gotten rid of him, the Dems would have reengaged him with fanfare. He’s pliable and touts their agenda – whatever it may be.