Alabama Doctors Concerned About Biden Admin Limiting Monoclonal Antibody Treatments
https://www.newsweek.com/alabama-doctors...atments-1628997
By Jenni Fink On 9/14/21 at 12:16 PM EDT


Alabama doctors are concerned about the impact on health care systems after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) decided to temporarily limit monoclonal antibody orders.

The summer's surge in coronavirus cases prompted spikes in orders for monoclonal antibodies, and 70 percent of orders were being sent to just seven states. With a limited supply of doses, the HHS announced it was temporarily limiting the number of doses that could be ordered at any given time in an effort to ensure the treatment remains available for future patients.

Dr. Aruna Arora, president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, said in a statement that the announcement came at a time when Alabama's hospitals are "full and under tremendous stress." Given the level of hospitalizations the state is experiencing, physicians are "very concerned" about the move to limit supply and access, she said.

In Alabama, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, surges in COVID-19 hospitalizations are overwhelming health care systems. This is affecting health care workers' ability to treat not only COVID-19 patients but also all patients who require hospitalization for any reason, putting even those who are vaccinated at risk.-- excerpt, rest at link above --