People seeking treatment for COVID-19 through the monoclonal antibody program may have to look elsewhere after a recent update from Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack.
Two of the three FDA-authorized monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 in the United States have been deemed ineffective against the latest omicron variant. Because of that finding, new shipments of those antibodies to Kentucky officially ended on January 3.
The third FDA-authorized monoclonal antibody is available nationwide in extremely limited quantities. Stack said that unless supplies increase or new monoclonal antibodies effective against the omicron variant are released, supplies in Kentucky will be extremely limited, and many treatment locations will not have monoclonal antibodies to offer at their sites.
Jennie Stuart Director of Marketing and Community Relations Chris Jung said that includes Jennie Stuart Health, which had been frequently administering the treatment and making it available to qualified patients from around the region.
A monoclonal antibody is a laboratory-made protein that mimics the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful viruses that can cause disease. It is a treatment that may make COVID-19 less severe and hasten recovery. Stack has said monoclonal antibody treatment is not a substitute for the COVID-19 vaccine, but had been proven to sustain resources, and charting a 99-percent effectiveness rate in reducing severe disease, hospitalization, or death.
Jung said if the supply chain is altered, and monoclonal treatments again become available, Jennie Stuart Health will provide an update on its availability.
