Officials: Enough monoclonal antibody for those who need it
Oklahoma could see smaller shipments of monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19 now that the federal government has clamped down on distribution of the therapeutics in an effort to distribute them equitably.
In some states, the distribution changes have prompted fears of shortages. But Oklahoma officials said the changes are meant to help stave off shortages — and that they’re confident Oklahomans who need the potentially life-saving therapeutics will be able to access them.
The Department of Health and Human Services shifted last week from allowing health care facilities to order shipments of monoclonal antibody treatments directly to allocating a set number of doses per state, then having state health departments distribute them to individual sites.
The change came after seven states — Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia and Louisiana — accounted for 70% of orders for monoclonal antibody treatments, according to the Associated Press.
“Given this reality, we must work to ensure our supply of these life-saving therapies remains available for all states and territories, not just some,” the department said in a statement, according to the AP.
Elyce Holloway, the state hospital preparedness program coordinator with the Oklahoma Health Department, said for the last month, Oklahoma facilities have been using about 2,000 doses per week of monoclonal antibody treatments.
In recent weeks, facilities across Oklahoma had been requesting shipments that sometimes totaled upwards of 5,000, though that number has fluctuated, Holloway said.
This week, the federal government allocated Oklahoma 3,072 doses of monoclonal antibody treatments, according to the Health Department. That’s enough to keep up with how many doses are being used across the state, but Holloway said it’s likely that the state won’t be able to provide sites with all the doses they request.
“I will work to always make sure that we are getting the sites enough to support the utilization that they have currently shown,” she said. “So, it’s not it’s not so much that they’re not getting what they need — they’re not getting what they asked for.”
She said it’s not uncommon for sites to request more than double the number of doses they use in a given week.
The federal government will determine states’ weekly allocations by their COVID-19 case burden and how many doses of the treatments states are using, according to HHS.
The change is meant to ensure that the therapeutics are distributed equitably and going to the places that need them most, said LaWanna Halstead, vice president of quality and clinical initiatives with the Oklahoma Hospital Association.
“Right now, across the state, I’m not hearing anybody that is not getting enough to cover what they need on that given day, even though we’re just one week into this process now,” she said this week.
Holloway, of the state Health Department, said the state has a stock of about 9,000 doses of the treatments.
“There’s no reason why any Oklahoman should not have access that is currently eligible and in need of monoclonal therapy,” she said.
Even as cases and hospitalizations have begun to slow, demand is still high for the treatments, said Dr. David Chansolme, medical director of infection prevention with Integris Health.
The treatment is available both to those who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who have been, and Chansolme said the health system has seen plenty of both receive the infusions.
When they’re given early on, they can be highly effective at keeping a case of COVID-19 mild and preventing hospitalization.
But the treatments are absolutely not a replacement or substitute for getting vaccinated, Chansolme said.
Vaccinations are still the mainstay of tools to fight the pandemic, said Dr. Gitanjali Pai, chief medical officer with the state Health Department.
What you need to know about monoclonal antibody treatments
The treatments work best the earlier someone can access them, Pai said. They can be given within 10 days after symptoms start, but soonest is best, she said.
Who’s eligible
Monoclonal antibody treatments are approved for patients 12 and older (and who weigh at least 88 pounds) who are at high risk for having a more serious case of COVID-19 or being hospitalized.
Someone could be considered highrisk for a number of reasons, including obesity, pregnancy, diabetes and many other medical conditions. Anyone 65 and older, regardless of medical conditions, qualifies, according to HHS.
For a full list of conditions that may make a person eligible for the treatments, visit the HHS website.
The Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatment, which became well known after former President Donald Trump received the infusion when he was ill with COVID-19 last year, can also be used as post-exposure prophylaxis, Pai said.
That means someone who has been exposed to COVID-19 and is high risk may also qualify for the treatment, she said.
Where to get an infusion
The state Health Department recommends reaching out to a health care provider to determine whether you may be eligible for the treatment and find an infusion location.
The federal Health and Human Services Department also keeps a database of providers that have received shipments of monoclonal antibody treatments, which can be found here.
Currently, there are about 160 Oklahoma providers across the state giving the infusions, according to the Health Department.