Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Supplies Of Eli Lilly's COVID Antibody Treatment Expected To Be Strained
The Washington Post: Trump Officials Promise Fair Distribution Of New Covid-19 Antibody Drug, But Limited Supply And Logistical Problems Loom
Trump administration officials Tuesday promised to fairly and swiftly distribute the first covid-19 treatment that helps to protect people with mild illness from developing severe symptoms. But the drug’s extremely limited supply and logistical difficulties in administering it could restrict how many people get access to it. The Eli Lilly & Co. drug is similar to an experimental treatment President Trump received when he was infected with the novel coronavirus. It is a laboratory-brewed antibody that imitates the immune system’s attack on the virus. (Wan, 11/10)
The Hill: Health Officials To Begin Distribution Of Eli Lilly Antibody Drug This Week
The federal government will begin distributing Eli Lilly's coronavirus antibody treatment this week, but supplies will be limited and getting the drug into infected patients will be a challenge, officials said. The drug itself is administered through an IV infusion that takes more than an hour and requires another hour of observation afterward, officials said. (Weixel, 11/10)
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Stat: For Eli Lilly's Covid-19 Treatment, A Dosing Discrepancy Causes Confusion
Some clinicians are confused about the best dosing for Eli Lilly’s new Covid-19 treatment, which the Food and Drug Administration approved for emergency use on Monday. The drug is a monoclonal antibody, a lab-concocted version of what our bodies produce to fight off the new coronavirus. (Boodman, 11/10)
Fox News: Lilly’s Antibody IV Infusions For Coronavirus Patients To Present ‘Unique Challenges,’ Top Officials Say
While Eli Lilly’s investigational monoclonal antibody drug, bamlanivimab, just received FDA emergency approval to treat mild coronavirus patients, top officials voiced concerns over its challenging IV infusion process. “We anticipate that initially, there will be challenges for the health care system in administering IV infusions to infected patients,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, therapeutics lead for Operation Warp Speed, told reporters over a call on Tuesday. (Rivas, 11/10)
Stat: FDA Requires Lilly To Address Quality Control At Plant Making Covid-19 Drug
The Food and Drug Administration is requiring Eli Lilly (LLY) to hire consultants to test batches and vet quality-testing data at a manufacturing plant where its Covid-19 antibody treatment is being made, a mandate that comes after the agency found quality control problems during two separate inspections over the past year. (Silverman, 11/10)
