Florida Sens. Rick Scott (R) and Marco Rubio (R) are demanding answers on the Biden administration’s decision to ration lifesaving coronavirus treatment, describing the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) decision as “unethical and inexcusable.”
In a September 30 letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the Republican senators questioned the administration’s decision to ration the distribution of lifesaving monoclonal antibodies for states that need it, describing the decision as “incredibly disturbing.”
“This change in policy could reduce the availability of these lifesaving medications to Floridians as well as individuals and families in other states,” they said, explaining how the policy affects the Sunshine State, specifically:
Under this new policy, Florida’s allocation has been set at about 31,000 doses of monoclonal antibodies, despite the fact that Florida needs about 36,000 doses each week. This stark difference in doses available as compared to doses used, and rationing of supply, will jeopardize the health and safety of Floridians, increase hospitalizations, and could lead to higher mortality rates.
They followed with 11 questions, including one asking why HHS has not developed a “robust plan to promote and expand the supply of monoclonal antibody therapy.”
“The only way through this global pandemic is to ensure prevention and treatment options are available for every American. We are vaccinated, and we encourage every American to talk to their doctor and consider getting the vaccine,” they clarified.
“However, we know that for the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, proper treatment with monoclonal antibodies can mean the difference between beating COVID-19 or succumbing to this terrible virus,” they added.
“Restricting the supply of lifesaving treatment is unethical and inexcusable,” the Republicans said.
The letter comes on the heels of the lawmakers’ introduction of the Treatment Restoration for Emergency Antibody Therapeutics (TREAT) Act, which would “prohibit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing policies that restrict hospitals and other appropriate healthcare facilities from ordering and receiving COVID-19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments directly from manufacturers and distributors.”
Last month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced the Sunshine State would receive 3,000 doses of the GlaxoSmithKline antibody treatment product, sutrovimab, to supplement the Regeneron shortages triggered by the Biden administration’s actions.
In an exclusive On the Hill interview with Breitbart News, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) expressed the belief that Biden is rationing such treatment for “political reasons.”
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Matthew Perdie, Jack Knudsen
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