FDA Blocks Florida From Using Monoclonal Antibody Treatment, Sites Shut Down Statewide

The Florida Department of Health announced Monday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made an “abrupt decision to remove emergency use authorization for two monoclonal antibodies,” which effectively shut down treatment sites statewide.

The FDA said in its statement that it is removing the authorization because the treatments “are highly unlikely to be active against the omicron variant.”

“Florida disagrees with the decision that blocks access to any available treatments in the absence of clinical evidence,” the Florida Health Department blasted in a press release. “To date, such evidence has not been provided by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”

“In the future, if patients in certain geographic regions are likely to be infected or exposed to a variant that is susceptible to these treatments, then use of these treatments may be authorized in these regions,” the FDA statement reads.

Back in September, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) secured additional doses of the potentially lifesaving treatment despite the Biden administration taking control of the treatment and effectively reducing Florida’s necessary supply.