Gov. DeSantis disagrees with FDA’s monoclonal antibody treatment changes

Published: Updated:
FILE – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the opening of a monoclonal antibody site Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, in Pembroke Pines, Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 said he will call state lawmakers back to work early to pass legislation to combat coronavirus vaccine mandates enacted by businesses. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The FDA is restricting monoclonal antibody treatments for people with COVID-19. As a result, monoclonal antibody treatment sites in Florida have closed.

Despite the FDA’s decision, Governor Ron DeSantis remains a supporter of monoclonal antibody treatments.

The monoclonal treatment location in Naples just opened on Thursday. Four days later, the FDA revoked its emergency use authorization for Regeneron and Eli Lilly.

“When we literally have 1,000s of patients that have appointments at the centers around the state. We’ve got all these health care workers who are assuming they’re going into work,” said Florida Department of Health Deputy Secretary Dr. Kenneth Scheppke.

Gov. DeSantis also doesn’t like it. At a news conference on Tuesday, the governor stared squarely in the face of reporters and bashed the Biden administration. “It’s just fundamentally wrong, and we’re gonna fight back.”

The governor said the federal government didn’t follow the science.

The federal government said the same about the governor. In a tweet, a department of health and human spokesperson wrote, “Why is Gov. DeSantis more interested in promoting medicines that don’t work than urging people to take vaccines that do?”

 WINK News asked Doctor Marissa Levine, with USF Public Health, what exactly is going on.

“Unfortunately, these issues have become political. But I stick with what makes good clinical and scientific sense,” said Levine.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.