WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis’ demand that the federal government restart the distribution of two types of monoclonal antibodies, saying the Florida Republican is advocating for a treatment that public health officials say is ineffective against the omicron coronavirus variant.
“Let’s just take a step back here just to realize how crazy this is a little bit,” Psaki told reporters. “We’ve approached COVID treatments like filling a medicine cabinet. We’re not relying on one type, one brand or treatment. We invested in and continue to buy a variety across monoclonal antibodies, pre-exposure prevention therapies and oral antivirals.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday barred health care providers from using monoclonal treatments manufactured by Regeneron and Eli Lilly, a decision that meant the federal government would no longer distribute them across the country. That drew a rebuke from DeSantis, who said the treatments have been important to the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in the past.
