US moving remdesivir supplies to COVID-19 hotspots
pharmafile | July 6, 2020 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Arizona, COVID, states, texas
The US government is sending significant remdesivir supplies to states that are being hit hardest by the coronavirus.
Florida, Arizona and Texas have seen a steep increase in cases, with the US remaining one of the worst hit countries in the world by the pandemic.
Dr Stephan Hahn, the FDA commissioner, spoke to CNN on the most recent developments, and said: “We have been in touch with the states and the localities to surge remdesivir to the areas that most need it. And we are receiving that feedback and then shipping remdesivir, so that it’s available for people who need it. We have new therapeutics that we didn’t have at the time, so treatments, remdesivir, steroids, and this plasma program, where over 28,000 people have been treated.”
The US has come under criticism for buying most of the world’s stock of Gilead’s drug remdesivir. The drug is the first to be approved for coronavirus patients in the US, and the first 140,000 doses have been used up by clinical trials around the world. The Trump administration has now bought 500,000 doses which is 90% of Gilead’s, the drug’s manufacturer, supply for July, August and September.
States like Texas and Arizona have also mandated the wearing of masks in public, outdoors and inside, to combat the pandemic.
Conor Kavanagh
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