Inside the extraordinary effort to save Trump from covid-19

SNIP
A five-day stretch in October 2020 - from the moment White House officials began an extraordinary effort to get Trump lifesaving drugs to the day the president returned to the White House from the hospital - marked a dramatic turning point in the nation's flailing coronavirus response. Trump's brush with severe illness and the prospect of death caught the White House so unprepared that they had not even briefed Vice President Mike Pence's team on a plan to swear him in if Trump became incapacitated.

Their warnings had gone unheeded, and now some would pay a price. Trump hadn't wanted to go to the hospital, but his aides had spelled out the choice: He could go to the hospital Friday, while he could still walk on his own, or he could wait until later, when the cameras could capture him in a wheelchair or gurney. There would be no hiding his condition then.

At least two of those who were briefed on Trump's medical condition that weekend said he was gravely ill and feared that he wouldn't make it out of Walter Reed. People close to Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, said he was consumed with fear that Trump might die.
ENDSNIP

https://www.yahoo.com/news/inside-extraordinary-effort-save-trump-193026513.html

New book coming out next week..... Might be worth a read when it becomes free at the library...

The public knew a lot of this (from the excerpt), but I don't think all of it.... Sounds like this guy easily could have been RIP if he wasn't the POTUS....

Instead, they shoved all sorts of experimental stuff in him (at the same time) and it worked.... Then he lauds the drugs he received, that only the select few could get.

What a guy...

 

What president isn't going to get preferential treatment if he is gravely ill?

 

Who do you think is withholding those drugs from you and why?

 

None... I just would have thought there would have been an actual plan before/during and a measure of humility afterwards...

We got neither....

Karma is very unpredictable....

 

Is anyone aware the monoclonal antibodies Trump received have passed phase 3 clinical trials? They not only treat Covid, but given to uninfected individuals can prevent infection , reducing chance of infection by 81%!

We have a non vaccine product capable of preventing infection almost as well as current vaccines in use. This monoclonal antibody cocktail has had emergency use authorization (EUA) since last fall and has been in use as a treatment. Now we know it also prevents infection but there are no calls for EUA for use as an alternative to vaccination. Clinical trial data was released April 13, almost two and a half months ago.

I’ll bet none of you knew this. Why? Find it a little odd we’ve been looking for and crying about not having treatments but now we do and nobody is aware? Find it odd that we have an alternative to vaccination for those concerned about the vaccines but have no interest in letting people know about it let alone use it? Are we really concerned about unvaccinated people spreading Covid? If so why are we not giving them this option?

 

Perhaps the desire to distribute a vaccine exceeds the desire to distribute a treatment that curtails the need for a vaccine.

 

What makes you think anti-vaxxers would consider a different option that still required injections into your system??

Also, it seems the administration takes an hour of IV time, telling me it's probably going to be more expensive to manufacture...

PLUS, it's still recommended you get the vaccine after this treatment.

PLUS PLUS, either vaccine currently in widespread use does reportedly better than 81%...

https://www.houstonmethodist.org/bl...dy-therapy-and-who-is-eligible-to-receive-it/

 

Maybe because monoclonal antibodies were first licensed for clinical use 30 years ago. And there has never been an mRNA vaccine licensed ever and the first adenovirus vector vaccine wasn’t licensed until a couple years ago. Are you not aware of these facts? If not aware of them why criticize those who are?

I don’t operate on “it seems”. The fact is this monoclonal antibody cocktail is simply a subcutaneous injection. Simple, easy, and fast. Similar to any other shot.

Well of course. By the same people who have lied repeatedly about masks, vaccines, and social distancing.

The nRNA are a two shot series and they are talking about a third or annual booster. One dose of monoclonal antibody is shown to last at least 6 months—the length of the study—and believed to last much longer.

You need to start asking why this very good option is not becoming available. It can be given to immunocompromised individuals who can not be safely vaccinated as well. The vaccines were given EUA in less than 30 days after release of phase 3 data. It’s been 2.5 months and no EUA to help the immunocompromised or those who don’t trust novel vaccines. You need to start asking why this is not common knowledge and why it’s being withheld even though it would save lives.

Sorry, no. The J&J vaccine only comes in at 85% in the best showings. This monoclonal prophylaxis was tested in people who shared living space with a confirmed infected individual! The antibody challenge was much stronger and still shows about the same efficacy as the adenovirus vector vaccine.

The mRNA vaccines are in the mid 90% so definitely a bit better as I already stated originally.

For people who are interested in this option, look into the bio of the founders of Regeneron and see what you think may be a factor in withholding this from the public.

 

Any president would receive preferential medical treatment. However, if they are not a sociopath, they would then acknowledge that covid is a serious disease, instead of pretending everyone can easily beat it, even if they do not have access to the preferential treatment. That's the difference between a president who cares about the country, and a president who only cares about himself.

 

Have you given any thought to why the current administration is not making this option available to the country ASAP? Seems to me only sociopaths would oppose a treatment/prophylactic that possibly saved the life of the previous president and has been shown effective in prevention of infection. How can we criticize one administration for being a guinea pig and not another who is withholding the same product after completion of formal trials? Remember I have no emotional attachment to either administration and can point out blatant denials of science by both presidents.

 

What in the world are you doing, QN? Back away from the keyboard and regroup yourself immediately. You mustn't ever talk about Orange Jesus that way. It triggers them. Just stop for your own sanity. Glad I could help.

 

The monoclonal antibody treatment has been approved by the FDA. There is no basis for claiming that the current administration is not making this treatment available. However, from a public health perspective, vaccination is preferable over antibody treatment,, due to higher efficacy of preventing severe covid disease, and the much lower cost.

In any case, please show evidence of your accusation that the current administration is withholding these treatments?

 

I’m always disappointed when you as a scientist make claims about treatments like this without having any understanding of them or basis for your opinions in empirical evidence.

If you will remember I had to educate the self proclaimed scientists here on PF on monoclonal antibodies back when Trump was given them. You all were repeating misinformation from the media instead of giving accurate information based on empirical evidence and known processes of monoclonal antibody production.

Unfortunately it seems the trend continues.

You are 100% incorrect. The Regen-Covid-2 monoclonal antibody cocktail was granted EUA last fall for specific use cases. There has been NO approval from FDA. Nor has there been an EUA for use as a prophylactic two and a half months after release of phase 3 trial data. Here is the existing EUA from Regeneron’s web site.

Now, as you failed to notice, trials of the antibodies were done in households with KNOWN SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. No trial of vaccines has been conducted where the experimental group was known to have been exposed to infected individuals. So it’s not proven, but likely the antibody anaphylaxis is more efficacious than vaccines. It’s known to be as efficacious as the J&J.

Cost is not a viable excuse. Not all vaccines cost the same to develop and manufacture. Also, cost is irrelevant to the immunocompromised that can not be vaccinated. We “wasted“ money on all kinds of things attempting to save life—your cost excuse sounds like something you would roundly criticize if made by a conservative.

Furthermore, I reiterate my point that if public health really is a priority (which posts like yours and others provide evidence it is not) we would give reluctant vaccinees an option that is acceptable to them and is very good at limiting viral transmission.

Now, I’m not launching a personal attack on you. I value your opinions as always. But this twisting of science and use of misinformation on Covid for political purposes has run it’s course. It’s time to judge information and politicians on merits determined by evidence, not by how good of a political weapon we can create out of information or misinformation.

I am open to information showing approval of Regen-Covid-2 as a prophylactic or that it has been approved or licensed in any form besides a very limited use EUA.

 

@Quantum Nerd, I failed to add above the claim it’s being withheld does not originate with me. The OP asserts it was not available to anyone but elites under the Trump administration—in other words withheld from the public. As it is still not as available as it should be we must conclude someone is withholding it. I clearly asked by whom and why earlier without meaningful response. If you believe someone besides the Biden administration is holding up EUA or licensing I’m open to other options.

 

Not remotely what I said, but thanks for playing our game...

In October 2020, pretty much Zippy was available to the GP.

But you can continue to spout conspiracy theories about why it's not readily available/pushed now... But my man @Quantum Nerd pretty much covered it in post #12...

 

I’m not into conspiracy theories. Only reality. Neither you or your man base your opinions on empirical evidence. You offer unsubstantiated opinions. I’m simply trying to get you to be consistent in your criticisms of politicians. And I’m pointing out your positions are based on ignorance and misinformation.

 

You are correct in that I didn't realize that the FDA revoked approval for the Eli Lilly antibody treatment, but the Regeneron monoclonal does have approval for emergency use, and, at least from what I see, that approval was never revoked:

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma...ovid-19-antibody-treatment-more-user-friendly

Now, for prophylaxis, I am not sure if anyone would suggest that monoclonal antibodies would be the correct way to go from a pubic health perspective. They would need to given on a constant basis, in contrast to the two times mRNA vaccine shots.

As to monoclonal antibody treatment of mild covid cases to prevent them from becoming severe, I don't know what the current status of availability is. What is clear is when Trump received his treatment, there was no widespread availability of the Regeneron cocktail. Maybe this has changed?

 

Regeneron only had EUA for use in high risk individuals with confirmed infections who are not yet hospitalized. Recently the EUA has been modified to allow subcutaneous administration as well as IV infusion. But it is still prohibited for use in responsible people. People who are high risk because they ate too much and don’t exercise are able to use Regen when infected. But responsible people still can not. And nobody can use it to prevent infection, even those immunocompromised by no fault of their own.

We are already talking about a third booster for mRNA vaccines and new formulations for highly mutated variants which means annual vaccination will likely be pushed. The antibodies are shown to last at least six months, most likely much longer. Your argument from this perspective fails as well. And why shouldn’t someone have the option of antibody prophylaxis twice a year if that’s what they want?

And you still refuse to see the value of use in those who are not yet comfortable with novel vaccines. I really don’t see that you have any concern for public health. If you did you would embrace technology that advances public health, not attempt an endless stream of excuses for not using it.

From your link supply is not an issue. The issue is it isn’t allowed to be used by a big pool of people who could benefit from it. It can’t be used by those who can’t be vaccinated. It can’t be used by responsible people that aren’t fat or have self induced type 2 diabetes who become infected. It can’t even be used in breakthrough infections of vaccinated individuals who aren’t high risk (fat, diabetic, alcohol caused liver disease, etc. etc.) If transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is the concern, we should use all methods available to stop transmission and save lives. We killed plenty already by giving bad mask recommendations etc., we should clean up our act and start following science like Biden promised he would and save all the lives we can.

 

Good point. He should have lambasted the drugs that helped him. It is the 21st century way.

 

My point, and apparently the point of this book, is that T**** was a lot closer to death than was let on publicly...

A lot...

Not that this news needed to be made public at the time, but it's important history for our POTUS COVID liar...

 

Sounds like a book with an agenda profiting from political opinion. If any of it is true, then government should be ashamed that it didn't provide same therapeutics to all infected seniors. I'll save my money for something else.

 

THAT explains a lot. In fact it explains ALL of it to my lights

 

It always come down to the dollar where medicine is concerned doesn’t it?

 

There are doses bought and paid for on pharmacy shelves. They were purchased many months ago by the federal government under Warp Speed.

Under warp speed it looks like a prophylactic dose would cost (the government) between $400-$500. Covid hospitalization costs typically run between $40,000-$100,000, with some costing over $1,000,000. One third of the US population is dependent on us taxpayers to pay their Covid medical bills. Doesn’t it make more sense to prevent infection/hospitalization with this bought and paid for product, especially in immunocompromised that can’t be vaccinated? The R naught of the delta variant is believed to be double that of the native strain. Using this prophylactic in outbreak clusters would not only make economic sense, it’s the only thing that makes economic sense. Vaccines are essentially useless in small cluster outbreaks, especially of the delta variant.

Watching people who support universal healthcare as a way to cut total spending reject a $500 dollar antibody is mildly amusing until you consider life is priceless. Then it’s just plain sad. You guys sound like a bunch of rabid right wingers complaining about government spending on healthcare. As I keep saying, it’s very obvious public health nor the health of individuals are a priority in this pandemic.

 

I think this is a bit short-sighted (no offense). Public health and health of individuals have NEVER been a priority - before COVID, mid-COVID or post-COVID (if we ever reach that stage).