This popped up on today's CNN website. Hopefully we all already know about monoclonal antibody infusions but I thought that I would post this - just in case.
One reminder that came from it is to pre-plan what you will do in case you test positive for Covid. Check with your specialist on their protocol for handling the monoclonal antibody treatments.
That's really depressing when doctors in California say they didn't know. I'm in California so as long as I'm conscious, the doctors I talk to will know about monoclonal antibodies as early treatment .
Although I am familiar with them, this was an informative read. Monoclonal antibodies under-appreciated and under-utilised, and that's in a country with a choice of three products given Emergency Use Authorisation.
Here in the UK we have only one mAb to treat Covid and that's Ronapreve, officially in short supply. I have been wondering how clued-up the average provincial hospital is about its use and today my worst fears were realised.
I had a telephone consultation with my haematologist and asked a few pertinent questions.
Does the hospital have a protocol for treating Covid in blood cancer/ immunosuppressed patients?"No, if there was I would probably have written it".
Does the hospital have Ronapreve? "I don't know".
Do I still have hypogammaglobulinaemia? "Based on your lymphocyte count (0.7) yes definitely. We'll measure them in 4 months' time [one year since the last time]".
With apologies to hard-working medics, sometimes I think the practice of medicine takes place in a parallel universe.
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