The Biden administration recently implemented a restriction on the distribution of monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments, as directed by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, in the name of “equity and fairness.”
Republicans argue that the rule unfairly targets red states, including Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who has made the life-saving treatment widely available throughout Florida, vowed to “fight like hell” against the Biden administration’s restriction. He noted that the decision was “abrupt” and took officials by surprise.
“We are very, very concerned with the Biden administration and the HHS’s recent, abrupt, sudden announcement that they are going to dramatically cut the number of monoclonal antibodies that are going to be sent to the state of Florida. Just last week on September 9, President Joe Biden said that his administration would be increasing shipments of monoclonal antibodies in September, by 50 percent. And yet, on September 13, HHS announced that it was seizing control of the monoclonal antibody supply and it would control distribution. And then on September 14, the announcement was more than 50 percent of the monoclonal antibodies that have been used in Florida were going to be reduced,” DeSantis said earlier this week.
I will fight like hell to overcome Biden’s cruel decision to drastically reduce lifesaving monoclonal antibody treatments for Floridians. We've seen steep reductions in hospital admissions due to early treatment efforts. It’s wrong to penalize Florida for his partisan bitterness. pic.twitter.com/24APj0r50K
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 17, 2021
The White House maintains that the decision was made in order to be "equitable" in distribution.
A reporter asks about the federal government cutting supplies of monoclonal antibody treatments to red states.@PressSec: "Our role as the government overseeing the entire country is to be equitable in how we distribute." pic.twitter.com/WJ9HNHTM4k
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 16, 2021