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McDougall said allocation from the delivery sites was the responsibility of the Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial and territorial health authorities. The drug is available in some U.S. states.
Health Canada has approved two drugs so far for treatment of COVID-19 — remdesivir (an antiviral) and bamlanivimab.
Remdesivir was approved first and the Remdesivir Review and Advisory Working Group was struck to decide how it should be used in B.C.
B.C. Ministry of Health spokesperson Devon Smith said the remdesivir working group was also looking at bamlanivimab and was recommending againstits use.
“Bamlanivimab has little published evidence of clinical benefit and very limited safety data.” Smith said.
“The required resources to administer outpatient infusions for individuals with confirmed COVID-19 at the peak of their infectivity, while being able to monitor and manage infusion reactions, is not presently available.
“Concentrating COVID-19 patients at established Emergency Departments or medical day units to receive infusions is not advised. Should further evidence become available that more strongly supports clinical benefit (e.g., in long-term care patients), the role of bamlanivimab will be reassessed by (the working group.)”
The working group does recommend use of remdesivir in people aged over 12 and who are sick but not needing oxygen or ventilation. This drug also requires intravenous infusion.
dcarrigg@postmedia.com
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