A local hospital that provides monoclonal antibody therapy to help fight COVID-19

Idaho Falls — During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals are approaching and reaching capacity, and local health professionals say there are drugs that can solve the problem.

Local hospitals such as Mountain View, Idaho Falls Community, and Madison Memorial offer outpatient monoclonal antibody therapy. According to Jacob Cooley, assistant director of pharmacy outpatient services beyond Mountainview injections, this treatment is designed to prevent people from “progressing to severe COVID and being admitted to the hospital.” I did.

“This is the same type of antibody your body makes against the virus, but it was made in the lab,” explained Whitney Coolie, pharmacy director at Mountainview Hospital. “In our lab, we were able to identify a very good target for antibodies to the coronavirus. It contains two different antibody types … to ensure coverage of the mutants that emerge. To do. “

Dorsey Salanger, pharmacy director at Madison Memorial Hospital, told EastIdahoNews.com that the most common antibody drug used is Regeneron.. He said the drug-casilibimab and imdebimab-has not been approved, but has been approved for emergency use by the FDA.

According to Sullenger, treatment is given in a single infusion. It usually takes 30 minutes to 1 hour.

“There are some side effects,” says Sullenger. “It has the usual side effects of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sometimes … it can cause an allergic reaction to the drug, but most reactions are very mild.”

Getting treatment begins with instructions from your doctor. At this point, some people test positive for COVID-19 and have mild to moderate symptoms or are in contact with someone with COVID.

The sooner a person with COVID is diagnosed is treated, that is, within 10 days of the onset of symptoms after a positive COVID-19 test is confirmed, Saulanger said. It will be more effective. “

“We look at their criteria to make sure they meet the qualifications and high-risk factors, and then we’ll be scheduled to enter the room,” said Trecia Trost, nursing supervisor at Mountainview Hospital. Stated. “(High-risk factors) include obesity, immunosuppression, heart disease, COPD, childhood asthma, pregnancy, diabetes, and the elderly aged 65 and over. There is a range of 12 to 17 years with high-risk factors. . ”

People who are vaccinated but have a breakthrough COVID infection and who meet qualifications and risk factors can also be treated. Whitney said the treatment could not be used in place of the vaccine because “the drug we have, like the one we have,” is not enough. Instead, she said it was for a breakthrough infection.

“There is a percentage of patients who do not mount effective antibodies after vaccination,” Whitney explained. “We can vaccinate you, but that doesn’t mean that everyone intends to get a proper immune response, and these risk factors for having a less effective immune response I have.”

According to a Mountain View Hospital news release, there are currently 32 providers in Idaho using monoclonal antibodies. Between the Idaho Falls Community Hospital and Mountainview, which began offering this outpatient treatment in November 2020, the two received more than 700 doses. According to Jacob, Mountainview plans to open another monoclonal antibody therapy facility in Blackfoot.

According to Suranger, Madison Memorial also made its first monoclonal antibody injection in November 2020 at Rexburg, and has since made more than 270 injections.

Colleen Niemann, a spokeswoman for the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, said EIRMC is providing monoclonal antibody infusions to patients in emergency rooms who test positive for ER and meet the criteria set by the FDA for treatment. Said. Niemann added that EIRMC does not inject monoclonal antibodies on an outpatient basis or for those who have a doctor’s order.

“The first choice is your vaccine. This (antibody treatment) is not your first choice,” Suranger said. “If you’re COVID positive and still in a calm stage, this is great to help keep you away from the hospital.”

The government provides the drug free of charge, but its administration is expensive. Mountain View and Idaho Falls Community Hospitals charge $ 500 and Madison Memorial charges $ 500 to $ 600, but the amount you pay at your own expense depends on your health insurance coverage.