Florida surgeon general says Biden admin is 'actively preventing' distribution of monoclonal antibody treatment amid Omicron surge

The Biden administration is "actively preventing the effective distribution of monoclonal antibody treatments" for treatment of COVID-19, according to Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.

In a letter addressed to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Ladapo said the federal government's abrupt pause of monoclonal antibody treatment distribution is causing "another immediate and life-threatening shortage of treatment options to the State of Florida."

"The sudden suspension of multiple monoclonal antibody therapy treatments from distribution to Florida removes a health care provider's ability to decide the best treatment options for their patients in this state," Ladapo wrote.

"This shortsightedness is especially evident given that the federal government effectively prohibited states from purchasing these monoclonal antibodies and serving their populations directly," he continued. "Florida is a large, diverse state with one of the highest percentages of seniors in the U.S., and we must empower health care providers to make decisions that will save the lives of Americans everywhere without the dictates imposed by the federal government."