The FDA limits the use of some monoclonal antibodies treatments

The Food and Drug Administration has curbed use of some treatments and a site in Miami is closed on Tuesday.

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The Food and Drug Administration is limiting the use of two out of three treatments available in the US because they aren't effective against the omicron variant.

The two drugs, made by Eli Lilly and Regeneron, worked well earlier in the Pandemic with non-omicron variant, according to NPR's Pien Huang. 99% of U.S. COVID-19 cases are due to omicron, which is not effective against them.

The FDA has limited their use to patients with a variant that is susceptible to these treatments.

It took them so long to do it because things are bad enough without wasting time on a medicine that is not going to work.

The makers of the drugs acknowledge that they don't work well against omicron. Some officials are not on board. The FDA's move to restrict authorization was criticized by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The U.S.'s response to the ongoing Pandemic is dependent on the development of Vaccines and Early Treatments.

One type of early treatment that can make COVID-19 less severe is the use of mAbs, which mimic the immune system's processes for fighting off pathogens.

The FDA reports that the treatment is still authorized because it is expected to remain effective at decreasing the risk of severe disease even against the omicron variant. Paxlovid and molnupiravir are two drugs that can be taken at home to reduce the risk of hospitalization from severe COVID-19.

The Department of Health and Human Services will no longer distribute the treatments that the FDA has reduced its authorization for. If people are likely to be exposed to a variant that is susceptible to these treatments, use of the drugs may be authorized again.

The story was originally on the Morning Edition live blog.