Standardized Covid Treatment Protocols?

[braumeister]

Boy, time to change doctors if he doesn’t know how to give a referral.

Good job.

I'm not that surprised. Last time I used one of the urgent care clinics or "Doc in a box" as they're called around here), the physician I saw was equally clueless.

Glad you were able to take care of yourself anyway.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I'm not that surprised. Last time I used one of the urgent care clinics or "Doc in a box" as they're called around here), the physician I saw was equally clueless.

Glad you were able to take care of yourself anyway.

I don't think UC clinics are usually in the business of doing referrals. The idea is that they treat an urgent (but not emergent) condition and then you follow up with your primary doc who then would coordinate any referrals. However, it's obvious that COVID has complicated this system. But, what HASN'T been complicated by COVID? Especially when the situation is as fluid as it is.

 

[INTJ10]

I don't think UC clinics are usually in the business of doing referrals. The idea is that they treat an urgent (but not emergent) condition and then you follow up with your primary doc who then would coordinate any referrals. However, it's obvious that COVID has complicated this system. But, what HASN'T been complicated by COVID? Especially when the situation is as fluid as it is.

Actually, it was my GP who didn't really know much about the Regeneron treatment centers. It was very disappointing that he couldn't help me out. So, I will be looking for a new GP.

I have no complaints about the Urgent Care center. At least they tried to steer me in the right direction.

 

[INTJ10]

Boy, time to change doctors if he doesn’t know how to give a referral.

Good job.

I agree and I will be looking for a new doctor. They have a person in the office that manages referrals but it seems like he could have provided better direction.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Actually, it was my GP who didn't really know much about the Regeneron treatment centers. It was very disappointing that he couldn't help me out. So, I will be looking for a new GP.

I have no complaints about the Urgent Care center. At least they tried to steer me in the right direction.

Oh, well then that IS an issue! Wow...

Glad you were able to get it though, especially since time is of the essence.

 

[braumeister]

I agree and I will be looking for a new doctor. They have a person in the office that manages referrals but it seems like he could have provided better direction.

Maybe don't be too hasty. You said,

His front office told me that the treatment was only available at hospitals and he don't know to give a referral.

So maybe you should just talk to your doc and suggest he straighten out his front office staff.

 

[REWahoo]

So maybe you should just talk to your doc and suggest he straighten out his front office staff.

My experience is that's frequently easier said than done. I've left more than one perfectly fine doctor because of repeated front office staff rudeness (ophthalmologist) or incompetence (GP). Repeated complaints from us and other patients resulted in no improvements, so we finally found other docs.

 

[sengsational]

What a nice biased hit piece.They get bonus points for somehow managing to include the words "nazis" and "QAnon" among others.


You can always tell when someone is writing with an agenda.

Don't get an open flame anywhere near that story! It's so packed with straw men the blaze would bake a small city, lol! But gotta keep advertisers happy.

 

[Aerides]

I agree and I will be looking for a new doctor. They have a person in the office that manages referrals but it seems like he could have provided better direction.

If this was in florida, which I think you mentioned, the process for MAB has changed rapidly over the last 6 weeks or so. Thru much of August, new pop up clinics we showing up daily, covering the state. Not at hospitals, but field locations - rec centers, gyms, parks, etc. All state organized and managed, and heavily promoted with press conferences, etc. "come and get your MAB's you'll be great!" In a state where many counties have sub-50% vaccine rates, you can imagine what happened next. For a few weeks there, it was easier and faster to get an appointment online via the state sign ups for MABs than it was for a covid test at CVS. And far easier than signing up for a vaccine 6 months ago. But of course no one pushing MABs here has said anything positive about vaccines in about as long.

In recent weeks, because some states were monopolizing supply of the treatment, that is changing. Fl was buying direct, in bulk, and promoting the treatment like crazy. Great for Fl, lousy for everyone else. So that's changed now where states can't buy direct to ensure equitable distribution. So I'd imagine the pushing of new clinics has had to take a detour, and sign ups aren't as easy now. Haven't checked in detail in a few weeks.

Tl;dr: If it's Florida, it's probably a crazy moving target.

 

[INTJ10]

Maybe don't be too hasty. You said,


So maybe you should just talk to your doc and suggest he straighten out his front office staff.

I see what you mean. Thanks for the thought. I have found a lot of helpful information on this thread.

 

[audreyh1]

There is a lot of confusion out there.

I just tested positive at urgent care clinic in Florida. They gave me a brochure about the monoclonal antibody treatment and told me to call the "Federal Hotline" for that. The "Fed" person I spoke to made it very clear that I had to get a referral from a Doctor in order to get the treatment and that I SHOULD NOT contact a facility administering the treatment. I then called my Doctor for a referral. His front office told me that the treatment was only available at hospitals and he don't know to give a referral. I did some internet searching and found a treatment center (hurricane shelter) about 6 miles from my house. I showed up, walked in and received the treatment at no cost. No more than a 5 minute wait to start and 15 minute observation period afterward. I wasn't asked for insurance, or my Covid test results.

Wow, thanks for sharing that information! Mass confusion reigns still but I’m glad you tried a walk-in and got treated. How many would have been discouraged?

 

[audreyh1]

Did you get the REGEN or the Lilly cocktail? The Lilly was dropped because it was not effective against a prior variant, but has been found to be effective against Delta and is being used again.

I thought the Lilly just added a different second MAB and was good to go again?

 

[audreyh1]

Actually, it was my GP who didn't really know much about the Regeneron treatment centers. It was very disappointing that he couldn't help me out. So, I will be looking for a new GP.

I have no complaints about the Urgent Care center. At least they tried to steer me in the right direction.

Yeah that’s pretty shocking. Did they not have a code or something?

 

[INTJ10]

Did you get the REGEN or the Lilly cocktail? The Lilly was dropped because it was not effective against a prior variant, but has been found to be effective against Delta and is being used again.

I think it was the Regeneron.

 

[harllee]

The scary thing is that the local hospital here in the NC mountains announced this week that they were out of the antibody treatment and did not know when they would get any more and that is the only place the treatment is available in the area. I guess I better leave and go back to Chapel Hill in case DH or I test positive.

 

[INTJ10]

Yeah that’s pretty shocking. Did they not have a code or something?

I was talking to the front desk. I literally spelled out Monoclonal Antibody Treatments (MAB) for them. I was put on hold and they came back with incorrect information. They said the treatment was only available in hospitals. I told them that wasn't true.

They didn't know anything about the referral process. That kind of makes sense because referrals are needed.

At that point, I didn't feel like arguing and did my own searching.

 

[easysurfer]

Pills in the Works

Drugmaker Merck said Friday that its experimental COVID-19 pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half in people recently infected with the coronavirus and that it would soon ask health officials in the U.S. and around the world to authorize its use.

If cleared, the drug would be the first pill shown to treat COVID-19, a potentially major advance in efforts to fight the pandemic. All COVID-19 therapies now authorized in the U.S. require an IV or injection.

Merck’s pill works by interfering with the coronavirus's ability to copy its genetic code and reproduce itself. It has shown similar activity against other viruses.


The U.S. government has committed to purchase 1.7 million doses of the drug if it is authorized by the FDA. Merck has said it can produce 10 million doses by the end of the year and has contracts with governments worldwide. The company has not announced prices.


Several other companies, including Pfizer and Roche, are studying similar drugs that could report results in the coming weeks and months.

https://www.aol.com/news/merck-says-experimental-pill-cuts-100437191-125849639.html

 

[anethum]

Merck is seeking EUA for a pill they developed which has shown great success in trials at preventing hospitalization and death due to covid in patients at risk of severe disease.

https://www.reuters.com/business/he...death-hospitalization-by-50-study-2021-10-01/

"Merck & Co Inc's (MRK.N) experimental oral drug for COVID-19, molnupiravir, reduced by around 50% the chance of hospitalization or death for patients at risk of severe disease, according to interim clinical trial results announced on Friday.

Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics plan to seek U.S. emergency use authorization for the pill as soon as possible, and to submit applications to regulatory agencies worldwide. Due to the positive results, the Phase 3 trial is being stopped early at the recommendation of outside monitors."

 

[Chuckanut]

Merck is seeking EUA for a pill they developed which has shown great success in trials at preventing hospitalization and death due to covid in patients at risk of severe disease.

https://www.reuters.com/business/he...death-hospitalization-by-50-study-2021-10-01/

"Merck & Co Inc's (MRK.N) experimental oral drug for COVID-19, molnupiravir, reduced by around 50% the chance of hospitalization or death for patients at risk of severe disease, according to interim clinical trial results announced on Friday.

Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics plan to seek U.S. emergency use authorization for the pill as soon as possible, and to submit applications to regulatory agencies worldwide. Due to the positive results, the Phase 3 trial is being stopped early at the recommendation of outside monitors."

This is good news assuming the pill is safe and gets approved. The local news reported it required taking two pills a day for five days. EZPZ compared to being in a hospital.

 

[sengsational]

This is good news assuming the pill is safe and gets approved. The local news reported it required taking two pills a day for five days. EZPZ compared to being in a hospital.

I think the name is going to be "MeeTooVermectin"

 

[ivinsfan]

I think the name is going to be "MeeTooVermectin"

I'm pretty sure the ingredients will be a BIG secret. also very expensive


But the tidbit has been shown to work against "other" viruses is mildly suggestive.

 

[Another Reader]

Apparently the drug is mutagenic for the virus. The concern in the trials has been sperm damage, so men participating in the trial have been asked to take steps to avoid impregnation during and after the trial. We will see where that leads.

The drug companies use Remdesivir as a comparison to their antivirals, but the better comparison is to GS-441524, the predecessor to RDV. It's safer and more effective than RDV, but Gilead's patent expires soon. NIH is testing GS-441524 and plans a clinical trial.

Meanwhile, there is no drug under development for Long Covid.

 

[tmm99]

Apparently the drug is mutagenic for the virus. The concern in the trials has been sperm damage, so men participating in the trial have been asked to take steps to avoid impregnation during and after the trial. We will see where that leads.

The drug companies use Remdesivir as a comparison to their antivirals, but the better comparison is to GS-441524, the predecessor to RDV. It's safer and more effective than RDV, but Gilead's patent expires soon. NIH is testing GS-441524 and plans a clinical trial.

Wow, that is not good! (in bold)

 

[MichaelB]

Apparently the drug is mutagenic for the virus. The concern in the trials has been sperm damage, so men participating in the trial have been asked to take steps to avoid impregnation during and after the trial. We will see where that leads.

The drug companies use Remdesivir as a comparison to their antivirals, but the better comparison is to GS-441524, the predecessor to RDV. It's safer and more effective than RDV, but Gilead's patent expires soon. NIH is testing GS-441524 and plans a clinical trial.

Meanwhile, there is no drug under development for Long Covid.

Would you mind giving us sources for theses reports?

 

[Aerides]

This article from Reuters addresses that concern as part of the test:

https://www.reuters.com/business/he...death-hospitalization-by-50-study-2021-10-01/

Merck has said data shows molnupiravir is not capable of inducing genetic changes in human cells, but men enrolled in its trials had to abstain from heterosexual intercourse or agree to use contraception. Women of child-bearing age in the study could be pregnant and also had to use birth control.