Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced the Treatment Restoration for Emergency Antibody Therapeutics (TREAT) Act. This legislation would prohibit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing policies that restrict hospitals and other appropriate healthcare facilities from ordering and receiving COVID-19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments directly from manufacturers and distributors. This legislation would nullify the Biden Administration’s recent policy requiring hospitals and other facilities to work through states to receive mAb supplies as well as cease the administration’s ability to throttle the state’s supply of this life-saving treatment.
On September 17, Rubio led Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation in urging HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to reverse course on the department’s sudden change in policy, which is causing the State of Florida to face a severe deficit of doses.
“This abrupt change in policy from the Biden Administration is nothing but an attempt to punish Florida. We cannot let vindictive, politically motivated actions by this Administration jeopardize the health and safety of Floridians and others,” Rubio said. “My bill would bring back fairness by allowing hospitals and other appropriate healthcare facilities to directly access this life-saving treatment from manufacturers.”
“As our nation works to fully recover from and end the coronavirus pandemic, we must ensure that Americans have access to all options for treatment and prevention, including the COVID-19 vaccine and proven monoclonal antibody treatments,” Scott said. “The Biden administration’s recent decision to implement restrictions on monoclonal antibody doses — making it harder for Floridians to receive this life-saving treatment – is unacceptable and unethical. When lives are at stake, no resources should be intentionally held back by the Biden administration through dangerous political games. I’m proud to join Senator Rubio in introducing the TREAT Act to make sure Florida receives effective COVID-19 treatments. I won’t accept anything less.”
“The Biden Administration’s rule is misguided and threatens the efforts of providers seeking to administer this life-saving COVID-19 treatment to patients who need it most,” Marshall said. “Rather than forcing states to create a distribution network that will cause unnecessary bureaucratic delays, we should leverage industry’s well-established networks through public-private partnerships that will ensure all patients have timely access to care.”
“The Biden Administration is changing how COVID-19 antibody treatments are distributed to states in a way that does not reflect actual need across the country,” Cramer said. “Our bill would prohibit the implementation of these policies that would restrict hospitals and other providers from receiving life-saving treatments where the need is greatest, regardless of partisan politics.”