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Tampa General Hospital gets Evusheld COVID-19 treatment for high-risk patients

One dose of Evusheld may be effective at pre-exposure prevention of COVID-19 for six months, according to the FDA.

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa General Hospital announced it is the first health care facility in Hillsborough County to provide the Evusheld COVID-19 treatment to high-risk patients.

The AstraZeneca product, which last month received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, is an injectable treatment given prior to possible COVID-19 exposure. People with cancer, transplant recipients, those who have primary immunodeficiencies – or who cannot receive a vaccine for health reasons – are allowed to receive it under the agency's approval.

Patients must also be at least 12 years of age and weigh at least 88 pounds.

In a statement, TGH says only a limited supply of the treatment is available.

The FDA says only high-risk individuals who are not currently infected with COVID-19 and have not recently been exposed to someone with the virus may be eligible for the treatment.

"Vaccines have proven to be the best defense available against COVID-19. However, there are certain immune compromised individuals who may not mount an adequate immune response to COVID-19 vaccination, or those who have a history of severe adverse reactions to a COVID-19 vaccine and therefore cannot receive one and need an alternative prevention option," said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research in a statement.

One dose of Evusheld may be effective at pre-exposure prevention of COVID-19 for six months, according to the FDA. The product is a combination of monoclonal antibodies tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab administered together.

"Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful pathogens such as viruses," the FDA says.

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