Rubio, Members of Florida Delegation Demand Answers on FDA Decision to Cut Off Thousands of Floridians From Receiving Some COVID Treatments

Press Release

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) led Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation in requesting U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra provide information into the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) sudden decision to revoke the emergency use authorizations for two monoclonal antibody drugs. This decision cut off these treatment options for thousands of Floridians in need and forced all of the state's monoclonal antibody treatment sites to close. Floridians deserve answers on this unexpected, short-sighted decision made by the Biden Administration.

Rubio was joined by Representatives Maria Elvira-Salazar (R-FL), Michael Waltz (R-FL), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), John Rutherford (R-FL), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Brian Mast (R-FL), Bill Posey (R-FL), Greg Steube (R-FL), and Vern Buchanan (R-FL).

"It is imperative that our states and healthcare providers have every available resource at their disposal to prevent this virus from surging again," the lawmakers wrote. "Americans deserve leaders that make decisions based on real-world data and work diligently with states and healthcare providers to carry out transparent policies, providing them with plenty of time to respond. Ultimately, it is HHS's responsibility to ensure states and healthcare providers have the tools they need to fight this pandemic, not to disrupt them with politically motivated decision-making."

In September 2021, Rubio and Scott introduced the Treatment Restoration for Emergency Antibody Therapeutics (TREAT) Act which would stop HHS from restricting hospitals and healthcare facilities from accessing life-saving COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatments directly from drug manufacturers. Also in September 2021, Rubio led Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation in urging Secretary Becerra to reverse course on the department's sudden change in policy to ration treatments. The lawmakers sent a follow-up letter in October 2021 and again in January 2022 during the height of the Omicron variant surge.

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