Ferris Monoclonal Center runs out of treatments

FERRIS – On Friday, Jan. 7, State Representative Brian Harrison and Ferris City Manager Brooks Williams announced the Joint Monoclonal Antibody Infusion Center in Ferris had officially run out of all monoclonalantibody treatments after the Biden Administration slashed supplies of those life-saving treatments.

Harrison came to see the operation first-hand and also gain information in order to advocate on the Monoclonal Center’s behalf.

The treatment center, a partnership between the City of Ferris and Ellis County, opened in September to offer free monoclonal antibody treatments to the surrounding areas. The center has seen over 2,750 patients since opening. Of those patients treated, less than 2% were admitted to the hospital, zero patients were placed on a ventilator, and 0 deaths were reported.

During the last week of December, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services abruptly changed the distribution rules for the Regeneron monoclonal antibody, effectively cutting off the supply for the Ferris center.

Ferris was able to obtain a 400-dose shipment of the limited supply Sotrovimab monoclonal antibody. However, that supply has run out, and the State of Texas is unable to provide a timeline for a new shipment.

In a joint press release, the two men made their frustrations known.

STATEMENT BY REPRESENTATIVE HARRISON

“It’s devastating to see Texans lose access to COVID treatments. It didn’t have to be this way. Biden inherited all tools necessary to fight COVID, but by choosing to focus exclusively on vaccine and mask mandates, he failed to prioritize the tools we always would need to be able to live with the virus: rapid testing and effective treatments.

Biden must stop micromanaging everything out of Washington. allow states like Texas to buy medicine directly, cut FDA’s red tape, and create a vibrant market for testing and treatments. Government run healthcare has never worked, and Biden is making the point clearer every day.”

STATEMENT BY BROOKS WILLIAMS

“The decision by the federal government to halt shipments of Regencron and throttle shipments of Sotrovimab will be regarded as one of the greatest policy failures in the battle against COVID. The smidge of indignation you are detecting comes from our belief that these decisions are being made without a true understanding on the impact to citizens who need these life saving therapies. The only appropriate word for the federal government and their decisions at this time is buffoons.”