The Mail on Sunday learned that health leaders are poised to launch a life-saving Covid drug designed to protect vulnerable patients who don’t respond to vaccines.
Government experts have reviewed the drugs, and ministers are now evaluating doctors’ recommendations on “the most suitable option for the NHS.”
Developed by AstraZeneca, Evusheld was approved by drug regulators in March following a study that showed it reduced the chance of Covid infection by 80%.
The drug, which works by binding and inhibiting the ability of the Covid virus to attach to healthy cells and infect the body, can also reduce hospitalizations and deaths by 50 percent.
Based on these impressive results, 28 countries, including France, the United States and Israel, have received millions of doses since January, but so far the government has refused to cover the cost of £800 per dose.
Health leaders are preparing to launch a life-saving Covid drug designed to protect vulnerable patients who don’t respond to vaccines. This move will be too late for some, including the devastated family of cancer patient Michael Warren, who died of Covid in June just months after his daughter Chelsea (pictured with him) walked down the aisle.
Supported by this document, charities and patient groups have called for the launch of Evusheld – and in the clearest indication that there is hope, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Welfare said, “We’ve reviewed Evusheld and asked doctors to advise on it based on all available evidence. as the most suitable option for the NHS.
Ministers are evaluating the opinion presented to them,” he said.
Evusheld, given by intravenous infusion every six months, can be a lifeline for the approximately 500,000 Brits who are at risk of contracting the virus despite being stung, in some cases up to five times.
These are mainly blood cancer and transplant patients who are taking immunosuppressant drugs. The same drugs make the Covid vaccine less effective.
Developed by AstraZeneca, Evusheld was approved by drug regulators in March following a study that showed it reduced the chance of Covid infection by 80%.
According to charity Blood Cancer UK, about five percent of people who died from Covid in January had blood cancer, and leukemia is one of them. This is a staggering figure, as blood cancer patients make up less than 0.004% of the population.
Professor Hugh Montgomery, an intensive care specialist at University College London, said: “I have friends with weakened immune systems who are still inside and are afraid to go outside. “This medicine can help them get out,” he said.
Even so, the move will be too late for some, including the devastated family of cancer patient Michael Warren, who died of Covid in June.
The 59-year-old doctor from Birmingham, who was diagnosed with leukemia in March last year, “did everything he could” to stay away from the virus after doctors warned that the combination of cancer and chemotherapy to treat him would make him extremely vulnerable.
By then she had already had two Covid vaccines and received a third dose in October, but was advised to continue protecting herself.
His partner, 30-year-old Jayne, and their children Chelsea, 28, and Georgia, 24, walked to his side, staying at home, wearing masks when they went out, and doing daily Covid tests. But none of this was enough.
He tested positive a few weeks after finishing chemotherapy in February. For three months, the 59-year-old battled the virus when he was hospitalized four times, but his already weakened immune system was unable to cope with it.
Michael, once an amateur boxer, died in early June. A final PCR test showed she was still positive for Covid.
Daughter Chelsea, who is expecting her first child with husband Andrew, is still devastated, saying, “Dad had to be here, he was so excited to be a grandfather.
“The cancer was a shock, but we thought it was just around the corner. Last year she took me for a walk down the aisle on my way to my wedding. They all have pre-tests to ensure safety and I was very happy to be there. The worst part is that she caught Covid a few weeks after I finished chemotherapy.
“She was planning to go back to work and go on vacation with her mother. This doesn’t look right.
“It hurts me so much to know that this medicine is out there but my father hasn’t been able to reach him,” she added.
Source: Daily Mail
I am Anne Johnson and I work as an author at the Fashion Vibes. My main area of expertise is beauty related news, but I also have experience in covering other types of stories like entertainment, lifestyle, and health topics. With my years of experience in writing for various publications, I have built strong relationships with many industry insiders. My passion for journalism has enabled me to stay on top of the latest trends and changes in the world of beauty.
