Sarasota Memorial Hospital finding most effective COVID-19 treatments
SARASOTA, Fla. - For patients fighting COVID-19, Dr. Kirk Voelker says starting treatment immediately is key.
"In the first few days of the COVID infection we are trying to attack the virus itself and decrease the viral burden," said Dr. Voelker.
Patients at Sarasota Memorial Hospital are treated with the anti-viral medication, remdesivir. From there, anti-bodies can be administered, through convalescent plasma or Regeneron, a drug currently in clinical trials. Regeneron is the same experimental antibody cocktail used to treat President Trump.
"That is manufactured antibodies that attack the virus itself," Dr. Voelker explained. "Just about anybody can receive it if they qualify for the trial."
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In a nearly five-minute-long video posted Wednesday, President Donald Trump said his COVID-19 diagnosis was 'a blessing in disguise' and promised to make an experimental antibody drug 'free' for all Americans that he credited for his improved condition.
The president received the treatment after a compassionate use protocol was signed off by the FDA. At Sarasota Memorial Hospital, you must be enrolled in a clinical trial and can be given to patients in different stages of COVID-19.
"Here we’ve got these three trials: one for hospitalized patients, one for people who are diagnosed with COVID recently and may have other problems, and one for people who are diagnosed with COVID and have to go home into a household with people who need to be protected," he said.
Dr. Manuel Gordillo, the director of Sarasota Memorial Hospital's infection prevention and control, said the medical community has worked to fast-track treatment options.
"The science has been nothing short of breathtaking," said Dr. Gordillo, who added that more treatments could be on the way, but that people should still not let their guard down.
"For the future, we are optimistic that we have things coming down the pipe that will be very useful and the question is, will they be embraced by the public?" he wondered.