Birx, who has been a fixture in televised task force media
briefings, will be one of the chief consultants on how Gilead
Sciences Inc's remdesivir will be supplied, White House spokeswoman
Kayleigh McEnany told reporters.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency use
authorization to remdesivir for patients with severe COVID-19 - the
disease caused by the coronavirus - clearing the way for broader use
in more hospitals around the United States.
"She's the person who's constantly reviewing the numbers, constantly
reviewing the data," McEnany said. "She really has the best grasp as
to how that should be distributed."
The federal government began distributing the drug this week. But
doctors across the country, particularly in COVID-19 hotspots like
New York and Boston, became concerned after being denied their
request to obtain the new therapy, Infectious Disease Society of
America President Dr. Thomas File told Reuters on Thursday.
The physician group called on the Trump administration to explain
how it will ensure equitable distribution of remdesivir to states
and hospitals based on COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates.
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The group also stressed the importance of fair allocation to health facilities
in communities disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, including African
American and Hispanic populations.
Gilead last week donated 1.5 million vials of the drug to U.S. hospitals, enough
to treat at least 140,000 patients.
In a large clinical trial released last week, remdesivir, which is given by
intravenous infusion, was shown to speed recovery times of hospitalized COVID-19
patients compared to a placebo.
"This drug is promising, and we want to get it to the American people and to the
areas that need it most," McEnany said.The Federal Emergency Management Agency
and the Department of Health and Human Services are coordinating the donation
and distribution of remdesivir.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Eric Beech; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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