The way Remdesivir is currently used makes no sense at all to me. By the time a patient is sick enough to be hospitalized, the viral replication phase of COVID is over already. Hospitals love to administer it though because they get a nice cut of ~$3000 cost per course.
It really doesn't, and at this point the idea that no modifications have been made to the protocol is absolutely baffling. I'd believe there's a big monetary incentive, but I also believe many doctors have essentially been corralled in how they practice. No doctor would want to deviate from the protocol if it means there's a chance their patient may die. It's easier to say "I followed the rules and protocol" rather than try something different and see if you get success or failure.
It's not just easier, but during a declared national emergency (which we still have) health care providers are shielded from all liability if they just stick to the approved (CDC/NIH) script. The moment they deviate from it, for example by prescribing drugs that aren't part of the officially approved script off-label, that liability shield drops.
The way Remdesivir is currently used makes no sense at all to me. By the time a patient is sick enough to be hospitalized, the viral replication phase of COVID is over already. Hospitals love to administer it though because they get a nice cut of ~$3000 cost per course.
It really doesn't, and at this point the idea that no modifications have been made to the protocol is absolutely baffling. I'd believe there's a big monetary incentive, but I also believe many doctors have essentially been corralled in how they practice. No doctor would want to deviate from the protocol if it means there's a chance their patient may die. It's easier to say "I followed the rules and protocol" rather than try something different and see if you get success or failure.
It's not just easier, but during a declared national emergency (which we still have) health care providers are shielded from all liability if they just stick to the approved (CDC/NIH) script. The moment they deviate from it, for example by prescribing drugs that aren't part of the officially approved script off-label, that liability shield drops.