The FDA gave emergency use approval to an experimental treatment given to President Trump to treat his case of COVID-19.
But logistical challenges might prevent many people from getting access to the treatment.
At stake is an antibody cocktail developed by the biotech company Regeneron. UC Berkeley clinical professor emeritus Dr. John Swartzberg said it needs to be given to COVID-19 patients intravenously before they need to be hospitalized.
"People who are not real sick are going to have to find a clinic to go to that is administering these drugs if they are candidates for it," Swartzberg said. "So the logistical problems are really formidable about getting people treated with this."
He added that there is also not much information about how well it works and that he's more optimistic about the impact the two leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates could have.
"If all goes well with them, I think by the beginning of the third quarter of next year we could really be seeing a dent in this pandemic," Swartzberg said. "And by the fourth quarter, I think things are really going to be turning around substantially."
Swartzberg said he believes the vaccines will be safe, and as people receive them, others will be able to trust their safety as well.
