The situation in medical institutions is serious. The Ministry of Health initiated the administration of additional monoclonal antibodies in hospitals. The combination kasirivimab /imdevimab is intended for patients at risk for serious COVID-19 disease. They are given by infusion to people over 65 years of age and to patients with severe diseases. They reduce the risk of death, severe illness, severe illness and hospitalisation.State Secretary, Ministry of Health Kamil Száz drew attention to the serious epidemiological situation throughout Slovakia and the great pressure on medical institutions. He said that hospitals throughout Slovakia are moving to the third, highest stage of reprofilation.He pointed out that approximately 80 percent of the income of hospitalized covid patients was unvaccinated. He highlighted the importance of vaccination as a prevention of the disease. The Ministry also provides modern treatment for at risk patients by administering monoclonal antibodies, a combination of casirivimab /imdevimab. We made sure that this treatment option was as easy as possible for the patient. To make the administration of this modern medicine accessible to all who need it, stated Kamil Száz. He explained what was the procedure if someone at risk of severe COVID-19 disease was tested positive and how it can be helped to give antibodies. The clonal antibodies were started at the end of last week. They have already been administered to 360 patients and there are more. approached the State Secretary. The current quantity of 5000 kasirivimab /imdevimab packages is intended for 10,000 patients.
President of the Slovak Society of General Practice Medicine Peter Makara called on his colleagues to vaccinate against COVID-19 disease. He also asked to use this modern treatment. In order for doctors to contact the nearest centres and their patients aged 65 and older or critical patients as soon as possible to receive this effective treatment, He challenged Makara.
Primárka Klinika infectology and geographical medicine UNB – Kramáre Alena Koščálová drew closer to the practical experience of modern treatment. We only have a little more than a week of these combined monoclonal antibodies and we've given them to 29 patients. The experience we have is very favourable. Of these patients, only one patient has contacted us and the other patients report a very rapid improvement in our health. said Alena Koščal. She approached the patients' report to them either through a general physician, a specialist, but some will contact them themselves.
The medicinal product is currently under consideration by the regulatory authority of the EMA and is used in several EU countries in accordance with the national authorisation for the use of the human medicinal product. Use in Slovakia is subject to authorisation for therapeutic use of unregistered medicinal product issued by the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic. Medical establishments follow the guidelines of the health department.
List of hospitals where this treatment can currently be administered and other documents are published on the website of the Ministry of Health: https://www.health.gov.sk/?monoclonal-antilates
Patients at risk of severe COVID-19 (mercapto antibody administration)
- Patients over 65 years of age.
- Patients with obesity and BMI greater than 35.
- Patients with renal failure (CKD G3 – G5) including patients on haemodialysis and including patients with nephrotic syndrome.
- Patients with chronic liver disease with cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis and signs of hepatic insufficiency.
- Patients with chronic cardiovascular disease in the heart failure stage or with significant cardiac decompensation in the past.
- Patients with arterial hypertension under advanced organ complications.
- Patients with chronic lung disease with chronic respiratory insufficiency and exacerbations requiring prior hospitalisation.
- Patients with diabetes 1. or type 2 with advanced chronic complications.
- Patients with severe Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions at risk of respiratory failure in COVID-19.
- Immunocompromised patients with severe immune impairment at the discretion of the physician. Patients with various types of clinically significant immune mechanism disorders include e.g. patients with Down syndrome and obesity or any other congenital defect associated with Down syndrome, patients on active haematooncologic therapy and post organ transplants, or haematopoietic cell transplantation, patients with poorly controlled HIV infection or immunosuppressive therapy.Procedure for monoclonal antibodies
- Positive test for COVID-19 in persons at risk of severe disease progression.
- The product should be administered within the first days of a positive result.
- It can be given to both unvaccinated and vaccinated persons.
- A person over the age of 65 will receive an information SMS about treatment options, people with medical complications will be informed by the doctor or may be informed of the possibility of self-administration.
- The doctor (VLD, specialist) shall ensure that the exchange ticket is sent to the injection-hospital site and inform the patient of the exact time and place of administration of monoclonal antibodies.
- Transport to/from the site of administration of the product can be used by the transport health service.
- Patients will receive a single infusion combination of kasirivimab /imdevimab and leave for home treatment.