Hospitals in South Florida are experiencing a shortage in Remdesivir

The drug has shown promise in treating COVID-19 patients.

As the number of positive coronavirus cases continues to rise, hospitals in South Florida are experiencing a shortage in Remdesivir, a drug shown to reduce the length of hospitalization and speed up recovery time as well as decrease the chance of death. 

The shortage is forcing doctors to decide on who does and who does not get the drug. “We have patients who need and can’t get it. We have to be judicious who we give to,” said Dr. Sam Fahmy, chief medical officer of Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, the federal government has a large supply of Remdesivir and hospitals can purchase the drug, with restrictions, based on the hospital’s size and not its need.

“We are in a difficult position trying to use a small supply for way more patients who need it than the supply we have to treat them,” Fahmy said.

Fahmy is advocating for larger amounts of Remdesivir to be distributed to hospitals in South Florida that have struggled with the surge of cases.

Hospitalized people taking Remdesivir had a 7.4% death rate two weeks after treatment started, while those not taking the drug had a 12.5% mortality rate.