STAT: For Eli Lilly’s newly authorized Covid-19 treatment, a dosing discrepancy causes confusion
“Some clinicians are confused about the best dosing for Eli Lilly’s new Covid-19 treatment, which the Food and Drug Administration approved for emergency use on Monday. … Some clinicians wondered, though, if the decision to authorize doses of 700 milligrams — rather than a greater quantity — was made in part because the drug is in short supply. In data first released in September, researchers tried three different doses, but only the middle one — 2,800 milligrams — met the primary goal that the study had set, of reducing the amount of virus found inside patients. Given that that wasn’t the case for those patients who got either 700 milligrams or 7,000 milligrams, it seemed like this finding might just be a fluke. After all most patients, even those who’d gotten a placebo, had almost no virus in them at all after 11 days, anyway…” (Boodman, 11/10).

Washington Post: Trump officials promise fair distribution of new covid-19 antibody drug, but limited supply and logistical problems loom
“Trump administration officials Tuesday promised to fairly and swiftly distribute the first covid-19 treatment that helps to protect people with mild illness from developing severe symptoms. But the drug’s extremely limited supply and logistical difficulties in administering it could restrict how many people get access to it…” (Wan/Johnson, 11/10).