Donald Trump Promises To Make A Still Unapproved Drug Available For Free To All COVID-19 Patients
President Donald Trump announced that an experimental coronavirus drug he took last week is the much-awaited cure for the deadly pathogen that continues to claims millions of lives around the world. He promised to make the aforesaid drug, along with similar medicines available for free to all Americans.
This claim comes ahead of the treatment's approval as polls show Trump trailing his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the concluding month of the presidential campaign. As if that weren't enough, Trump’s administration is also struggling to handle a coronavirus outbreak that last week sickened the president, the first lady Melania Trump, top White House aides, and several other staff members and advisers.
Trump spoke on Wednesday afternoon, standing in front of the Oval Office. Taking to his Twitter account, he shared the nearly five-minute-long video with his followers just two days after returning to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was receiving treatment for COVID-19.
Introducing himself as America's favourite president, Trump said. Noting that he wasn't feeling hot, Trump said he was given Regeneron by the drug company that makes this experimental antibody cocktail. He went on to say he felt good immediately, adding that he feels as good three days ago as he does now.
He announced that the drug is the cure and called his infection as a blessing from God that showed the drug's effectiveness. Trump said if he had not contracted coronavirus, they would have looked at Regeneron just like the rest of other experimental drugs.
Trump has been assuring that a coronavirus vaccine is just around the corner for quite some time now, and has vowed to make it available to American people by Election Day. Although late-stage clinical trials are underway, no vaccine maker has yet requested for an emergency authorization or approval from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).
Earlier this week, the FDA released stricter new vaccine guidelines, making it highly unlikely that for a shot to arrive by Nov. 3. Trump is now promoting the experimental antibody drugs as coronavirus cures, with his most extravagant praise reserved for Regeneron, which isn't a surprise considering the company CEO is Trump's Westchester, N.Y., golf club member, POLITICO reported.
In the video, Trump said that his administration would authorize emergency use of Regeneron’s treatment, along with a similar antibody drug from Eli Lilly, and will soon make them available in the market so that the public can take them as well. Lily is currently seeking emergency authorization from the FDA. while Regeneron is still in talks with the agency.