COVID-19 patients in Israeli hospitals have been on the rise recently, with 89 individuals currently hospitalized across the country, including 15 in serious condition. The uptick in hospitalizations began depleting a life-saving treatment for serious cases of the pandemic using a drug called Remdesivir, Ynet learned on Monday.
Infection specialists at Israeli hospitals report a limited supply, to the point of a shortage, of the drug, which is purchased by the Health Ministry and distributed to hospitals only upon their request. Unlike most medications provided in hospitals, Remdesivir isn't included in the health basket, and the ministry purchases it with a dedicated budget separate from the public health basket budget.
Remdesivir is intended only for use only in medical complications and not for all hospitalized COVID-19 cases. Ynet reported in January that the drug was lacking in a significant number of hospitals due to its procurement policy.
According to the Health Ministry, "A trend of hospitalized and ventilated COVID-19 patients continues to be seen. the increase in COVID-19 morbidity, both in hospitalizations (including ventilated patients) and across the public rises to the point of a new wave of illness in the country."
According to the ministry’s data, the number of hospitalized patients remains stable, and fewer patients are hospitalized when compared to the previous week.
Some hospitals saw a noticeable increase in the number of hospitalized patients, and doctors are criticizing the drug shortage. "We can clearly see an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases that require hospitalization," a senior official in one of the hospitals said.
"Both Remdesivir and Paxlovid are drugs that can prevent high-risk mortality, but there are shortages. The drugs’ orders depend on the Health Ministry, and our hospital recently announced Remdesivir ran out, and this is the case in all Israeli hospitals,” he added.
He added this would also be the case for Paxlovid, "because the way it’s procured is the same. Since the drug isn’t part of the health basket, they try to save on it." The doctor explained, "It’s sometimes impossible to administer Paxlovid because it has many interactions with other drugs, meaning we can’t offer these patients drug treatment.”
“Clinical studies have shown mortality rates decrease by 90% for at-risk patients who are given Remdesivir in the early stages of the disease,” he said.
Dr. Tal Brosh, head of Assuta Ashdod University Hospital’s Infectious Diseases Unit, explained: "There are currently three COVID-19 antiviral drugs, and Remdesivir is one of them. It’s administered intravenously and is the only one among the three proven effective in treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients, including those in severe condition.”
“We give it to patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19, experiencing shortness of breath, and a decrease in blood oxygen saturation. It has been proven in many studies to prevent the deterioration of the disease,” he added.
“The drug is the only option for antiviral treatment for hospitalized patients. Other drugs are administered orally and are intended for mild COVID-19 and can prevent hospitalizations. We give them to high-risk patients,” according to Brosh.
“Once a patient needs to be hospitalized, the only antiviral drug available to treat him is Remdesivir. We also give steroids for COVID-19, but they need to be combined with antiviral treatment. It's clear this is a more expensive drug, but this is the best treatment we have for COVID-19 and see many patients now who require it,” he added.
"The Health Ministry conducts centralized procurement of COVID-19 drugs and distributes them to hospitals and HMOs according to various needs,” the Health Ministry said in a statement. “In light of the need for Remdesivir, the ministry has approved additional procurement expected to arrive at the institutions in the coming days. The ministry is working to ensure the provision of the drugs.”