HAS extends its authorization of Evusheld to all immunocompromised patients

THE ESSENTIAL

• In France, more than 63,000 people live thanks to a transplanted organ according to the Biomedicine Agency.
• From now on, to benefit from the Evusheld treatment, only an antigen test of less than 72 hours will be necessary, whereas before it was a mandatory PCR test.

In one communicated published this Friday, March 18, the High Authority for Health (HAS) has extended the authorization for early access – that is to say before obtaining a marketing authorization – to preventive treatment once morest Covid- 19 called Evusheld. From now on, chemotherapy patients, those on dialysis (blood purification method) or even immunocompromised adolescents aged 12 and over – and who weigh more than 40 kg – will have access to it. Also, people with cardiovascular risks will be able to take Evusheld, which was not the case before. Indeed, until now, only immunocompromised patients who did not respond or were not eligible for vaccination might benefit from it.

Immunocompromised patients more at risk

Immunocompromised people are mainly those living with a transplanted organ, on dialysis, chemotherapy or biotherapy. Their immune system is weakened and can no longer fight off pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria or parasites. They also respond little or badly to vaccination and are therefore more at risk, even vaccinated, of developing a serious form of Covid-19.

Evusheld is not a substitute for vaccination…

Evusheld is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies, tixagevimab and cilgavimab, which can be taken as a preventive treatment for Covid-19 to prevent severe forms. He is delivered via an intramuscular injection often in hospital but it can also be given by a nurse at home. “This treatment is not intended to be used as a substitute for vaccination and (the) does not exempt patients and their relatives from compliance with barrier measuresrecalls the HAS in its press release. Wearing a mask is strongly recommended to them in places of significant promiscuity, in places where respect for barrier gestures is limited as well as in poorly ventilated closed places.

…but can protect patients as restrictions are lifted

Since Monday March 14, a large number of health restrictions related to Covid-19 have been lifted. End of wearing a mask in closed places, end of the vaccination – and health – pass in many places…. So many reliefs that immunocompromised patients fear, especially since there is a resumption of the epidemic. According to latest figures availableover a week, the average number of new daily confirmed cases increased by more than 33%, to 72,931 positive cases per day.

Patients misinformed regarding these treatments

To protect these immunocompromised people, who are often not sufficiently protected by vaccination, the Evusheld treatment can therefore be a very good solution because it can be taken preventively, that is to say before becoming ill, and would protect once morest severe forms of the disease. However, currently, only 16,000 immunocompromised patients have received it. A still very low proportion compared to the more than 100,000 immunocompromised patients who live in France. “Patients are misinformed, caregivers too and (there are) doctors who refuse to prescribe this preventive treatmentexplains Magali Leo, Head of the Advocacy Division of Renalooassociation of patients with kidney disease on a daily basis 20 Minutes. However, the public authorities have implemented information channels on this processing. But we would have liked a firm message from the minister to doctors on this urgency to prescribe Evusheld.” Thus, the extension of the early access authorization to Evusheld might therefore change things… And protect more immunocompromised patients.