According to experts, there are medicines from monoclonal doctors that provide extra immunity to patients at risk, a group that represents a large part of those admitted to hospitals. Bastonário dos Médicos guarantees that the treatment, already approved, is being done in many European countries and warns: “In our country there is none”

The alert comes from doctors: at a time when Portugal is facing thousands of cases of covid-19 and the number of cases is increasing, the country still has deaths, unlike many others, innovators against SARS-CoV-2 not sometimes people more susceptible, such as the elderly, immunocompromised, sick and diabetics, among others.

“Unlike the others, there is no treatment with monoclonal countries, to be administered in Portugal and which is essential for patients at higher risk”, warns the chairman of the Ordem dos Médicos, Miguel Guimarães, in statements to CNN Portugal, explaining that “ These medicines serve as extra immunity”, he adds, noting that they are a single injection, which costs 1000 euros for each treatment.

Indeed, it is these patients who continue, to a large extent, to be hospitalized in the wards and intensive care units of hospitals. “You cannot put strict measures on the entire population just because of the risk groups, but we have to protect the groups”, says Filipe F. for his part in dealing with the pandemic.

According to the expert, these are monoclonal – intramuscular injections – serve to prevent a disease. “In several countries it is already being given to these patients at risk. But in Portugal, after so much time, nothing is still available to give our patients and that’s the number of deaths”, he guarantees, explaining that these monoclonal drugs affect two types: some serve to treat and others to prevent. “They’re more expensive than vaccines, but they’re also only going to be for people who can’t get them, except with these drugs.”

The extra immunity given by this disease lasts for six months and protects citizens from risk factors of certain diseases, such as active cancer, or even age.

“These treatments are prophylaxis, or they are, they prevent people from becoming infected. The specific protein is specific for the virus to enter the cells”, note José and Miguel Azevedo Pereira, professor at the US College of Pharmacy, explaining what is administered with which immunities are immune. “These drugs are very efficient from the point of view of virus replication because they are outside the cell”,

It’s just that, in addition to being preventive, there are drugs used based on durable ones. monoclonal drugs that serve to treat “The initial initial phase that advances a more serious situation”, adds Filipe Froes, which are used to avoid these data in Europe, Canada and in several countries: “In Germany, for example, there are centers only for their administration.”

“It’s my only hope”

José Ramos, 65, is surgical, but he is currently battling cancer. “The only hope there is for me and many, many other people are these monoclonals that are EMA approved. [Agência Europeia do Medicamento] and recommendations have any effect”, says the doctor to CNN Portugal, explaining that, due to the treatment he does, vaccines have no effect.

At stake is a treatment for his oncological disease. “I took the vaccines and the booster dose, but vaccines and vaccines after the two booster doses, but two vaccines after the doses is zero”, he says, remembering that at the moment, unlike Portugal, there are many countries, such as ” France, Spain and Italy”, where these drugs are already being used successfully.

“For immunocompromised people who cannot take the vaccine or people who cannot take the vaccine or medicines are the solution”, he adds, considering that, at a time when covid-19 has intensified again, there is no sense in the country not having these medicines. . “I can’t work with all the family problems, very complicated, even work that can work with all colleagues, in this area almost everyone, it is possible to work like all co-workers”, in these situations they can work like all colleagues who they work with all the problems related to their family. your. “It’s a way for people at risk, who can’t catch a disease, but also don’t benefit from the vaccine, to have an almost normal life.”

As confirmed to CNN Portugal the astraZeneca, the laboratory that markets the drug with monoclonals that can increase the situation, and prevent an infection not yet accessible in the country, being with the health authorities to assess the situation. “AstraZeneca’s monoclonals have already been approved by the European Medicines Agency for the prophylaxis of covid-19. At the moment, this therapy is not yet available in Portugal, it will be ongoing with the health authorities to evaluate the official source of the acquisition company”, explained the official source of the acquisition company.

Antivirals to treat

In addition, there are other, unused methods that are not used as internals by the world: antivirals still for two monoclonal-19, is also being used to treat “who is still used by the world”. “In Portugal, there are no antiviral drugs for the initial phase of the infection that would prevent it from progressing and requiring hospitalization or becoming a serious disease. But in other countries they are already being used”, warns Filipe Froes, explaining that they are intended for at-risk patients such as those over 65 years of age, cardiac patients, cancer patients, among others.

This medication is internal to be applied that are not medically indicated. In Portugal there is an antiviral, which is an injection, but it is intended for a patient already hospitalized “in need of low oxygen support”, he notes. However, according to CNN Portugal, the health authorities are also evaluating the entry of one of these drugs on the market.