Dr. David Figucia is at the helm of UPMC Urgent Care and UPMC AnywhereCare operations. He has strongly advocated for monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 from the beginning, encouraging physicians in his practices to refer patients who meet eligibility criteria.
Monoclonal antibodies are available for outpatients with risk factors for progression to severe COVID-19 illness. The treatment is administered via infusion, and it can prevent hospitalization and reduce emergency department visits.
Because monoclonal antibodies are intended for outpatients, UPMC Urgent Care locations are playing a large part in getting patients access to treatment. Since December 2020, Figucia and his teams have referred over 300 patients, completing close to 200 successful infusions.
“The data show hospitalization rates go down drastically if patients receive monoclonal antibodies. We had a number of patients call us after their treatment to tell us they felt tremendously better; some patients even expressed feeling better before they left the infusion center,” said Figucia.
The treatment is not only effective; it’s also safe. Other than some IV site discomfort, patients have been receiving infusions with minimal side effects. UPMC’s data show that patients tolerate the treatment well, a conclusion drawn after UPMC provided more than 2,000 infusions.
For more information about monoclonal antibodies, including eligibility criteria, resources and more, visit the UPMC website. To see if you qualify for treatment, please call 866-804-5251.
