Our statement on Evusheld - A treatment to prevent COVID for immunosuppressed people including transplant patients.
In March 2022, a new medicine, Evusheld, was authorised for Covid prevention by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This medicine has been developed by AstraZeneca, and has been approved for use in adults who are immunosuppressed.
Evusheld is a combination of two long-acting antibodies, tixagevimab and cilgavimab, which is given as a single-dose injection. It is authorised to be used before exposure to the risk of COVID-19 infection, to prevent disease (known as ‘pre-exposure prophylaxis’).
Cardiomyopathy UK and other health-related charities are calling for the Government to urgently set out its approach on how it will be rolled out and made available to people who would benefit from using it.
Our Head of Research and Policy, Wendy Edwards, said:
"The approval of Evusheld for use is welcomed by our community of heart transplant patients who are considered vulnerable due to their immunosuppressive status, many of whom still shield to avoid infection from the different variants of Sars-CoV-2.
We still await to hear from the Government when or if Evusheld will be made available for immunosuppressed patients. We are working with other health charities to find out more information around the reasons for delays with the rollout of Evusheld in the UK. The treatment is already being given to immunocompromised people in the United States and other countries around the world."
We are working together with other charities, member groups, and AstraZeneca to keep up to date with this issue and do what we can to move things forward. You can find out more about Evusheld from the MHRA's press release . A campaigning group that advocates speedy access to the treatment has been established and you can find out more about their work at https://getevusheld.uk/