Utah Legislature Votes To Spend $6 Million More On Unproven COVID-19 Treatments
The Utah Legislature voted to appropriate more than $1 billion in federal money Thursday toward the state’s coronavirus response.
It included a controversial move to set aside $6 million in federal funding to stockpile drugs to treat COVID-19. Lawmakers had already approved $2 million of federal money for the drugs, bringing the total to $8 million.
There are currently no drugs approved to treat COVID-19, although President Donald Trump and some state leaders have suggested using the anti-malaria and lupus drug hydroxychloroquine, which has potentially dangerous side effects. The stockpile is intended to ensure enough supply so doctors can prescribe it for approved uses as well as for the treatment of COVID-19.
The appropriation doesn’t specify which drug the money would go toward purchasing.
Family physician Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful, unsuccessfully attempted to amend the bill to stop the state from stockpiling drugs for a purpose not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
“Until we have evidence that a treatment is helpful, we should not, using taxpayer dollars, short circuit our regular private market process for getting medication to patients,” Ward said.
However, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Brad Last, R-Hurricane, argued that if the state waits to buy the drugs, it may be too late.
https://www.kuer.org/post/utah-legislature-votes-spend-6-million-more-unproven-covid-19-treatments#stream/0