The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is committed to ensuring timely updates related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including for treatment. Based on new guidance issued by the United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the sustained increase in COVID-19 variants now circulating in the US that are resistant to bamlanivimab alone, RIDOH no longer recommends the administration of bamlanivimab alone to treat people with COVID-19. HHS stopped the distribution of bamlanivimab alone starting March 24, 2021.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently updated the authorized Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers for the bamlanivimab emergency use authorization (EUA). This update advises healthcare providers to use alternative authorized monoclonal antibody therapies that are expected to protect against circulating viral variants including bamlanivimab and etesevimab administered together and casirivimab and imdevimab (Regeneron). 

RIDOH has updated its healthcare provider page to reflect this change.