Japan to Mull Antibody Cocktail Treatment at Home

From Jiji

September 15 2021

TOKYO– Japan’s health ministry will swiftly consider allowing patients with the novel coronavirus to receive antibody cocktail treatment at home, health minister Norihisa Tamura said Wednesday.

Antibody cocktail treatment is currently used mainly for hospitalized coronavirus patients to prevent them from developing severe symptoms. It is provided as outpatient care for people who are recovering at home.

“As there are many requests from doctors to use (antibody cocktail treatment) at (patients’) homes, we want to consider (the possibility) swiftly and offer a direction,” Tamura said in an off-session meeting of parliament.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters the same day that he has instructed the health ministry to consider allowing COVID-19 patients to use antibody cocktail treatment while recovering at home.

“The ministry is dealing with the matter,” Suga said. “It will not take long (to reach a conclusion).”