DeSantis promotes Covid drug that top donor invests in. (AP/NBC Hit Piece)

[Wingnut]

Aug. 18, 2021, 7:15 AM CDT / Source: Associated Press
By The Associated Press
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who has been criticized for opposing mask mandates and vaccine passports — is now touting a Covid antibody treatment in which a top donor's company has invested millions of dollars.

DeSantis has been flying around the state promoting Regeneron, a monoclonal antibody treatment that was used on then-President Donald Trump after he tested positive for Covid. The governor first began talking about it as a treatment last year.

Citadel, a Chicago-based hedge fund, has $15.9 million in shares of Regeneron Pharmaceutical, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Citadel CEO Ken Griffin has donated $10.75 million to a political committee that supports DeSantis — $5.75 million in 2018 and $5 million last April.

4th paragraph

It's not unusual for hedge funds to have a wide range of investments. And BlackRock, which has primarily donated to Democratic candidates, though has also donated substantially to Republicans, has a large holding in the company — more so than Citadel.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/desantis-promotes-covid-drug-top-donor-invests-n1277049

[PeteS in CA]

The new MSM hit-piece game: Six Degrees of Ron DeSantis.

  Since I've mentioned the effectiveness of both Eli Lilly's and Regeneron's monoclonal antibody treatments and one of my 401K mutual funds might have holdings in Eli Lilly, Junshi BioSciences, Regeneron, or AbCellera, maybe @mystery-ak and @Cyber Liberty should investigate whether I have a conflict of interest.

[mystery-ak]

The new MSM hit-piece game: Six Degrees of Ron DeSantis.

  Since I've mentioned the effectiveness of both Eli Lilly's and Regeneron's monoclonal antibody treatments and one of my 401K mutual funds might have holdings in Eli Lilly, Junshi BioSciences, Regeneron, or AbCellera, maybe @mystery-ak and @Cyber Liberty should investigate whether I have a conflict of interest.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The real question is: Does it work?

If it works, tout it as an alternative to the jabs.
(even though the narrative is that we are all going to die if we get COVID--if we don't get the jab)

Mutual funds invest in all sorts of things with one goal: to make money.
A treatment that works (and can get a pass from the CDC/FDA/NIAID/MSM/etc.) would be worth money, targeting those who should not or do not wish to take the shot.

Hardly a conflict of interest to be invested in a fund that has holdings you do not directly control.

[LegalAmerican]

The real question is: Does it work?

If it works, tout it as an alternative to the jabs.
(even though the narrative is that we are all going to die if we get COVID--if we don't get the jab)

Mutual funds invest in all sorts of things with one goal: to make money.
A treatment that works (and can get a pass from the CDC/FDA/NIAID/MSM/etc.) would be worth money, targeting those who should not or do not wish to take the shot.

Hardly a conflict of interest to be invested in a fund that has holdings you do not directly control.

    THANK YOU.  COMMON SENSE PREVAILS.   They are just doing a 'HIT JOB' ON DE SANTIS...as he is doing a great job in Florida.  Evil people who have that envy gene, do this a lot.

[Smokin Joe]

    THANK YOU.  COMMON SENSE PREVAILS.   They are just doing a 'HIT JOB' ON DE SANTIS...as he is doing a great job in Florida.  Evil people who have that envy gene, do this a lot.

Behind it all (I'd wager) is that the vaxx producers will likely take a hit on their stock prices if a viable and effective treatment is approved. 

If you might be at risk from the jab, this is an alternative, and incentive to not get the shot.

[PeteS in CA]

The Regeneron treatment seems to have worked well with President Trump (and many others, of course). It received Emergency Use Authorization November 21, 2020, https://investor.regeneron.com/index.php/news-releases/news-release-details/regenerons-regen-cov2-first-antibody-cocktail-covid-19-receive .

Mrs. PeteS received the single mab Eli Lilly treatment and it seemed to work appropriately for her. It received EUA on November 9, 2020, http://lilly.mediaroom.com/2020-11-09-Lillys-neutralizing-antibody-bamlanivimab-LY-CoV555-receives-FDA-emergency-use-authorization-for-the-treatment-of-recently-diagnosed-COVID-19 . A new EUA authorizing use of a combination of two mabs was received on February 9, 2021, http://lilly.mediaroom.com/2021-02-09-Lillys-bamlanivimab-LY-CoV555-administered-with-etesevimab-LY-CoV016-receives-FDA-emergency-use-authorization-for-COVID-19 . At Eli Lilly's April 16 request, the original EUA was revoked.

Just a note, the Regeneron mab treatment, the Eli Lilly mab treatment, and the three vaccines are all being used under FDA Emergency Use Authorization. Thus all are "experimental", if one wants to use that misleading term.

[PeteS in CA]

The AP didn't like the pushback they got from DeSantis and crew and published a public whine. DeSantis was less than sympathetic:

DeSantis blasts Associated Press in letter over 'smear' COVID drug story: 'Botched and discredited'

https://www.foxnews.com/media/desantis-associated-press-letter-smear

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shot back at The Associated Press on Monday after the outlet's incoming CEO accused his press secretary of harassing one of its reporters, saying the AP received deserved pushback for a partisan "smear" that could cost lives.

In a letter to Daisy Veerasingham, DeSantis blasted the AP for its "temerity" to complain about criticism a reporter received last week over his story that suggested a link between the governor's touting of a COVID antibody drug from Regeneron and a political donor's investment in the company.
...
DeSantis didn't hold back in a remarkable open letter from a politician to a news organization.

"I assumed your letter was to notify me that you were issuing a retraction of the partisan smear piece you published last week," DeSantis wrote. "Instead, you had the temerity to complain about the deserved blowback that your botched and discredited attempt to concoct a political narrative has received. The ploy will not work to divert attention from the fact that the Associated Press published a false narrative that will lead some to decline effective treatment for COVID infections."
...
DeSantis wrote the AP produced "zero evidence" that Florida's efforts were being undertaken for any reason other than to help citizens suffering from the disease.

"While the public's trust in corporate outlets like the AP is at historic lows, there is no doubt that some will decline to seek life-saving treatment as a result of the AP's inflammatory headline," he wrote.

[libertybele]

Funny...it was authorized by the  FDA as an additional treatment back in May.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-additional-monoclonal-antibody-treatment-covid-19

[Wingnut]

The AP didn't like the pushback they got from DeSantis and crew and published a public whine. DeSantis was less than sympathetic:

DeSantis blasts Associated Press in letter over 'smear' COVID drug story: 'Botched and discredited'

https://www.foxnews.com/media/desantis-associated-press-letter-smear

Offense is the best defense with the liberal media.  They hate it.

[Kamaji]

DeSantis is awesome!

[dfwgator]

DeSantis is awesome!

He will be a great President.

[LegalAmerican]

DeSantis is awesome!

Yes, he learned well from POTUS TRUMP.   

[PeteS in CA]

Funny...it was authorized by the  FDA as an additional treatment back in May.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-additional-monoclonal-antibody-treatment-covid-19

That’s an extension of the original authorization given in November. Both the Regeneron and Eli Lilly may treatments have been authorized for quite a few months. Another antibody treatment, from AstraZeneca looks to be coming close to requesting EUA.