My Daughter Receives Evusheld to Protect Against COVID-19

Every six months, my daughter Grace and I go to the children’s hospital for her Rituxan (rituximab) infusions. This has proven to be one of the most effective treatments for Grace after she was diagnosed with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome at age 15.

The Rituxan infusions are usually preceded by an appointment with Grace’s rheumatologist, who is the prescribing physician for the infusions. The rheumatologist has mentioned several times in the past year that Grace would be an excellent candidate for Evusheld (tixagevimab copackaged with cilgavimab), an investigational prophylaxis medication for the prevention of COVID-19. To receive Evusheld, a person must not be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and must be moderately to severely immunocompromised due to a medical condition or immunosuppressive treatments.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization to make Evusheld available in early December 2021, we have found it very difficult to obtain.

In the past year, Grace has had two referrals and prescriptions for Evusheld, but both times, the infusion centers were unable to schedule appointments due to a lack of supply.

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Finally, during Grace’s latest rheumatology appointment, we were told that she could receive Evusheld shots during her next Rituxan infusion.

These infusions usually last between eight and nine hours, with a 30-minute observation period at the end. On the day of her latest infusion, the nurse told us that Grace would receive a dose of Evusheld during the observation period at the end of the infusion.

The procedure was similar to receiving a vaccine. Evusheld is given as two intramuscular injections, normally, one after the other. However, Grace’s nurse offered to have both shots administered at the same time so Grace opted for that.

Overall, it didn’t hurt any more than a simple prick of the needle. Grace said it didn’t burn or sting like other vaccines sometimes do. Plus, she hasn’t had any adverse effects.

I hope Evusheld will help to spare Grace the experience of fighting yet another bout of COVID-19. She has already had it twice, and she struggled to fight it off. Both times, she required monoclonal antibodies to fight the illness.

Evusheld may be a good option for the immunocompromised in their fight against COVID-19. We will keep you posted on Grace’s progress.

Note: Lambert-Eaton News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Lambert-Eaton News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Lambert-Eaton myasthenia syndrome.