Biotech and Pharmaceuticals
FDA says Covid vaccines will probably get an annual update but most people will likely need only one shot
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images The Food and Drug Administration has laid out a road map for what Covid-19 vaccination may look like moving forward. In a briefing document published Monday, the FDA said the vaccines will probably need an annual update as the virus continues to evolve. The agency would select the Covid strain […]
Read More
Another major HIV vaccine trial fails
An image of the HIV virus taken with transmission electron microscopy. BSIP/UIG | Getty Images The only HIV vaccine in a late-stage trial has failed, researchers announced Wednesday, dealing a significant blow to the effort to control the global HIV epidemic and adding to a decadeslong roster of failed attempts. Known as Mosaico, the trial […]
Read More
Moderna says RSV vaccine is 84% effective at preventing disease in older adults
A woman receives a booster dose of the Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a vaccination centre in Antwerp, Belgium, February 1, 2022. Johanna Geron | Reuters Moderna on Tuesday said its vaccine targeting respiratory syncytial virus is effective at preventing disease in older adults. The vaccine was 83.7% effective at preventing lower respiratory tract […]
Read More
Here’s where to look for the next developments in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease
Biogen and its partner, Japanese drugmaker Eisai , earlier this month received accelerated approval from the Food and Drug Administration for Leqembi, a monoclonal antibody to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Although Biogen shares are trading higher in the wake of this development , they are only up 4% or so year to date. To some degree, […]
Read More
China should set aside politics and look at Covid jab imports, world’s largest vaccine maker says
China needs to move past political considerations and look at importing Covid-19 jabs to end the pandemic globally, according to the chief executive of the world’s latest vaccine manufacturer. “They need to open themselves up to healthcare and vaccines from the West and set aside any political issues or things that are holding them back,” […]
Read More
CDC says it’s ‘very unlikely’ Pfizer booster carries stroke risk for seniors after launching review
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday said it is “very unlikely” the Pfizer omicron booster carries a risk of stroke for seniors after it launched an investigation into a preliminary safety concern detected by one of its monitoring systems. The CDC, in a statement posted to its website Friday, said a surveillance system […]
Read More
U.S. uninsured rate fell during Covid pandemic as Medicaid and Obamacare coverage grew
The number of people in the U.S. without health insurance declined during the Covid-19 pandemic even as millions of people lost coverage through their employers due to layoffs. The uninsured rate in the U.S. for people under age 65 dropped from 11% in 2019 to 10.5% in 2021, according to a report released Friday by […]
Read More
Nearly 250,000 kindergarteners in U.S. are vulnerable to measles due to slide in vaccination rates, CDC says
Nearly a quarter of a million kindergartners are potentially vulnerable to measles due to a dip in vaccination coverage during the pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC, in a report published Thursday, found that 93% of kindergartners were up to date with state-required vaccines during the 2021-2022 school year, […]
Read More
People with diabetes struggle to find Ozempic as it soars in popularity as a weight loss aid
Tammie Rachell Largent-Phillips, 52, has Type 2 diabetes. For the past two years, she’s managed the condition using a drug called Ozempic, which helps people with diabetes keep blood sugar levels in check. But in November, she was forced to switch to another medication, insulin. The Ozempic she needed was no longer available at her […]
Read More
Biden administration will select first 10 drugs for Medicare price negotiations by September
The Health and Human Services Department plans to publish in September a list of 10 drugs covered by Medicare that it will target for price negotiations, the first phase in a long awaited effort to cut costs for seniors. HHS officials, in a call with reporters on Wednesday, laid out the federal government’s road map […]
Read More