
<p><strong>A recent cholera outbreak outside the administrative capital of Tshwane has led to at least 15 deaths and dozens hospitalized. While the source of the outbreak is yet to be confirmed, residents and analysts point to long-running water quality and supply issues in the area as a failure of service delivery.</strong></p>



<p>South Africa is grappling with a devastating cholera outbreak just outside the administrative capital of Tshwane in Hammanskraal in northern Gauteng province. The outbreak has claimed at least 15 lives and left another 34 individuals hospitalized.</p>



<p>This severe bacterial outbreak, which leads to intense dehydration and can ultimately be fatal, is typically associated with unsafe, contaminated water supplies. Hammanskraal, a rural township on the outskirts of Tshwane, has grappled with water supply issues for at least a decade. In 2021, an independent commission of enquiry found that the local Rooiwal Water Treatment Plant has borne the brunt of the responsibility for the poor water quality and supply afflicting the residents.</p>



<p>The Gauteng Department of Health confirmed on Sunday the presence of cholera in the region based on lab results of stool specimens collected from 19 individuals. These patients presented themselves at Jubilee District Hospital, exhibiting symptoms including diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea.</p>



<p>Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo underscored the severity of the water supply and quality issues during a media briefing. He pointed to the constant upheaval within the metro governance as a significant contributor to these issues. Mahlobo stated, &#8220;The Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment, the frequent change of mayors in the City of Tshwane, and defaults on agreements are at the epicenter of the Hammanskraal water issues.&#8221;</p>



<p>Residents have not remained silent on these issues, with protests against poor water quality taking place as recently as March of this year. However, this is not a new challenge for residents – in 2014, about 73 people were treated for cholera-like symptoms within a single week at the local Jubilee Hospital, leading to an intervention from the then mayor and a task-team being formed.</p>



<p>Fast forward to 2021, both an independent commission of enquiry and a report produced by the South African Human Rights Council found that the water supplied to Hammanskraal residents was contaminated. They stated that the City of Tshwane had neglected its obligation to provide basic services to its residents.</p>



<p>The city&#8217;s political landscape hasn&#8217;t helped matters, with reported political infighting within the City of Tshwane, which has seen five mayors in as many years, being a significant impediment to service delivery. The incumbent mayor, Cilliers Brink of the opposition party the Democratic Alliance (DA) attempted to visit Hammanskraal yesterday for a site visit, before being chased away by residents furious over lack of service delivery.</p>



<p>In a video statement Brink confirmed that tap water testing revealed no E. Coli bacteria, adding that the source of the outbreak is yet to be confirmed and cautioned residents against consuming tap water without proper treatment.</p>



<p>To deal with the outbreak, water tankers, social workers, additional wards, and nursing staff have been mobilized. Despite these efforts, and with Jubilee Hospital being overwhelmed, the future seems bleak for the residents of Hammanskraal who have had to endure more than a decade of inadequate water quality and supply.</p>



<p>One resident, speaking to FORBES AFRICA outside Jubilee Hospital, succinctly captured the mood of the people: &#8220;It&#8217;s been so long overdue. People have died.&#8221;</p>


Cholera Outbreak In Hammanskraal

Cholera Outbreak Exposes Long-Running Water Crisis Outside South Africa’s Administrative Capital


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>A panel of independent experts on Thursday <a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/fda-advisory-committee-votes-support-approval-pfizers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recommended</a> the Food and Drug Administration approve an RSV vaccine by Pfizer designed to protect babies by vaccinating pregnant parents, potentially paving the way for the first RSV shot for infants—weeks after the agency approved the country’s first shot for the common but potentially deadly infection.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The FDA panel voted unanimously (14-0) on the drug’s effectiveness, and 10 of the advisory board’s 14 members voted that the vaccine—known as Abrysvo—is safe, with some members flagging a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/18/health/rsv-vaccine-newborns-fda/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">slightly higher rate</a>&nbsp;of preterm births among vaccine recipients.</p>



<p>RSV, which stands for respiratory syncytial virus, is a common respiratory infection that typically causes mild illness in healthy adults but can trigger severe, possibly fatal, disease in younger children, older adults and those with underlying medical issues.</p>



<p>As protective antibodies can be passed from mother to developing fetus, the maternal shot, given to pregnant people between 24 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, also protects children in their first months of life.</p>



<p>Evidence from Pfizer’s late stage clinical trial, which included nearly 7,400 pregnant people, indicated the shot was 82% effective at preventing severe disease for the first three months after birth and 69% for the first six months.</p>



<p>The shot was also 51% effective at preventing doctor’s visits for RSV-related illness within the first six months of life, the trial found.</p>



<p>Safety data for the shot is also “generally favorable,” the FDA said in briefing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/vaccines-and-related-biological-products-advisory-committee-may-18-2023-meeting-announcement#event-materials" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">documents</a>&nbsp;released ahead of the meeting, with relatively standard side effects reported like injection site pain, muscle pain and headaches.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>The FDA still has to approve the vaccine and a decision is likely still months away. The agency does not have to follow its advisors’ recommendations but it almost always does and the panel’s decision will carry considerable weight. Further down the line, Pfizer is also seeking FDA approval for its RSV shot to be used in older adults. A number of other companies are also in the process of completing late-stage trials for shots of their own and the FDA is in the process of reviewing an antibody injection to protect infants from RSV that is being jointly developed by European pharma heavyweights Sanofi and AstraZeneca. The European Union’s regulator, the European Medicines Agency, has already signed off on the preventative shot.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-don-t-know">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h2>



<p>From the analysis in its briefing, the FDA was keen to hear its advisors’ thoughts on the number of premature births observed in Pfizer’s trials. While the agency’s analysts note the overall incidence of preterm births in the trial—both for vaccine and placebo recipients—was lower than the background rates in all countries where the study was conducted, there was a slightly higher rate among vaccine recipients. This difference, 5.7% in vaccinated pregnant people versus 4.7% in the placebo group (the overall U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/features/premature-birth/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rate</a>&nbsp;is around 10%), was not statistically significant and it is not clear whether the vaccine played a role. The issue is salient, however, and the prospect of preterm births will have already loomed large in the minds of the FDA’s advisors and officials after Pfizer’s rival GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/advantage-pfizer-gsk-stops-phase-3-trials-maternal-rsv-vaccine-after-seeing-safety-signal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">halted</a>&nbsp;its own trials of a maternal RSV vaccine after noticing concerning early data&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/381/bmj.p1021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">involving</a>&nbsp;preterm births and neonatal deaths.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



<p>The FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/05/03/fda-approves-first-ever-rsv-vaccine-after-brutal-2022-season/?sh=9bb0aca10b2b">approved</a>&nbsp;an RSV shot from GSK in early May. The agency’s green light marked the culmination of decades of hard work from scientists and followed numerous&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-04434-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">setbacks</a>. It also marked a major coup for GSK, whose shot, Arexvy, beat out stiff competition from an increasingly crowded&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/06/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-later-this-year-the-top-vaccines-and-their-effectiveness/?sh=3c1103815f81">field</a>&nbsp;that includes the likes of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson. If approved, Pfizer’s shot will still mark an important milestone, however, as GSK&#8217;s vaccine is targeted towards older adults ages 60 and up.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>RSV is a very&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/10/28/rsv-infections-are-spiking-among-kids-and-swamping-childrens-hospitals---heres-what-parents-need-to-know/?sh=3b6d8f5c42f5">common respiratory virus</a>&nbsp;and it infects&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/high-risk/infants-young-children.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">almost all</a>&nbsp;people by the time they are two years old. Healthy adults will typically experience nothing more than mild, cold-like symptoms like a runny nose, coughing and fever,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/symptoms.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the CDC, and barring any other health issues most will quickly and easily recover. Infection can be more deadly for other groups, however, most notably very young infants, older adults and people with conditions like weakened immune systems. In such people, RSV can be lethal. In young children in the U.S., complications from RSV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/research/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Frsv%2Fresearch%2Fus-surveillance.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kill</a>&nbsp;between 100 and 300 young children every year and hospitalizes many more. The danger is particularly acute for very young infants, particularly in the first months and years of life, as inflammation and mucus triggered by the infection can be enough to block already small airways. In the U.S., RSV is a much more serious concern among older adults and is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/research/us-surveillance.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">responsible</a>&nbsp;for 14,000 deaths in people aged 65 years and over each year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>After malaria, RSV is the&nbsp;<a href="https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/73/Supplement_3/S229/6362482" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biggest</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vk/rsv" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">killer</a>&nbsp;of young infants worldwide. In 2017 the World Health Organization estimated RSV results in more than 3 million hospitalisations and nearly 60,000 deaths in children under five years old annually. Children under six months accounted for nearly half of this figure.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/21/first-rsv-vaccine-for-kids-given-to-pregnant-moms-could-arrive-months-early-as-fda-fast-tracks-review/?sh=30e7adc1a281">First RSV Vaccine For Kids—Given To Pregnant Moms—Could Arrive Months Early As FDA Fast-Tracks Review</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00212-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Will a new wave of RSV vaccines stop the dangerous virus?</a>&nbsp;(Nature)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/02/17/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-later-this-year-the-top-vaccines-and-their-effectiveness/?sh=62990cd87fc1">First FDA-Approved RSV Vaccines Expected Later This Year: The Top Vaccines And Their Effectiveness</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Human respiratory syncytial virus inoculation

RSV Vaccine: FDA Advisors Recommend Pfizer Shot To Protect Infants From Infection—Here’s What To Know


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>The Food and Drug Administration approved a first-of-its-kind RSV vaccine by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline for older adults on Wednesday, in time to help the U.S. combat RSV infections and deaths this year after a severe 2022 season.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



<p>GlaxoSmithKline’s Arexvy is now approved for people ages 60 and older to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).</p>



<p>RSV is a common respiratory infection that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but can lead to serious lung infections for those most <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/06/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-later-this-year-the-top-vaccines-and-their-effectiveness/?sh=63e8e1185f81">vulnerable</a>, like children, older adults and those with underlying health conditions.</p>



<p>Each year in the U.S., RSV leads to between 60,000 to 120,000 hospitalizations and 6,000 to 10,000 deaths among adults 65 and older, the FDA said in a <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-vaccine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">release</a>.</p>



<p>The study that led to Arexvy’s approval found that the vaccine reduced the risk of developing RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease by 82.6% and reduced the risk of developing a severe RSV-associated respiratory disease by 94.1%.</p>



<p>The most common side effects among those in the trial were injection-site pain, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and joint stiffness or pain, the FDA said.</p>



<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to provide specific recommendations for GlaxoSmithKline and its vaccine in June, according to an ABC <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/1st-rsv-vaccine-older-adults-us-cleared-fda/story?id=99049816" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>, but the company expects it will have enough vaccines to meet demand ahead of RSV season in the fall and winter.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tangent</h2>



<p>Last year, the U.S. had an alarmingly bad RSV season, which some are attributing to lapsed Covid-19 pandemic health measures that had helped keep the public generally healthier and safe from RSV and the common cold. Between October and November in 2021, the CDC recorded 42,000 cases of RSV; in the same period in 2022, that number had swelled to 126,000, according to <a href="https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/rsv-surges-early-in-2022-but-appears-to-make-early-retreat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Contemporary Pediatrics</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The FDA is ahead of its time line, as it was expected to approve at least one RSV vaccine this year by the fall. The first attempt to create an RSV vaccine was in the 1960s, though it was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/06/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-later-this-year-the-top-vaccines-and-their-effectiveness/?sh=63e8e1185f81">unsuccessful</a>&nbsp;and led to severe and lethal cases of lung inflammatory response in infants.&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>&nbsp;previously reported 11 potential RSV vaccines were being studied in trials—4 for infants and 7 for adults. GSK, whose vaccine was approved, was racing drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna to get the first-approved RSV vaccine. CNBC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/rsv-vaccine-fda-approves-gsk-shot-for-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;that Moderna is still planning to file an application for FDA approval in the first half of this year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“Today marks a turning point in our effort to reduce the significant burden of RSV. . . . Our focus now is to ensure eligible older adults in the U.S. can access the vaccine as quickly as possible and to progress regulatory review in other countries,” said Tony Wood, chief scientific officer at GSK, in a press&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/us-fda-approves-gsk-s-arexvy-the-world-s-first-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-vaccine-for-older-adults/#:~:text=GSK%20plc%20(LSE%2FNYSE%3A,years%20of%20age%20and%20older." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">release</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-vaccine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FDA Approves First Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine</a>&nbsp;(FDA)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/06/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-later-this-year-the-top-vaccines-and-their-effectiveness/?sh=63e8e1185f81">First FDA-Approved RSV Vaccines Expected Later This Year: The Top Vaccines And Their Effectiveness</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/rsv-vaccine-fda-approves-gsk-shot-for-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FDA approves GSK&#8217;s RSV vaccine for older adults, world&#8217;s first shot against virus</a> (CNBC)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Molly Bohannon, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Vaccinations at Egoli Township as Omicron Cases Spread

FDA Approves First-Ever RSV Vaccine After Brutal 2022 Season


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>New Covid strain XBB.1.18, nicknamed arcturus, is quickly spreading across the U.S., but experts are warning that pink eye and high fever, two symptoms of the new variant, are particularly present among children.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Arcturus is a subvariant of the highly contagious omicron variant, which is the most prevalent variant in the U.S.,&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>



<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has seen an&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#traveler-genomic-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">uptick</a>&nbsp;in this variant among travelers—the week of March 6, it made up 1.1% of cases among travelers, and by the week of April 3, it made up 19.8%.</p>



<p>As of the week of April 22, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>&nbsp;arcturus makes up 9.6% of all U.S. cases, the second most prevalent subvariant behind XBB.1.5., which makes up 73.6% of cases.</p>



<p>The World Health Organization is tracking arcturus and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/21042023xbb.1.16ra-v2.pdf?sfvrsn=84577350_1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">labeled</a>&nbsp;it a “variant of interest” alongside XBB.1.5. on April 17, a step below a variant of concern—WHO previously labeled it a “variant under monitoring” in January.</p>



<p>WHO also reports the subvariant has been detected in 33 countries, including the U.S., Australia, Singapore, Libya, Iran, Kuwait and Qatar, but it’s the most prevalent in India.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>94,142. This is the weekly average of Covid cases in the U.S. as of April 19, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklycases_select_00" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>. However, this is a sharp decline from the weekly average of 296,279 this time last year, when BA.2, another omicron subvariant, was the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-sub-variant-ba2-makes-up-nearly-75-covid-variants-us-cdc-2022-04-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dominant strain</a>.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>WHO’s Covid technical lead, Maria Van Kerkhove,&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/6268467/omicron-subvariant-xbb116-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;during a press conference in March arcturus replaced the other variants in circulation in India, so it’s “one to watch.” The University of Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/who-elevates-xbb116-variant-interest-levels-rise-us-and-other-countries" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>&nbsp;the subvariant is fueling India’s biggest Covid surge in seven months. The Indian government&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mohfw.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>&nbsp;a total of 61,000 Covid cases as of Wednesday, a significant uptick compared to the 13,509 cases&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1912092" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;on March 30.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arcturus-origins">ARCTURUS ORIGINS</h2>



<p>Arcturus is a descendant of the recombinant variant XBB, which stems from two separate BA.2 sublineages, according to WHO’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/21042023xbb.1.16ra-v2.pdf?sfvrsn=84577350_1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risk assessment</a>. It is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/multi-media/details/who-press-conference-on-covid-19-and-other-global-health-issues-29-march-2023" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">600</a>&nbsp;omicron subvariants circulating the world. Though it has yet pinpointed its exact origins, WHO’s risk assessment reports the subvariant was first detected in January. Van Kerkhove also said in the press conference what sets this subvariant apart is a mutation in the spike protein, which “shows increased infectivity, as well as potential increased pathogenicity.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-symptoms">SYMPTOMS</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/news/pink-eye-symptom-covid19-coronavirus-children" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According</a>&nbsp;to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, pink eye (medically known as conjunctivitis) is suspected to be a symptom of the arcturus subvariant, particularly among children. If children have itchy, red eyes the AAO advises parents shouldn’t be alarmed, as it’s a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/red-pink-eye-goop-conjunctivitis-babies-infants" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">common</a>&nbsp;eye condition at any age and associated with allergy. However, Covid testing should be done to rule the virus out. Brad Hutton, a public health consultant at Hutton Health Consulting,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-to-know-about-the-new-covid-19-strain-known-as-arcturus#What-to-know-about-the-Arcturus-COVID-variant" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;<em>Medical News Today&nbsp;</em>arcturus seems to have “a competitive advantage to the current predominant variant in the globe, XBB.1.5.,” but it probably won’t be a “major cause for concern” since it doesn’t seem to cause more severe illness than XBB.1.5. Fevers have always been Covid symptom, but the fevers related to arcturus are higher-grade, Matthew Binnicker, the director of clinical virology at Mayo Clinic,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-arcturus-covid-variant-symptoms-doctors-are-seeing-the-most-right-now_uk_64410d19e4b039ec4e7cf84c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;the Huffington Post.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stamfordhealth.org/healthflash-blog/primary-care/fever-in-adults-when-to-worry/#:~:text=5.,103%20degrees%20F.%20or%20higher." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According</a>&nbsp;to Stamford health, a high-grade fever in adults is 103 degrees fahrenheit or higher for infants up to three months, 100.4 degrees fahrenheit or higher is considered high-grade, in children three months to three years, 102 degrees fahrenheit is high-grade and 103 degrees fahrenheit in older kids. If a patient develops a fever alongside pink eye, it’s a way to differentiate the infection from allergies because “allergies aren’t associated typically with a fever,” Binnicker said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/01/04/omicron-subvariant-xbb15-the-dominant-covid-strain-in-the-us-surges-in-major-metro-areas-with-slightly-different-symptoms/?sh=3a14fea0af2c">Omicron Subvariant XBB.1.5: The Dominant Covid Strain In The U.S. Surges In Major Metro Areas With Slightly Weaker Symptoms</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/01/26/covid-vaccines-heres-evidence-they-work-despite-persistent-misinformation-along-with-side-effects-and-common-misconceptions/?sh=67c5ed4547c3">Covid Vaccines: Here’s Evidence They Work—Despite Persistent Misinformation—Along With Side Effects And Common Misconceptions</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-to-know-about-the-new-covid-19-strain-known-as-arcturus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New COVID-19 strain: What to know about &#8216;Arcturus&#8217;</a> (Medical News Today)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/"></a><strong><em>By Arianna Johnson, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


A Covid-19 Vaccination Site As Children Under 5-Years Old Become Eligible For Shot

What To Know About ‘Arcturus’: New Covid Variant Causing Pink Eye


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Birth control with fewer side effects could be a possibility in the future, as a&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010073" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published Thursday found that ovulation can still be effectively prevented when the dosage of hormones in birth control is reduced by up to 92%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Researchers examined women aged 20 to 34 with normal menstrual cycles and found that it’s possible to reduce the total dose in both estrogen-only and progesterone-only contraceptives and still prevent ovulation, for a&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010073" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in&nbsp;<em>PLOS Computational Biology</em>.</p>



<p>In estrogen-only contraceptives researchers were able to reduce the total dose by 92% and in progesterone-only birth control they reduced the total dose by 43%.</p>



<p>In contraception with both estrogen and progesterone, the study shows that each dose of the hormone could be reduced further.</p>



<p>PROMOTED</p>



<p>The study found that contraception that distributes estrogen and progesterone at different points in the menstrual cycle could prove more successful than the current norm of steady constant doses of a hormone.</p>



<p>Most forms of contraception— whether pill, injectable or implant—aim to administer estrogen, progesterone or both to block ovulation and stop an egg from being released into the uterus</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p><strong>65%</strong>. That’s what percentage of U.S. women aged 15 to 49 used contraception from 2017 to 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db388.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Birth control is notorious for its many varying side effects. Weight gain, mood changes, acne and headaches are among the common symptoms of hormonal contraceptives,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2010/1215/p1509.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the American Academy of Family Physicians. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/report/contraception-in-the-united-states-a-closer-look-at-experiences-preferences-and-coverage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survey</a>&nbsp;done by the Kaiser Family Foundation last year, nearly one-third of contraceptive users said they experienced side effects from their current method of birth control, and more than half of those surveyed said the side effects they experienced were more severe than they expected. The effects of hormonal contraceptives on the brain, in particular, have been a focus for many researchers in recent years. A 2022 systematic review of neuroimaging studies on contraception&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7667464/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found</a>&nbsp;that the use of hormonal birth control can alter both the structure and the function of the brain, a finding which made adolescent women who are still developing increasingly vulnerable, researchers said. If, as Thursday’s study suggests, there is a reduction of hormones in birth control, side effects from contraception could also subside.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Separately there’s been a push to broaden birth control options for sexual partners. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36119-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;out earlier this year found a male contraceptive pill was effective in male mice 30 to 60 minutes after they took it, a finding researchers described as a “game changer” for contraceptives. The male mice received a single oral dose of a drug that immobilized sperm for up to two and a half hours, researchers said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/14/male-birth-control-drug-sees-game-changer-trial-in-mice-heres-what-you-need-to-know/?sh=37a540db4481">Male Birth Control Drug Sees ‘Game-Changer’ Trial In Mice—Here’s What You Need To Know</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/06/patients-doctors-clashing-side-effects-hormonal-birth-control/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Patients And Doctors Are Clashing About Side Effects Of Hormonal Birth Control</a> (STAT)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/"></a><strong><em>By Ana Faguy, Forbes Staff </em></strong></p>


TEENAGER TAKING CONTRACEPTIVE PILL FROM BLISTER PACK

Birth Control Can Be Effective With Lower Dosage Of Hormones, Study Finds


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Researchers on Wednesday hailed a groundbreaking new test that can detect Parkinson’s disease, a major breakthrough in the quest to accurately diagnose the progressive and incurable condition and a “game-changer” that clears the way for new treatments, preventatives and even cures.</p>



<p>Researchers have praised a breakthrough in diagnosing Parkinson&#8217;s disease.<small>GETTY</small></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The new test can accurately identify Parkinson’s disease using samples of the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, according to a study of more than 1,100 people&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00109-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<em>Lancet Neurology</em>.</p>



<p>It marks the first time scientists and clinicians can monitor, detect and define Parkinson’s disease using objective, biological terms—as opposed to clinical assessments and patient reports—since the condition was first characterized more than 200 years ago.</p>



<p>The technique, known as the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay, analyzes the build-up of abnormal proteins linked to Parkinson’s, which evidence suggests happens in the disease’s early stages and before the loss of certain nerve cells that is the only other biological change signaling Parkinson’s.</p>



<p>The molecular test managed to successfully identify nearly 90% of people diagnosed with the disease, the researchers said, even before diagnosis or the onset of symptoms like smell loss or problems with movement.</p>



<p>Writing in a linked commentary, neurologists Daniela Berg and Christine Klein, who were not involved in the study and are based at Germany’s University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, said the test finally “lays the foundation for a biological diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease” and lauded its ability to detect the condition before any other clinical or physical changes are detectable.</p>



<p>Dr. Kenneth Marek, who co-led the research and is a scientist at the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative and the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, said the test’s validation ”launches a new, biological era in Parkinson’s research” that will “transform” clinical care and the search for treatments, preventions and cures.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological disorder with no cure. It largely affects people over 50 years of age and, after Alzheimer’s, is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S. Treatments, which include brain implants and drugs, aim at addressing symptoms rather than slowing down or reversing the disease’s erosion of cognitive faculties, which vary between people but can include trouble walking, movement issues, tremors, memory loss, loss of smell and depression. In the U.S. alone, the cost of treating Parkinson’s is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/current-research/focus-disorders/focus-parkinsons-disease-research/parkinsons-disease-challenges-progress-and-promise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimated</a>&nbsp;to be $14 billion annually, and as the population ages—the number of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s is projected to double by 2040—these costs are expected to climb.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>Actor Michael J. Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s decades ago and advocates research into the condition, said he is “deeply moved” by the breakthrough and grateful to all involved. Fox is the namesake to the country’s largest foundation supporting Parkinson’s research, including this work, and said “we weren’t casting about for fish — we were going after a whale” when the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ppmi-info.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">group</a>&nbsp;set its sights on biological markers of the disease. “Now, here we are,” Fox said, adding: “together we are making a cure for Parkinson’s inevitable.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>500,000. That’s how many Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/current-research/focus-disorders/focus-parkinsons-disease-research/parkinsons-disease-challenges-progress-and-promise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. This figure likely underestimates the true prevalence of the condition, the institute said, as many people are likely to go undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed. Some experts believe as many as 1 million Americans have Parkinson’s, the group said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>While a biological marker of Parkinson’s is a major breakthrough, the process of sampling cerebrospinal fluid is invasive and more onerous than many other standard medical tests. In order to harness the full potential of using the abnormal proteins to signal Parkinson’s, Berg and Kline said a “less invasive approach,” notably blood tests, will be needed to scale the approach. Nevertheless, they said the discovery “is a game-changer in Parkinson’s disease diagnostics, research, and treatment trials.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryadolan/2023/03/28/exclusive-michael-j-fox-foundation-announces-winner-of-parkinsons-disease-research-prize-funded-by-billionaire-ken-griffin/?sh=2178c7107842">Exclusive: Michael J. Fox Foundation Announces Winner Of Parkinson’s Disease Research Prize Funded By Billionaire Ken Griffin</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/oct/07/the-scientists-working-to-defeat-parkinsons-disease" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘It’s hugely complex’: the scientists working to defeat Parkinson’s</a> (Guardian)</p>



<p><em><strong>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


Testing Tissue Samples

Game-Changing New Parkinson’s Test Paves Way For Treatments And Cure


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Moderna on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2023/Moderna-Announces-Clinical-and-Program-Updates-at-4th-Vaccines-Day/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unveiled</a>&nbsp;plans to develop vaccines against tick-borne Lyme disease and norovirus, a notorious stomach bug, the Massachusetts-based biotech’s latest efforts to bolster its pipeline and expand its offerings ahead of a steep drop in demand for its Covid-19 vaccines.</p>



<p>Moderna announced plans to develop a Lyme vaccine.&nbsp;<small>GETTY IMAGES</small></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Moderna said it is developing multiple vaccines targeting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lyme disease</a>, a serious infection spread by tick bites that can cause a range of symptoms including fever, facial paralysis, arthritis and rash.</p>



<p>There is no vaccine for Lyme disease on the market in the U.S.—the only approved shot was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/vaccine.html#:~:text=A%20vaccine%20for%20Lyme%20disease,2002%2C%20citing%20insufficient%20consumer%20demand." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pulled</a>&nbsp;in 2002—and infections are rising, largely spurred on by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/14-percent-world-population-lyme-disease-rcna33279" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a>&nbsp;change&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/lyme-disease-climate-crisis-ticks-b2136409.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expanding</a>&nbsp;the range of the ticks that carry it.</p>



<p>There are around 120,000 Lyme disease cases reported in the U.S. and Europe each year and Moderna said the proposed vaccines target key species of the tick-borne bacteria responsible for most infections in the regions.</p>



<p>Vaccinating against bacterial infections like Lyme is generally more complicated than protecting against viral infections like Covid, and the effort marks the first time Moderna has applied its mRNA technology to bacterial threats.</p>



<p>Moderna also announced plans to develop mRNA vaccines targeting norovirus, which is highly contagious and the leading cause of diarrheal disease globally.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



<p>Moderna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/13/moderna-therapeutics-biotech-mrna/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">struggled</a>&nbsp;for years to commercialize its mRNA technology before achieving stellar success with its Covid-19 vaccine during the pandemic. With demand for those shots waning, it is under intense pressure to diversify its offerings. In addition to respiratory diseases like Covid, flu and RSV, Moderna has shots targeting various cancers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/22/moderna-hopes-to-build-on-mrna-tech-used-in-its-covid-shots-by-targeting-genetic-diseases/?sh=76b4f6452692">genetic&nbsp;</a>conditions and infectious diseases like HIV, herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus in the pipeline.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Moderna said it expects six “major vaccine” launches in the “next few years.” On Tuesday, Moderna said it plans to seek regulatory approval for its latest RSV vaccine this quarter. The company pushed back its timeline for its flu shot, however, citing the need to gather more data.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>$15 billion. That’s how much Moderna estimates the annual global market for Covid booster shots is worth. The company said it expects to make up to $9 billion in profit from sales of respiratory products, which include its Covid booster shots and possible upcoming shots for illnesses like RSV.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/22/moderna-hopes-to-build-on-mrna-tech-used-in-its-covid-shots-by-targeting-genetic-diseases/?sh=76b4f6452692">Moderna Hopes To Build On mRNA Tech Used In Its Covid Shots—By Targeting Genetic Diseases</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/06/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-later-this-year-the-top-vaccines-and-their-effectiveness/?sh=7cb25dd65f81">First FDA-Approved RSV Vaccines Expected Later This Year: The Top Vaccines And Their Effectiveness</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/"></a><em><strong>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


COVID-19 Vaccination in Colombia

Vaccines For Lyme Disease And Norovirus? Moderna Working On Shots Targeting Tick-Borne Infection And Vomiting Bug


<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Researchers have developed a new omega-3 fatty acid that could potentially stave off visual declines in Alzheimer’s patients, according to a new study published Monday, though there is still no cure for the debilitating disease, which affects nearly 6 million Americans.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Researchers at the University of Illinois, Chicago, developed an omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid, which they say can cross into the retina of an eye to reduce visual declines among people with Alzheimer’s disease—the most common type of dementia that slowly erodes cognitive abilities and memory.</p>



<p>In lab tests using mice, researchers found the intake of the fatty acid increased the presence of the acid in the mice’s retinas and reduced visual impairments similar to those in human Alzheimer’s patients.</p>



<p>The acid, also called DHA, is different from a similar omega-3 acid found in the daily supplement fish oil, which researchers say cannot travel to the retina from the bloodstream.</p>



<p>Alzheimer’s Disease, a neurodegenerative condition that primarily affects older adults, often includes visual impairment, including peripheral vision loss, through a failure in the brain to process visual information, even when the person’s eyes still work,&nbsp;<a href="https://alzfdn.org/dont-overlook-alzheimers-affect-on-eyesight/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CMany%20individuals%20with%20Alzheimer's%20disease,who%20is%20herself%20legally%20blind." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;Mississippi State University researcher Kendra Farrow.</p>



<p>Visual impairments often include changes to depth perception, trouble reading and problems with deciphering contrasting colors,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/alzheimers-disease-dementia-eye" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the American Academy of Ophthalmology.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>5.8 million. That’s how many Americans live with Alzheimer’s as of 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/alzheimers.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which expects that number to hit 14 million by 2060. Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death among adults in the U.S.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, researchers in recent years have found treatments aimed at decreasing the risk of developing it, including the use of the male erectile-dysfunction drug Viagra. Researchers in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/12/06/viagra-use-may-reduce-risk-of-getting-alzheimers-by-nearly-70-study-suggests/?sh=1f2dc21b3ad7">2021 study</a>&nbsp;in the journal&nbsp;<em>Nature Aging</em>&nbsp;found adults that used Viagra, also called sildenafil, had a 69% reduced risk of developing the disease—though researchers warned the decreased risk could also be the result of other factors, including the drug’s use by wealthier adults, who have lower chances of being diagnosed with Alzheimers. In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved Boston-based biotech company Biogen’s antibody treatment aducanumab, which is aimed at attacking a protein in the brain to potentially slow the progression of the disease—though the FDA’s decision has been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2021/07/09/fda-commissioner-calls-for-inspector-general-probe-into-biogen-alzheimers-drug-approval/?sh=563ae27c3d47">criticized</a>&nbsp;based on the clinical data used in its accelerated approval of the drug. The FDA in January&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-alzheimers-disease-treatment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;Biogen and Japanese pharma giant Eisai’s antibody treatment lecanemab, which is also aimed at slowing the progression of the disease.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



<p>Swiss pharmaceutical company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/03/22/alzheimers-blood-test-that-could-help-diagnose-disease-earlier-is-being-developed-by-eli-lilly-and-roche/?sh=71bdb3d75838">Roche announced plans</a>&nbsp;last week to develop a blood test with pharma giant Eli Lilly that could help detect the early stages of Alzheimer’s, potentially getting adults on track to earlier treatment. Specifically, the blood test would measure levels of a protein in blood linked to the development of the disease.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/03/22/alzheimers-blood-test-that-could-help-diagnose-disease-earlier-is-being-developed-by-eli-lilly-and-roche/?sh=71bdb3d75838">Alzheimer’s Blood Test That Could Help Diagnose Disease Earlier Is Being Developed By Eli Lilly And Roche</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/12/06/viagra-use-may-reduce-risk-of-getting-alzheimers-by-nearly-70-study-suggests/?sh=1f2dc21b3ad7">Viagra Use May Reduce Risk Of Getting Alzheimer’s By Nearly 70%, Study Suggests</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/"></a><em><strong>By Brian Bushard, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


Close up of young nurse holding old man’s hands and encourage him.

Alzheimer’s Breakthrough? Researchers Find New Omega-3 Acid That Could Reduce Vision Loss In Patients


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>High blood pressure can damage the same regions of the brain that are linked to dementia and declines in mental processes, according to a study published Monday, directly tying the two serious medical conditions for the first time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Prior to this study, researchers had causally linked high blood pressure with changes in the brain, but a paper published Monday in the&nbsp;<em>European Heart Journal</em>&nbsp;clarified how blood pressures damages the brain, connecting specific regions in the brain to both high blood pressure and decline in mental processes, researchers said.</p>



<p>Researchers used information from MRI brain scans, genetic analyses and observational data from thousands of patients to examine the effect of high blood pressure on cognitive function<em>.</em></p>



<p>Nine parts of the brain saw changes related to higher blood pressure and worse cognitive function, including the part responsible for regulating movement and influencing certain types of learning, researchers said.</p>



<p>Other parts of the brain affected include those involved in executive functions—planning of simple and complex daily tasks—and the management of emotions and decision making, according to the study.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>30%. That’s the percentage of people who have high blood pressure worldwide, researchers said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>For years, researchers have attempted to explain the link between high blood pressure and cognitive function. While multiple studies have suggested there is a link, Monday’s study shows the parts of the brain affected by both health problems. A 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/1/34" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in the&nbsp;<em>Journal of Clinical Medicine</em>, for example, suggested blood pressure could be considered an early biomarker for measuring cognitive impairment in individuals without dementia or stroke. Another 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2723256" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in the&nbsp;<em>Journal of the American Medical Association&nbsp;</em>(JAMA) found that lowering blood pressure lowers the impact of mild cognitive impairment, a known risk factor for dementia.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/elliekincaid/2018/07/25/blood-pressure-drugs-may-prevent-memory-problems-study-says/?sh=7f48cc006273">Blood Pressure Drugs May Prevent Memory Problems, Study Says</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/robinseatonjefferson/2019/02/13/major-clinical-trial-links-high-blood-pressure-and-dementia-in-new-way/?sh=21bef282245c">Major Clinical Trial Links High Blood Pressure And Mild Cognitive Impairment</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/"></a><strong><em>By Ana Faguy, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Measuring the pressure of senior woman

Study Finds Direct Links Between High Blood Pressure And Dementia


<p><strong>With increasing expectations and pressure to be at the top of their game, individual sportspeople are hit the hardest when it comes to mental health issues. Is there more support now than before?</strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><em>By Nick Said</em></strong></p>



<p>Mental health in sports has become a hot topic after some high-profile incidents in recent years in which competitors at the very top of their game have taken a step back in order to safeguard their own well-being.</p>



<p>It begs the question, are we putting sportspeople under increasing pressure with our demands as fans over their performance, or have these issues always been there and it is simply a case of individuals being more willing to talk about, and confront, their fears?</p>



<p>Rugby players Michael Hooper and Sbu Nkosi, swimmer Michael Phelps, gymnast Simone Biles, and tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams, among many others, have all admitted to mental health issues in the last few years.</p>



<p>Their troubles are the tip of the iceberg, but instead of enduring their inner struggles, they have chosen to speak out and take a step back from their sport.</p>



<p>Dr Jannie Botha is a world-renowned psychologist who has worked with a number of sports teams and individuals to help them deal with the scrutiny of being in the public eye and always under pressure to perform.</p>



<p>He has been contracted by South African Rugby and the Blue Bulls, local soccer sides Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, as well golfers, and Olympic medal-winning athletes and swimmers.</p>



<p>“People are now more open when it comes to speaking about how they feel,” Botha tells FORBES AFRICA.</p>



<p>“In the past they had to simply survive in their ‘bubble’ and the environment they were in, where they were mentally not well but couldn’t do anything about it.</p>



<p>“They were seen as such heroes that they felt they couldn’t show emotion. A ‘cowboys don’t cry’ kind of<br>thing. But that was the past, it has changed a lot.”</p>



<p>Dr Botha believes individual sportspeople are hit the hardest, often without the support around them to see them through the tough times.</p>



<p>In a team environment there is often a shoulder to cry on.</p>



<p>“There is a difference. In an individual sport, my mental capacity is my own support. In a team environment, my mental capacity is my teammates’ support,” he says.</p>



<p>“You can hide it much longer in a team situation and endure it for much longer with teammates around you.</p>



<p>“You can function much longer in a team sport because your team carries you, but for individuals, there<br>is not that support, so it is more severe.”</p>



<p>Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka has been one of the most high-profile individuals to speak out in recent times, saying she struggled with constantly being in the media glare.</p>



<p>“I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and have had a really hard time coping with that,” she said last year.</p>



<p>“It was important to me to be public because I think it gives me clarity. Just saying out loud that I’ll take a break and I’ll come back when I am truly in love with the sport and I know what I want to do here; it gave me time to reset myself.”</p>



<p>Hooper, one of the leading stars in rugby and long time captain of the Australian national team, quit the side abruptly while on tour in Argentina last year, saying he needed a break from the sport just hours before he was due to play.</p>



<p>“I’ve been playing the game for a long time, had some great changes in my life and there were a lot of things running through my head showing up in Argentina, and Argentina wasn’t the place where I needed to (be to) sort these things out,” Hooper later said.</p>



<p>“I wanted to be around family. I wanted to be in a place where I could put the time in to those things that I needed to put in. As a younger man, I viewed asking for help as, I guess, a bit of a weakness. You want to feel like you have it all worked out and I certainly didn’t.”</p>



<p>Hooper returned to the side months later, but Dr Botha says the player’s feelings are typical.</p>



<p>“The problem is that because in a sense they believe they live in a bubble, which the media creates for them, they struggle to function in normal life. That bubble gives them a bit of security, even if it is false.”</p>



<p>Dr Botha adds that with players expected to perform weekly in what has turned into a 12-month season, both in individual and team sports, that pressure builds.</p>



<p>“The expectations (from fans) have not changed, even though the seasons have got longer,” he says. “They are playing all year round now and the public does not see that, they just want performance week after week. It has changed the dynamics completely.”</p>



<p>South Africa had its own recent case of a player withdrawing from the public eye when Bulls wing Sbu<br>Nkosi went missing for three weeks, leading to such alarm that a missing person case was opened with the police.</p>



<p>He was eventually found at the home of his father in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province and said it had been a build-up of mental pressure over time that saw him take his leave of absence and cut himself off from the world.</p>



<p>“It’s just been a whole lot of mental pressure. It’s been building up for a couple of years now,” he told Sport24. “I was just trying to keep myself calm. That’s been a battle. I’m at a point where I need to prioritize the person before the rugby player.</p>



<p>“I just needed time. I’ve basically been curled up in a ball with my dad, and he’s been managing my mental state daily. </p>



<p>“I’ve had plenty teammates and I can tell you, not everyone is okay. It’s a tough environment.” But Dr Botha does believe that sportspeople are at least receiving more support than a decade ago. “There is much more awareness, I can see that in the last 10 years,” he says. “Especially in team sports, there is much more focus on helping people in need. Most of the big teams have psychologists working for them now and that is a big positive.”</p>


Shot of a muscular young man wearing headphones while exercising outdoors

Off-Field Battles: How Do African Sports Stars Handle Mental Health Issues


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Societal inequities and politicians’ differing responses were among the reasons why the Covid-19 pandemic played out in different ways across the U.S., according to a new state-by-state&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00461-0/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a>&nbsp;examining the driving forces behind variations in health, education and economic performance during the pandemic.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Despite the U.S. having the highest number of recorded Covid deaths and one of the highest fatality rates from Covid per capita globally, researchers found individual states had vastly different Covid experiences, with Hawaii and New Hampshire seeing the lowest cumulative Covid death rates and Arizona and Washington D.C. seeing the highest, according to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00461-0/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>, published Thursday in the&nbsp;<em>Lancet</em>.</p>



<p>Researchers used state-level data from January 2020 to July 2022 to compare government policy responses and population behaviors like vaccination and mask use, to evaluate states’ efforts to limit Covid infections and deaths.</p>



<p>The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00461-0/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;found that Covid exacerbated existing inequities: States with less access to quality health care, higher poverty rates and lower rates of educational attainment saw disproportionately high rates of Covid infections and death.</p>



<p>Rates of Covid infection and death were not impacted by how much money a state spent on public health or how many public health personnel a state had per capita, according to the research.</p>



<p>Among the state-imposed protective mandates—mask use, vaccines and mobility restrictions—researchers found only vaccine coverage was strongly associated with a state’s variation of Covid deaths.</p>



<p>Overall, local economies across the U.S. were neither “hindered nor helped” by different politices aimed at slowing the spread of the virus or cutting death rates, the study found—though higher employment rates did correlate with higher rates of Covid.</p>



<p>Restaurants were one exception: Researchers found mandatory restaurant closures and mask requirements were associated with larger falls in states’ employment rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Researchers also examined how political orientation impacted infection and death rates, and found that the share of the state that voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election was a key predictor of Covid infections and deaths. The research echoed findings from a 2022 study, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/06/06/people-living-in-pro-trump-counties-more-likely-to-die-from-covid-study-finds/?sh=60e2c55142bd">found</a>&nbsp;people living in U.S. counties that voted for former President Donald Trump in 2020 were more likely to die from Covid than people who lived in counties that voted Democrat in the 2020 presidential election. However, Thursday’s study found there was no association between the political affiliation of states’ governors and Covid death rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>In recent months the federal government and most state governments have significantly rolled back Covid restrictions initially instituted to reduce infection and death rates. None of 569 U.S. counties that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus/masking#TX" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">provide</a>&nbsp;information about masking requirements to the U.S. Labor Department currently have a mask mandate in place. While Covid infections continue to plague the U.S.—an average of 20,771 new cases per day were reported in the week ending Thursday, according to the&nbsp;<em>New York Times</em>—test positivity and hospitalizations have fallen in the past few weeks, and infections and deaths are well below peak levels.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/06/06/people-living-in-pro-trump-counties-more-likely-to-die-from-covid-study-finds/?sh=60e2c55142bd">People Living In Pro-Trump Counties More Likely To Die From Covid, Study Finds</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/01/20/covid-still-killing-hundreds-of-americans-every-day-as-pandemic-enters-fourth-year/?sh=d85fa8d3c5f5">Covid Still Killing Hundreds Of Americans Every Day As Pandemic Enters Fourth Year</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/"></a></p>



<p><strong><em>By Ana Faguy, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Shanghai Lockdown Continues as First Covid Deaths Reported

Covid Rates Hit States Differently Based On Political And Social Inequities, Study Finds


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Swiss pharma giant Roche on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.roche.com/media/releases/med-cor-2023-03-22" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;plans to jointly develop a blood test for Alzheimer’s disease with American heavyweight Eli Lilly, eying swift U.S. approval as companies race to create and sell the very first drugs aimed at slowing the progressive cognitive decline brought on by the incurable illness.</p>



<p>Roche and Lilly are working on an Alzheimer&#8217;s test.&nbsp;<small>THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES</small></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Eli Lilly will work with Roche to develop a blood test to detect the early stages of Alzheimer’s, the Swiss firm said in a statement on Wednesday.</p>



<p>The test, called the Elecsys Amyloid Plasma Panel, measures the levels of a particular protein in the blood that has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s.</p>



<p>While not intended as a standalone test—further confirmatory tests for Alzheimer’s would be needed—Roche said it speeds up the diagnostic process and helps direct people to the most appropriate resources.</p>



<p>As Alzheimer’s has a similar set of symptoms to other causes of dementia, a negative test is also useful and could help many people avoid the expensive and invasive tests used to confirm Alzheimer’s.</p>



<p>Roche Diagnostics chief executive Matt Sause said the firm is excited to be working with Lilly on “such an important area of unmet medical need.”</p>



<p>The test “has the potential to streamline a person&#8217;s journey to diagnosis” and, therefore, speed up access to future treatments, Sause added.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



<p>There is no cure for Alzheimer’s and, until recently, there was no treatment to slow the disease’s progression. The FDA controversially approved Biogen’s aducanumab, sold as Aduhelm, in 2021. The clinical data supporting the decision has been heavily criticized, as was the FDA’s adherence to protocol in approving it. The agency greenlit lecanemab, sold as Leqembi and produced by Biogen and Japan’s Eisai, on an expedited basis in January, though access is limited. The agency is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/06/alzheimers-disease-fda-decision-on-biogen-eisai-treatment-lecanemab.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expected</a>&nbsp;to make a complete decision on the drug in July. Both treatments are monoclonal antibodies that target a type of protein that builds up in the brain of people with Alzheimer’s. As they are aimed at slowing progression, early detection can be key and help preserve as much of the brain’s functioning as possible. While certainly medical breakthroughs, they are eye-wateringly expensive, require frequent intravenous administration and, at best, appear to only modestly slow mental decline. Future Alzheimer’s drugs with similar targets—Lilly is in the&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/20/health/alzheimers-drug-donanemab-fda-eli-lilly/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">final</a>&nbsp;stages of clinical trials for one—are likely to also benefit from earlier intervention.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Roche and Lilly are eying U.S. regulatory approval for the test. They are aiming to file clinical trial data with U.S. regulators in 2025, Bruce Jordan, leader of personalized healthcare solutions at Roche Diagnostics&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/roche-teams-up-with-lilly-validate-alzheimers-blood-test-2023-03-22/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;Reuters. Between now and then, Roche said it will recruit several hundred volunteers with early signs of dementia to trial the treatment and gather data.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/alzheimers.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s Disease</a>&nbsp;is a progressive brain disorder marked by the slow erosion of cognitive abilities and memory. It is the most common type of dementia, a broad category used to describe conditions linked to cognitive decline, and is primarily, though not exclusively, a condition affecting older adults. There are as many as 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/alzheimers.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>, and it is the sixth leading cause of death among U.S. adults. That figure is projected to grow to 14 million people by 2060 and the costs associated with the disease are expected to reach up to $500 billion annually by 2040 in the U.S. alone. Though strides have been made in recent years, there is a great deal we do not know about Alzheimer’s. Scientists are still not settled on what causes it—a matter of heated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/19/could-alzheimers-be-caused-by-an-infection" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">debate</a>—or why it appears more often as we grow older.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/19/could-alzheimers-be-caused-by-an-infection" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Could Alzheimer’s be caused by an infection?</a>&nbsp;(The Observer)</p>



<p><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/20/health/alzheimers-drug-donanemab-fda-eli-lilly/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FDA declines to grant accelerated approval for Eli Lilly’s experimental Alzheimer’s treatment</a>&nbsp;(CNN)</p>



<p><em><strong>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</strong></em><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/"></a></p>


Alzheimer’s Blood Test That Could Help Diagnose Disease Earlier Is Being Developed By Eli Lilly And Roche


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Topline</h2>



<p>A woman appears to have been cured of HIV after receiving a transplant of stem cells from umbilical cord blood, scientists announced Thursday, joining only a handful of people cured from the virus following a novel procedure that increases the odds of making a cure available to a more racially diverse group of people than would be possible using other treatments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>A middle-aged, mixed-race woman—called the “New York patient” to protect privacy—appears to have been cured from HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant to treat leukemia, researchers wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(23)00173-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">medical case report&nbsp;</a>published in&nbsp;<em>Cell</em>.</p>



<p>The patient, who has been living without HIV since 2017 and is no longer taking drugs to suppress the virus, could be the first woman to be cured of the virus, though the researchers conservatively describe her case as one of long-term remission.</p>



<p>Just&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00479-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">three</a>&nbsp;people have been confirmed clear of HIV—another in long-term&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jul/28/hiv-aids-stem-cell-transplant-oldest-patient-cured" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">remission</a>&nbsp;is expected to join this group—all of whom beat the virus after receiving bone marrow transplants from donors naturally resistant to HIV.</p>



<p>As the mutation conferring HIV resistance is rare—though less so among white people—and stem cell donors must be carefully matched to patients, including by race and ethnicity, researchers said it is very difficult finding suitable, HIV-resistant donors for patients of color.</p>



<p>Stem cells from umbilical cord blood are both more readily available and do not need to be matched as closely as adult cells do, which “broadens the opportunities” for people of all racial backgrounds living with HIV to be cured, said study coleader Yvonne Bryson, a professor of pediatrics at UCLA.</p>



<p>Though certainly a game changer for people who need a transplant already, the researchers stressed that stem cell transplants are not a realistic cure for HIV on their own given the procedure’s risky, highly invasive nature and brutal side effects.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Barring the unique circumstances of a very small number of people, there is no cure for HIV. Historically, an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence, but today those living with the virus can expect to live long, healthy lives on par with their HIV-negative peers if they receive prompt treatment with antiviral drugs. Such treatment, inevitably lifelong, can reduce the virus to undetectable levels in the body, keeping it in check and preventing it from being passed on to others. These drugs can also prevent infection if taken by someone without HIV—a technique called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)—which has been hailed as a major public health breakthrough in efforts to combat the virus. Unfortunately, drugs used to treat or prevent HIV are often beyond the reach of many people in poorer countries who are at risk of infection or living with the virus, and it is still a major contributor to death and disease worldwide.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Experts are working hard to develop ways of curing, treating and preventing HIV infection, but it is a uniquely challenging virus to fight. Its biology means scientists have to approach it differently than other pathogens like measles, polio and influenza. It mutates rapidly, can hide from the immune system and sets up viral reservoirs during the earliest stages of infection that can activate years later, all of which complicate efforts to treat or prevent infection. The virus also targets the immune cells normally responsible for fighting invaders, weakening and destroying immune defenses over time, which can progress to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. Additionally, and unlike many other viruses, HIV is not naturally cleared by the body once established, meaning any vaccine must meet a higher bar of preventing it from gaining a foothold in the body.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Scientists have been trying to create an HIV vaccine for decades. Efforts have not panned out so far, most recently when a promising candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/18/health/hiv-vaccine-janssen.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">failed</a>&nbsp;in late-stage clinical trials this year. One candidate tested in the 2000s even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2013.13971" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">appeared</a>&nbsp;to increase the risk of contracting the virus. Despite the setbacks, experts are still trying to develop one and are pushing ahead with new approaches, such as using the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-launches-clinical-trial-three-mrna-hiv-vaccines" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mRNA</a>&nbsp;technology behind Moderna and Pfizer’s successful Covid vaccines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>40.1 million. That’s how many people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the HIV epidemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/fact-sheet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to UNAIDS.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/hiv-aids" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According</a>&nbsp;to the World Health Organization, some 38.4 million people were living with the virus in 2021. An estimated 1.5 million people acquired HIV that year and some 650,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses, the agency said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/14/health/pepfar-hiv.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The U.S. Program That Brought H.I.V. Treatment to 20 Million People</a>&nbsp;(NYT)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/18/health/hiv-vaccine-janssen.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Only H.I.V. Vaccine in Advanced Trials Has Failed. What Now?</a> (NYT)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Medical technician preparing a human sample for HIV testing

New York Woman Cured Of HIV With New Treatment


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>A lethal, skin-eating fungus has been rapidly spreading across African wildlife since the turn of the century, scientists warned Wednesday, shedding light on an unnoticed amphibian plague that has driven more species to extinction or near-extinction than any other pathogen and now risks wiping out even more across the African continent.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Bd—<em>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</em>—is a highly infectious fungus that kills frogs, toads, salamanders and other amphibians by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1176765?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D55427380907147007360115305422850798293%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1678810677" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">attacking</a>&nbsp;the skin and triggering heart attacks, and likely existed for&nbsp;<a href="https://cisr.ucr.edu/invasive-species/chytrid-fungus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decades</a>&nbsp;in amphibian populations before human activity, most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.2018.360.6389.twis?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D55427380907147007360115305422850798293%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1678842504" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">likely the wildlife trade</a>, accidentally&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/amphibian-apocalypse-frogs-salamanders-worst-chytrid-fungus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spread</a>&nbsp;it around the world.</p>



<p>Though Bd,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/03/bd-frogs-apocalypse-disease/585862/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">described</a>&nbsp;as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/amphibian-apocalypse-frogs-salamanders-worst-chytrid-fungus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">worst</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/science/frogs-fungus-bd.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disease</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/amphibians-decline-frogs-chytrid-fungi-bd-animals-science" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ever</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fungal-disease-linked-decline-500-amphibian-species-worlds-deadliest-pathogen-180971831/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recorded</a>, has wiped out hundreds of amphibian species around the world and caused the decline of hundreds more, species living in Africa were thought to have been spared the scourge.</p>



<p>To the contrary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1069490/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>&nbsp;published Wednesday in&nbsp;<em>Frontiers in Conservation Science</em>&nbsp;suggests Bd is already firmly established across Africa and has simply gone unnoticed.</p>



<p>Though scattered cases of Bd could be detected from the early 1930s, the fungal infection really began to spread across the continent in 2000 and around a decade later more than 20% of samples tested positive for the infection, rising as high as 74% in some regions.</p>



<p>The researchers said the findings—which coincide with some reports of amphibian die-offs and extinctions—indicate the fungus has been overlooked, rather than absent, and point to a grave threat for Africa’s diverse array of amphibian species, with those in central, eastern and western regions of Africa at the greatest risk.</p>



<p>In areas where the fungus has been monitored more thoroughly, Bd has driven hundreds of amphibian species to extinction or near-extinction and caused population declines in more than 500&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/amphibian-apocalypse-frogs-salamanders-worst-chytrid-fungus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/fungus-has-wiped-out-more-species-any-other-disease" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">making</a>&nbsp;it the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/amphibians-decline-frogs-chytrid-fungi-bd-animals-science" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">worst</a>&nbsp;pathogen in history in terms of biodiversity.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2023/03/13/mcconnell-released-from-hospital-after-broken-rib-and-concussion/?traffic_source=Connatix">McConnell Released From Hospital AfterBroken Rib And Concussion</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Amphibians matter more than most people realize and losing them could have major consequences. Foremost, amphibians are keystone species in many ecosystems, meaning their loss can dramatically change the environment for the worse. These downstream consequences can have a big impact, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac8e1d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">driving</a>&nbsp;malaria cases up dramatically as there are fewer frogs to keep mosquitos in check. Biodiversity is also an important&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/09/how-biodiversity-loss-is-jeopardising-the-drugs-of-the-future" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">driver</a>&nbsp;of innovation, notably medicine, and the more species that are lost the fewer opportunities we have to learn from them. For example, salamanders—which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6679358/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">possess</a>&nbsp;the remarkable&nbsp;<a href="https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magazine/limb-regenerating-fire-god-salamander-central-wound-repair-quest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ability</a>&nbsp;to regrow tissues, organs or even limbs—are being studied with a view to unlocking new ways of treating serious wounds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-don-t-know">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h2>



<p>It’s not clear why Bd only started to take off in Africa from 2000, much later than other continents and decades after other parts of the world had reported major Bd outbreaks. It could just be chance, said study author Vance Vredenburg, a professor at San Francisco State University and the University of California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley. Increased air travel of humans and cargo, which could help transport and spread the fungus, “is also a culprit,” Vredenburg suggested. Climate change could also play a role, Vredenburg said, possibly by making amphibians more susceptible to infection or making the environment more hospitable for the fungus.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>The rapid surge of Bd in 2000 could signal that the fungus is already driving down amphibian populations in Africa, Vredenburg said. “Extinctions of amphibians may already be occurring in Africa without anyone knowing about it,” Vredenburg added. Though eliminating the pathogen will be impossible, Vredenburg said knowing more about how and when it spreads could save afflicted amphibian species. Given that it “appears to be moved globally by humans, we have a moral imperative to get involved and try to manage and mitigate whenever possible,” Vredenburg said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/01/16/the-last-of-us-zombie-infection-is-real-heres-what-scientists-say-about-the-threat-to-humans/?sh=16251fbc2a6e">‘The Last Of Us’ Zombie Infection Is Real—Here’s What Scientists Say About The Threat To Humans</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/08/the-last-of-us-zombie-fungus-pandemic-is-fiction-but-experts-warn-fungi-are-a-major-and-growing-health-threat/?sh=32552424780f">The ‘Last Of Us’ Zombie Fungus Pandemic Is Fiction, But Experts Warn Fungi Are A Major—And Growing—Health Threat</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/amphibian-apocalypse-frogs-salamanders-worst-chytrid-fungus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amphibian &#8216;apocalypse&#8217; caused by most destructive pathogen ever</a>&nbsp;(National Geographic)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/03/bd-frogs-apocalypse-disease/585862/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Worst Disease Ever Recorded</a> (Atlantic)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Frog in pond

A Skin-Eating Fungal Plague Is Silently Tearing Through Wildlife Across Africa, Scientists Warn


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Sugar replacement erythritol has been coveted as a sugar substitute for those at high risk of heart issues—like diabetics and those with obesity—but a recent study found the sweetener may actually increase the chances of cardiovascular problems like blood clotting and heart attack.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02223-9.epdf?sharing_token=KJTdc_FhBxVrVbbHG0pJoNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0MTnVt_Yzm2YDkmKtSZJOysYZlROr0ymfAdj9yPHH8bMVWpKjhPzPeMT8zTG9DpNMmnfRfOqNqOH8PhwI2X9sxfHMa-Tpawl-dyIWq9WdTUO2lqDJWIHLoFK3aG5AGi1YhdfPfP2x38lbPRVPI6w0kO8_L7jP9YHmDCKj_Sx0PBdg%3D%3D&amp;tracking_referrer=www.cnn.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in&nbsp;<em>Nature Medicine&nbsp;</em>on Monday found a link between erythritol and an increased risk of heart attack, blood clotting, stroke and death.</p>



<p>Erythritol, a white, crystalline powder, is used as an almost zero-calorie sugar replacement with sweetened monk fruit, stevia or ketogenic reduced-sugar products, according to a 2017 study published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978012809438900003X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Science Direct</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<p>The Food and Drug Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/high-intensity-sweeteners" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">labels</a>&nbsp;erythritol as “generally recognized as safe,” meaning no long-term safety studies on its effects are required for its use.</p>



<p>People with preexisting conditions that put them at a higher risk for heart complications like diabetes may be twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack if they have high levels of erythritol in their bloodstream, the study reports.</p>



<p>Some of the notable foods erythritol is found in include Halo Top low-calorie ice cream, Bai antioxidant drinks and Blue Sky (a Coca-Cola brand) craft sodas.</p>



<p>Erythritol is also found naturally in mushrooms, fruits like grapes, watermelon, peaches and pears and in fermented foods like beer, soy sauce, wine, cheese and sake,&nbsp;<a href="https://foodinsight.org/what-is-erythritol/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to Food Insight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>The study authors wrote the heightened risk of heart problems from the use of erythritol is concerning because “the very patients for whom artificial sweeteners are marketed are those typically at higher risk for future [cardiovascular diseases] events.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>900,000. That’s how many deaths were attributed to cardiovascular disease (including strokes and heart attacks) in the U.S. in 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://professional.heart.org/en/science-news/heart-disease-and-stroke-statistics-2022-update" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the American Heart Association (AHA).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT ERYTHRITOL</h2>



<p>Erythritol is a part of a class of compounds called sugar alcohols (also known as polyols). These are carbs naturally found in fruits and vegetables. According to several&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/erythritol" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a>, erythritol has about 70% of the sweetness of sugar, and has fewer calories than other sugar alcohols. For example,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/erythritol#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">compared</a>&nbsp;to table sugar, which has 4 calories per gram, xylitol (another sugar alcohol) has 2.4 calories per gram but erythritol has 0.24 calories per gram. Though it’s found naturally in small amounts in some foods, it’s often added to processed foods in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.academia.edu/35200188/Sweeteners_and_Sugar_Alternatives_in_Food_Technology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1,000 times</a>&nbsp;higher quantities. When made in large-scale production, it’s created when a type of yeast ferments glucose from wheat or corn starch, which results in powdery white crystals. Previous&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36615861/#:~:text=Evidence%20shows%20erythritol%20has%20potential,satiety%20to%20promote%20weight%20loss." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a>&nbsp;have found erythritol to be a good substitute for sugar, though most of the research was done on animals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">IS ERYTHRITOL SAFE TO CONSUME?</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/132946/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According</a>&nbsp;to the FDA, daily intake of erythritol in most Americans is estimated to be 30 grams per day. One 18 ounce bottle of Bai antioxidant cocofusion has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drinkbai.com/cocofusions/molokai-coconut" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10 grams</a>&nbsp;of erythritol, and most Halo Top ice cream flavors&nbsp;<a href="https://halotop.com/dairy-ice-cream" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">place</a>&nbsp;the sweetener among the top five most used ingredients by weight. But Stanley Hazen, the lead researcher on the&nbsp;<em>Nature Medicine&nbsp;</em>study and the director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic<strong>&nbsp;</strong>Lerner Research Institute,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/27/health/zero-calorie-sweetener-heart-attack-stroke-wellness/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;CNN in regards to the dangers found, “the degree of risk was not modest.” John Hwa, a professor of cardiology at Yale School of Medicine told&nbsp;<em>Medical News Today</em>&nbsp;if cardiovascular risks are proven with more studies, “caution should be taken in cardiovascular risk patients who may already be prone to ‘extra-sticky’ platelets such as [people with diabetes].” Hwa recommends consulting with a doctor before consuming erythritol.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS AND METABOLIC DISEASES</h2>



<p><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/metabolicdisorders.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Metabolic disorders</a>&nbsp;occur when the body’s metabolism is affected by abnormal chemical reactions, causing a patient to either have too much or too little of a substance needed to stay healthy. Some examples include diabetes, obesity, Gaucher’s disease, phenylketonuria and hemochromatosis. Patients with metabolic diseases are frequently told by medical professionals the use of artificial sweeteners in place of sugar can help with weight loss and improve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907982/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glycemic control</a>&nbsp;(maintaining blood glucose levels in diabetics, which in turn leads to the reduction of long-term complications). Even the AHA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0b013e31825c42ee" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recommends</a>&nbsp;the use of artificial sweeteners to reduce Americans’ added sugar intakes. But the&nbsp;<em>Nature Medicine&nbsp;</em>study acknowledges “little is known” about the long-term effects of artificial sweeteners on cardiometabolic disease risks. And the use of artificial sweeteners has been linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/110/8/513/3574201" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h3576" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">type two diabetes</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522029641?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insulin resistance</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.118.023100" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular disease</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/27/health/zero-calorie-sweetener-heart-attack-stroke-wellness/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds</a>&nbsp;(CNN)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninashapiro/2023/03/01/some-not-so-sweet-news-about-sugar-substitutes/?sh=1d2098c97367">Some Not-So-Sweet News About Sugar Substitutes</a>&nbsp;(Forbes</p>



<p><a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/common-sweetener-erythritol-tied-to-higher-risk-of-stroke-and-heart-attack" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Common sweetener erythritol tied to higher risk of stroke and heart attack</a> (Medical News Today)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Arianna Johnson, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Selective focus of a bottle of pure erythritol artificial sweetener sugar substitute. White laboratory background with copy space.

New Warning About Zero-Calorie Sugar Substitute: What Experts Are Saying About Erythritol


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline"><a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>TOPLINE</h2>



<p>FBI Director Christopher Wray told Fox News on Tuesday he believes the Covid-19 pandemic was likely the result<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/02/26/covid-likely-originated-from-lab-leak-energy-department-reportedly-finds-but-biden-aide-says-theres-no-definitive-answer/?sh=14ba5c281109">&nbsp;of a laboratory leak</a>&nbsp;in Wuhan, China, backing up recent reports that two federal agencies—the FBI and the Department of Energy—now believe the once widely dismissed conclusion.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Wray told Fox News’ Bret Baier the FBI “has for quite some time now” assessed that Covid was caused by a lab leak.</p>



<p>Wray did not go into details about how the assessment was made, claiming, “there&#8217;s not a whole lot of details I can share that aren&#8217;t classified.”</p>



<p>The conclusion was reached without the cooperation of the Chinese government, which “has been doing its best to try to thwart and obfuscate the work here,” Wray said</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“You&#8217;re talking about a potential leak from a Chinese government-controlled lab that killed millions of Americans,” Wray told Fox News.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-origin-china-lab-leak-807b7b0a?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-origin-china-lab-leak-807b7b0a?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Wall Street Journal</em></a>&nbsp;reported Sunday that the FBI and Energy Department had both determined a lab leak to be the most likely origin, though the FBI finding was of “moderate confidence” and the Energy Department’s confidence was “low.” The FBI reached that determination in 2021, the&nbsp;<em>Journal&nbsp;</em>reported. At least four other agencies reportedly believe Covid spread naturally from animals to humans, but their findings are also of low confidence, while the CIA and one other unnamed agency have not reached a determination yet. None of the findings so far indicate Covid was leaked deliberately as part of any biological weapons program, according to the&nbsp;<em>Journal</em>—a theory that was dismissed in a 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Declassified-Assessment-on-COVID-19-Origins.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Intelligence Council report</a>. The scientific community had coalesced around the idea that Covid likely spread from an animal to humans, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/02/28/covid-lab-leak-theory-some-government-agencies-believe-it-heres-why-most-scientists-dont/">many scientists still believe</a>&nbsp;a natural origin is the most likely scenario, but the origins have long been unclear as China has resisted working with international investigators. What is generally agreed upon is that the virus emerged in late 2019 in Wuhan, which was the site of the first major outbreak. Wuhan is the site of the Wuhan Institute of Virology—a Chinese government facility dedicated to studying viruses, and coronaviruses in particular.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CONTRA</h2>



<p>Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Monday the U.S.<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/27/china-responds-to-lab-leak-report-says-us-is-politicizing-search-for-covid-origins/?sh=7fb931845156">&nbsp;is “politicizing” Covid’s origins</a>&nbsp;as part of a “smear” campaign.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/02/26/covid-likely-originated-from-lab-leak-energy-department-reportedly-finds-but-biden-aide-says-theres-no-definitive-answer/?sh=14ba5c281109">Covid Likely Originated From Lab Leak, Energy Department Reportedly Finds—But Biden Aide Says There’s No ‘Definitive Answer’</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/27/china-responds-to-lab-leak-report-says-us-is-politicizing-search-for-covid-origins/?sh=7fb931845156">China Responds To Lab Leak Report—Says U.S. Is ‘Politicizing’ Search For Covid Origins</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><em><strong>By Nicholas Reimann, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


gettyimages-1201569878-594×594

FBI Director Says Covid Likely Spread From Wuhan Lab


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Shares of Novavax fell more than 25% in after-hours trading Tuesday, following a dismal fourth quarter earnings report and a<a href="https://ir.novavax.com/2023-02-28-Novavax-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2022-Financial-Results-and-Operational-Highlights" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> warning</a> from the Covid vaccine maker that uncertainty over future funding for coronavirus shots has prompted “substantial doubt” about its ability to stay in business.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The company’s stock price rose more than 6.8% to $9.26 before the market closed Tuesday but plummeted some 25.7% to $6.88 following the after-hours earnings report.</p>



<p>Novavax reported fourth quarter losses of $182 million after only posting $357 million in sales—well below expectations of $383 million.</p>



<p>Its statement about future financial framework was even more troubling, saying, “substantial doubt exists regarding our ability to continue” over the next year.</p>



<p>The company stated it believes it has enough capital to run for another year, but the forecast is of low confidence, in part because the Biden Administration is expected to<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/04/us-plans-to-stop-buying-covid-shots-in-the-fall-what-that-means.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> stop</a> buying Covid vaccines and distributing them to Americans for free at some point this year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Novavax will likely cut some jobs to reduce its “hot rate” of spending, CEO John Jacobs told<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novavax-raises-doubts-about-its-ability-remain-business-2023-02-28/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Reuters</a>. The company says it has more than 1,500 employees.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re in the process of assessing the global footprint of Novavax, rationalizing our supply chain, rationalizing the portfolio and rationalizing the company structure and our infrastructure,&#8221; Jacobs told Reuters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine was the first product the 36-year-old company brought to the market. It was<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/health/coronavirus-vaccine-novavax.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;reportedly</a>&nbsp;nearing collapse in 2020 before the Trump Administration awarded it a $1.6 billion contract to develop a vaccine as part of Operation Warp Speed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Novavax’s stock traded at more than $300 at times in 2021 as investors put high hopes in its development of a protein-based vaccine, a more traditional method compared with Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA approach. Continued manufacturing problems led to a delay in winning regulatory approval, and by the time<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/07/13/fda-authorizes-novavaxs-covid-19-vaccine-for-adults/?sh=31d2d61e54f3">&nbsp;Novavax’s shot became available</a>&nbsp;in July 2022, Americans’ initial rush to get<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/#us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;vaccinated</a>&nbsp;was long over. Novavax’s vaccine was the fourth to reach the U.S. market, entering U.S. arms more than a year after Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson. Only about 80,000 Novavax shots have reportedly been given in the U.S., compared to hundreds of millions of Pfizer and Moderna doses. Novavax<a href="https://ir.novavax.com/2022-02-23-Novavax-Announces-Shipments-of-its-COVID-19-Vaccine-to-European-Union-Member-States" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;won</a>&nbsp;approval in the European Union several months before its U.S. rollout, but it was still well behind competitors, and its international campaign has not been enough to overcome a slow rate of uptake in the United States.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/07/13/fda-authorizes-novavaxs-covid-19-vaccine-for-adults/?sh=31d2d61e54f3">FDA Authorizes Novavax’s Covid-19 Vaccine For Adults</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/health/coronavirus-vaccine-novavax.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How a Struggling Company Won $1.6 Billion to Make a Coronavirus Vaccine</a> (New York Times)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Nicholas Reimann, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Novavax Stock Plunges 25% As Vaccine Maker Has ‘Substantial Doubt’ About Staying In Business


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Moderna on Wednesday <a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2023/Moderna-And-Life-Edit-Therapeutics-Enter-Strategic-Collaboration-to-Accelerate-the-Development-of-Novel-In-Vivo-Gene-Editing-Therapies/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> a new partnership with Life Edit Therapeutics geared towards finding and developing treatments for rare genetic diseases and other conditions, as the Massachusetts biotech moves to expand its offerings and build on the successes of its mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Moderna said it will combine Life Edit Therapeutics’ gene editing tools and the mRNA technology underpinning its Covid vaccine to discover and develop treatments—and possibly permanent cures—for a set of unnamed conditions and genetic diseases.</p>



<p>The companies will collaborate on research and preclinical studies, funded by Moderna, and Moderna will take charge of any further development, manufacturing and commercialization should it choose to.</p>



<p>Life Edit Therapeutics, a privately-owned subsidiary of cell and gene therapy company ElevateBio, will receive an upfront cash payment and could receive milestone payments and royalties from products resulting from the collaboration.</p>



<p>Moderna said the partnership is in line with its goal to cure “some of the most challenging genetic diseases.”</p>



<p>Neither company disclosed financial details of the deal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines is the firm’s only product on the market. Though highly successful and still expected to rake in billions, the firm is pushing hard to expand its offerings. It has been <a href="https://www.thepharmaletter.com/article/moderna-takes-another-expansion-step-snapping-up-japanese-mrna-company" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">buying</a> up and making deals with other biotech firms, developing <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/01/06/cancer-vaccine-trials-using-same-mrna-tech-behind-covid-shots-could-launch-in-uk-this-september/">cancer vaccines </a>and has a <a href="https://www.modernatx.com/research/product-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pipeline</a> of other mRNA vaccines and treatments—including for flu, RSV, HIV, Zika and cystic fibrosis—in the works.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h2>



<p>It’s not clear what diseases or conditions Moderna and Life Edit are hoping to target, though the announcement says they are working “to advance potentially life-transformative or curative therapies for some of the most challenging genetic diseases.” ElevateBio chief executive David Hallal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/moderna-life-edit-therapeutics-team-hopes-developing-next-gen-gene-therapies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;Fierce Biotech both companies are “well aware of what it is we’re going to focus on” and are ready to hit the ground running. “For competitive reasons, it makes a lot of sense for us to not disclose all of the exciting areas that we&#8217;re working on together,” Hallal explained.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>$18.4 billion. That’s how much Moderna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-generates-184-billion-covid-vaccine-sales-2022-2023-01-09/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;sales of its Covid-19 vaccine generated in 2022. The figure is&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2022/Moderna-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2021-Financial-Results-and-Provides-Business-Updates/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">similar</a>&nbsp;to the amount generated from the vaccine the year before. Sales are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-generates-184-billion-covid-vaccine-sales-2022-2023-01-09/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expected</a>&nbsp;to nosedive in 2023, however, and the company expects to take around $5 billion in sales.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ba2cba41-0a13-4251-bbd7-2abeff90433f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pfizer pins hopes on record pipeline to recover from post-Covid hangover</a>&nbsp;(FT)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/01/06/cancer-vaccine-trials-using-same-mrna-tech-behind-covid-shots-could-launch-in-uk-this-september/?sh=13dd003b4899">Cancer Vaccine Trials—Using Same mRNA Tech Behind Covid Shots—Could Launch In U.K. This September</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Moderna Hopes To Build On mRNA Tech Used In Its Covid Shots—By Targeting Genetic Diseases


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>A vaccine designed to protect babies against RSV from birth by immunizing pregnant people has been granted priority review by the Food and Drug Administration, Pfizer <a href="https://investors.pfizer.com/Investors/News/news-details/2023/U.S.-FDA-Accepts-Biologics-License-Application-for-Pfizers-Respiratory-Syncytial-Virus-Maternal-Vaccine-Candidate-for-PriorityReview/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> on Tuesday, potentially bringing the game changing shot to market months ahead of schedule in a boon to parents as the race to secure approval for the first shot targeting the common, but potentially lethal, infection intensifies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Pfizer said the FDA granted the firm priority review for its vaccine candidate designed to protect newborns and infants up to six months of age against severe disease and complications from respiratory syncytial virus, known commonly as RSV.</p>



<p>The decision means the agency aims to review the application within six months instead of the standard 10.</p>



<p>The FDA has set an “action date” on the vaccine for August, Pfizer added.</p>



<p>The FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/patients/fast-track-breakthrough-therapy-accelerated-approval-priority-review/priority-review" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reserves</a>&nbsp;priority review for drugs that promise “significant improvements” over existing efforts to combat “serious” diseases and no RSV vaccine has ever been approved in the U.S.</p>



<p>Annaliesa Anderson, senior vice president and chief scientific officer for vaccine research and development at Pfizer, said the maternal vaccine “would help protect infants at their first breath from the devastating effects of this infectious disease.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Though Pfizer’s maternal shot could be the first RSV vaccine that protects children to be approved in the U.S., it is unlikely to be the first RSV vaccine to be approved for the disease. While researchers have <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-03704-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">struggled</a> for decades to develop an RSV vaccine without success, pharma firms are now <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rsv-vaccine-candidates-timeline-fda-approval-rcna70777" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">racing</a> to usher a number of promising candidates through the approval process. Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline appear to be the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/b7d40a54-3417-47b0-ba0f-22d329d1d09d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">two</a> top contenders for first place with vaccines designed for use in older adults, who are also at risk from RSV.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Pfizer is the only firm with a maternal vaccine—used in pregnant people to protect the infant from birth—in late stage development but it is not the only product that promises to protect young children against RSV. The FDA is currently evaluating an antibody&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/shot-protect-babies-rsv-almost-kids-need-trouble-getting-rcna68982" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">injection</a>&nbsp;from Sanofi and AstraZeneca that helps neutralize RSV in the bloodstream. The shot, not technically a vaccine, was approved in Europe in December. The FDA is expected to decide in the third quarter of 2023 and AstraZeneca&nbsp;<a href="https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2023/nirsevimab-us-regulatory-submission-accepted-for-the-prevention-of-rsv-lower-respiratory-tract-disease-in-infants-and-children.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it is aiming to roll the shot out for the 2023/2024 RSV season.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>RSV is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/10/28/rsv-infections-are-spiking-among-kids-and-swamping-childrens-hospitals---heres-what-parents-need-to-know/?sh=3b6d8f5c42f5">common respiratory virus</a>&nbsp;that infects&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/high-risk/infants-young-children.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">almost all</a>&nbsp;people by the time they are two years old. For most, the infection will cause nothing more than mild, cold-like symptoms like a runny nose, coughing, sneezing and fever,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/symptoms.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the CDC, and will be easily shrugged off. For very young infants, older adults and people with compromised immune systems, however, RSV can be deadly. In young children, particularly those under two years of age, inflammation of the airways triggered by infection can be enough to close them off or make breathing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rsv-dangerous-babies-not-others-rcna56551" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">harder</a>. Though RSV does not kill large numbers of children in the U.S. each year—it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/research/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Frsv%2Fresearch%2Fus-surveillance.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kills</a>&nbsp;between 100 and 300 children under five annually—it does hospitalize many, and the numbers can overwhelm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/10/28/rsv-infections-are-spiking-among-kids-and-swamping-childrens-hospitals---heres-what-parents-need-to-know/?sh=969a59942f5b">struggling</a>hospitals, which happened last year. Globally, RSV is the&nbsp;<a href="https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/73/Supplement_3/S229/6362482" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biggest</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vk/rsv" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">killer</a>&nbsp;of young infants after malaria. The disease claims far more&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/15/health/rsv-adults-wellness/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adult</a>&nbsp;lives each year and is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/research/us-surveillance.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">responsible</a>&nbsp;for 14,000 deaths in adults aged 65 and over every year in the U.S.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rsv-vaccine-candidates-timeline-fda-approval-rcna70777" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The race to an RSV vaccine could soon be over, decades after the first attempt</a>&nbsp;(NBC News)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/02/17/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-later-this-year-the-top-vaccines-and-their-effectiveness/?sh=62990cd87fc1">First FDA-Approved RSV Vaccines Expected Later This Year: The Top Vaccines And Their Effectiveness</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/10/28/rsv-infections-are-spiking-among-kids-and-swamping-childrens-hospitals---heres-what-parents-need-to-know/?sh=969a59942f5b">RSV Infections Are Spiking Among Kids And Swamping Children’s Hospitals — Here’s What Parents Need To Know</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Thailand Rolls Out Pfizer Vaccine

First RSV Vaccine For Kids—Given To Pregnant Moms—Could Arrive Months Early As FDA Fast-Tracks Review


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>The FDA is expected to make a decision on RSV vaccine approval by the fall in anticipation for the winter—and here are some of the top contenders that have shown promising signs in trials.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory infection that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but can lead to serious lung infections—children, older adults and those with underlying health conditions are the most susceptible,&nbsp;<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/respiratorysyncytialvirusinfections.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to MedlinePlus.</p>



<p>The virus gained momentum during the winter season, causing 47.9 for every 100,000 <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/research/rsv-net/dashboard.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hospitalizations</a> during the 2022-2023 season, and over 126,000 detected <a href="https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/rsv-surges-early-in-2022-but-appears-to-make-early-retreat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cases</a> between October 2022 and November 2022.</p>



<p>Prominent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/symptoms.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">symptoms</a>&nbsp;include a runny nose, cough, fever, wheezing, decrease in appetite and sneezing, but infants may only show irritability, have breathing difficulties or decreased activity.</p>



<p>No RSV vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but the first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/teams/health-product-policy-and-standards/standards-and-specifications/vaccine-standardization/respiratory-syncytial-virus-disease" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">attempt</a>&nbsp;was made in the 1960s, which was unsuccessful as it led to severe and lethal cases of lung inflammatory response in infants.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.path.org/resources/rsv-and-mab-trial-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According</a> to public health nonprofit PATH, there are 11 RSV vaccines being studied in trials—four are designed for infants and seven are for older adults.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Almost all children will have had an RSV infection by their second birthday, and most infections go away on their own,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/symptoms.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>Dr. Barney Graham, a senior adviser for global health equity at Morehouse School of Medicine, told NBC News he believes all the vaccines “are going to work well enough to be approved, depending on the side effect profiles.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">VACCINES FOR OLDER ADULTS (60 AND UP)</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong>GLAXOSMITHKLINE’S</strong>&nbsp;phase three trial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2209604" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;on the GSK vaccine’s efficiency, as published in the<em>&nbsp;New England Journal of Medicine&nbsp;</em>on Wednesday, found the shot lowered the risk of severe illness by 94% and of symptomatic illness by 83% in adults 60 years and older. Participants with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/comorbidities.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">comorbidities</a>&nbsp;(having more than one disease or illness at a time), who are at an increased risk of severe outcome from RSV, also saw positive results from the vaccine. The most common adverse events from the shot were pain at injection site, fatigue, headache and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/myalgia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">myalgia</a>&nbsp;(muscle aches and pain). A previous&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-s-older-adult-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-vaccine-candidate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in October 2022 reported the vaccine had an overall vaccine efficiency of 82.6% in adults 60 years and older.</li>



<li><strong>Johnson &amp; Johnson’s</strong>&nbsp;vaccine phase two trial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2207566" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;published in the&nbsp;<em>New England Journal of Medicine&nbsp;</em>on Wednesday saw an 80% vaccine efficiency rate in adults 65 years and older. The study’s main goal was preventing the occurrence of lower respiratory tract infection as a result of RSV, and the protection ranged from 80% in preventing lower respiratory tract infections, and 70% for milder cases. Serious adverse events were reported in 4.6% of vaccine participants and 4.7% of the placebo group.</li>



<li><strong>Moderna’s</strong>&nbsp;vaccine for older adults is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00126-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">messenger RNA</a>(mRNA) vaccine, similar to its Covid shot. The vaccine uses mRNA, which helps give instructions to the body’s cells, allowing them to create small parts of the RSV virus that creates an immune response in the body. In January, Moderna&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2023/Moderna-Announces-mRNA-1345-an-Investigational-Respiratory-Syncytial-Virus-RSV-Vaccine-Has-Met-Primary-Efficacy-Endpoints-in-Phase-3-Trial-in-Older-Adults/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announce</a>d findings from a trial, which found the vaccine to be 83.7% effective at protecting against RSV-related lower respiratory tract infection. The FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2023/Moderna-Granted-FDA-Breakthrough-Therapy-Designation-for-mRNA-1345-An-Investigational-Respiratory-Syncytial-Virus-RSV-Vaccine-Candidate/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">granted</a>&nbsp;the shot breakthrough therapy designation at the end of January.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">VACCINES FOR THE ELDERLY AND INFANTS</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong>Pfizer</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-positive-top-line-data-phase-3-trial-older" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>&nbsp;its RSV vaccine reduced the risk of severe illness in older adults by 86%. In November 2022, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-positive-top-line-data-phase-3-global" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;findings from a trial that instead administered the shot to pregnant people. The vaccine was 82% effective against severe illness in infants during their first 90 days of life, and 69% effective for up to six months. Pfizer is the only company preparing an RSV vaccine for older adults and for infants through maternal immunization. The FDA accepted Pfizer&#8217;s bid for priority review of its RSV vaccine in December 2022.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">VACCINES/TREATMENT FOR INFANTS</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong>Sanofi and AstraZeneca’s</strong>&nbsp;injection isn’t technically a vaccine, however, it would work the same. It is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/monoclonal-antibody" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">monoclonal antibody injection</a>&nbsp;(a lab made protein used to bind to certain targets of the body to fight infection) for infants up to 24 months. The vaccine (labeled as Beyfortus and generic name nirsevimab)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sanofi.com/en/media-room/press-releases/2023/2023-01-05-07-00-00-2583365" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">showed</a>&nbsp;an 80% protection rate against severe illness in babies. It was granted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sanofi.com/en/media-room/press-releases/2022/2022-11-04-07-00-00-2548492" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approval</a>&nbsp;by the European Commission in November 2022, and the FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2023/nirsevimab-us-regulatory-submission-accepted-for-the-prevention-of-rsv-lower-respiratory-tract-disease-in-infants-and-children.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accepted</a>&nbsp;its submission for biologics license application in January.</li>



<li><strong>SOBI’s</strong>&nbsp;monoclonal antibody injection Synagis (generic name palivizumab) is similar to Sanofi and AstraZeneca because it also technically isn’t a vaccine, though it’s administered to high risk infants to protect against RSV. It was&nbsp;<a href="https://cms.centerwatch.com/directories/1067-fda-approved-drugs/listing/4243-synagis-palivizumab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;by the FDA in 1998 while it was still manufactured by AstraZeneca (the company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2018/astrazeneca-to-divest-us-synagis-rights-to-sobi131120180.html#modal-historic-confirmation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transferred</a>&nbsp;vaccine rights to SOBI in 2019). Infants are only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.synagis.com/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">qualified</a>&nbsp;for treatment if they meet at least one of these requirements: they were born prematurely and are six months old or less at the start of RSV season, they were born with certain types of heart conditions and are 24 months or less at the start of RSV season, or they have a chronic lung condition called bronchopulmonary dysplasia, that needed medical attention within the last six months and they are 24 months or less at the start of RSV season.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rsv-vaccine-candidates-timeline-fda-approval-rcna70777" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The race to an RSV vaccine could soon be over, decades after the first attempt</a>&nbsp;(NBC News)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/lung-respiratory/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-within-months/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">First FDA-Approved RSV Vaccines Expected Within Months</a>&nbsp;(Everyday Health)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninashapiro/2022/11/01/who-can-receive-the-currently-available-rsv-vaccine/?sh=693027a444f3">Who Can Receive The Currently Available RSV ‘Vaccine’?</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Arianna Johnson, Forbes Staff </em></strong></p>


First FDA-Approved RSV Vaccines Expected Later This Year: The Top Vaccines And Their Effectiveness


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Health authorities in Equatorial Guinea detected the west African country’s first cases of the rare but highly-infectious Marburg virus, the World Health Organization confirmed on Monday, months after another outbreak in Ghana, as experts work to contain an outbreak of the deadly virus.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The WHO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.afro.who.int/countries/equatorial-guinea/news/equatorial-guinea-confirms-first-ever-marburg-virus-disease-outbreak" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">confirmed</a>&nbsp;the virus had spread to the country of 1.6 million people on Africa’s Atlantic coast after receiving preliminary results of a test from the country’s Kie Ntem province, where nine people had died last week of a viral fever.</p>



<p>It comes after officials <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/cameroon-restricts-movement-along-equatorial-guinea-border-after-several-2023-02-10/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quarantined</a> more than 200 residents and restricted residents’ movement last week following a series of deaths stemming from hemorrhagic fever.</p>



<p>Marburg—a virus in the same family as Ebola, which is typically spread by fruit bats and can spread from human-to-human through direct contact with bodily fluids—is highly virulent, leading to hemorrhagic fever within a week, according to WHO Africa Regional Director Matshidiso Moeti.</p>



<p>In addition to the nine deaths recorded in Equatorial Guinea, officials in the country also recorded 16 suspected cases of the virus, with symptoms including fatigue, fever, diarrhea and “blood-stained vomit.”</p>



<p>The WHO said it has deployed emergency health workers to help control the outbreak, with teams of health care workers conducting contact tracing to determine isolation policies.</p>



<p>The organization also <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2023/02/14/default-calendar/who-urgent-marburg-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> on Monday it plans to convene an “urgent meeting” on Tuesday to address the outbreak.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>88%. That’s the fatality rate of the Marburg virus, according to the WHO. By comparison, the death rate from Covid-19 in the U.S. is 1.1%,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;researchers at Johns Hopkins University.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CONTRA</h2>



<p>There are no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments against Marburg, though rehydration, including by intravenous fluids, can boost survival rates, according to the WHO. Detecting the outbreak in Equatorial Guinea has become complicated, however, because symptoms, including fever, chills, headache and muscle weakness, often appear to be similar to those of other infectious diseases, including malaria and typhoid fever or viral fevers like Ebola,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/marburg/symptoms/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Marburg was first detected in 1967 in Germany and the former Yugoslavia, with 31 cases—and seven deaths—primarily linked to lab monkeys. Small outbreaks were detected in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in South Africa, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which recorded 154 cases and 128 deaths, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/marburg/outbreaks/chronology.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CDC</a>. Another 252 people tested positive for the virus in Angola in 2004, with 227 of them dying of the contagious virus. Last June, health officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/07/18/what-is-marburg-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-deadly-virus-detected-in-ghana/?sh=1d377bc121b1">Ghana</a>advised people to avoid caves and thoroughly cook meat after they detected three more positive cases, including two deaths.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



<p>In a promising sign, a vaccine being developed by researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases showed a “long-lasting” immunity and “no serious adverse events” among humans in a clinical trial, according to a paper published late last month in the scientific journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/marburg-vaccine-shows-promising-results-first-human-study" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Lancet</em></a>—though the vaccine is still in its trial phase, with further trials planned in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and the U.S.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2022/07/17/marburg-monkeypox-and-other-viruses-emerging-from-africa/?sh=6bf7dd5778c7">Marburg, Monkeypox, And Other Viruses Emerging From Africa</a>(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/07/18/what-is-marburg-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-deadly-virus-detected-in-ghana/?sh=1d377bc121b1">What Is Marburg? What You Need To Know About The Deadly Virus Detected In Ghana</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Brian Bushard, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Blood samples with infected virus

Lethal Ebola-Like Marburg Virus Detected In Equatorial Guinea


<p><strong>Precision healthcare is growing exponentially due to the application of AI in oncolo- gy. MedTech entrepreneur Dr Kingsley Ndoh is leading in this regard from Rwanda, helping oncologists and their patients in sub-Saharan Africa.</strong></p>



<p><strong><em>By Tiana Cline</em></strong></p>



<p>Dr Kingsley Ndoh lost his aunt over a decade ago to colorectal cancer. She was only 51 years old and prior to her diagnosis, she was having high-risk abdominal symptoms. But in Nigeria, where Ndoh was both born and studied medicine, the screening guidelines for colorectal cancer begin at the age of 50.</p>



<p>“She didn’t even get the chance to have a screening,” he says. “What I realized is that a lot of the guidelines and treatments don’t work for all populations. It has to be specific to genetics, to the epidemiology and to the clinical context of those regions.” This was one of the reasons Ndoh decided that he wanted to get more training in oncology and that meant moving to the United States (US) to study global health. “I wanted to work at a population level,” explains Ndoh, who ended up at the University of Washington which was followed by a short-term fellowship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center – “my foray into the world of global oncology,” he says.</p>



<p>But it was sitting on a plane, flying back home to Nigeria that sparked Ndoh’s interest in technology – and more specifically, artificial intelligence (AI). </p>



<p>“I read a book by Jerry Kaplan called <em>Humans Need Not Apply </em>and became fascinated by the possibilities of AI that were mentioned in healthcare. But when I started digging into it, I realized that a lot of the AI products that are being rolled out and tested in the different aspects of healthcare deal mainly with Caucasian data and not in the context of places like sub-Saharan Africa.”</p>



<p>Precision healthcare is a field that is growing exponentially due to the application of AI in oncology. But AI and machine learning models require a massive about of data and Ndoh came to the realization that while the technology is there, it cannot simply be imported into Africa “because our data is different, and because the clinical context is different”, he says. After many years of planning, Ndoh launched a medical<br>tech startup called Hurone AI focused on democratizing high-quality cancer care. “The specific area that we wanted to tackle as an early-stage startup was side effects,” he says. And then he came across research that took him by surprise: “In the last 20 years, the oncology medications (the cancer medicines) that have been approved by the FDA; less than 3% of the trial participants were black. That means the full range of side effects are not really known.”</p>



<p>Ndoh brings up recent research which shows that some breast cancer medications which are commonly given to African-American women lead to poor outcomes – and worse side-effects. “Tying this all together heightened my sense of urgency that we need to start understanding the data of diverse populations better,” he says. “I saw Africa as a place where things could be leapfrogged and the specific problem we’re looking at is the deficit between the number of oncologists and patients.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-specialist-shortage">A SPECIALIST SHORTAGE</h3>



<p>Currently, there is around one oncologist to 187 patients in the US but in sub-Saharan Africa, the number sits at one to 3,000. African oncologists are overworked and lack critical support services but Ndoh believes that AI can help make things easier. “When patients get a diagnosis, they are bound to have side-effects from chemotherapy and radiotherapy but they don’t have access to an oncologist because they are few and far between. This means patients will begin to look at other sources of information such as Dr Google, herbalists or native doctors (as they’re called in some parts of Africa),” he elaborates, “and this could lead to worsened outcomes, unexpected symptoms or even hospitalization.”</p>



<p>After a couple of research trips to Rwanda, Ndoh heard how patients, nurses and doctors felt separated from each other.</p>



<p>Not only did the patients feel disconnected from follow-up care, the doctors said that they didn’t have a grasp of managing their patients.</p>



<p>“This is why Hurone AI is a two-way system. It’s a web platform for doctors and nurses to enter demographic and clinical data – including any treatment regimens given – and track their patients better. On the other side, there is a USSD text-based app for patients to receive cancer care remotely so that even those without smartphones can still access valuable information,” says Ndoh. </p>



<p>Once a patient has been registered, they will receive questions related to their well-being and the answers are graded into mild, moderate and severe categories. “On the other end, the data is organized so that the doctors and nurses can easily see how a patient is doing and 70% of the complaints can be addressed by text messaging,” he says. “It also means patients can take action in emergency situations.”</p>



<p>As Hurone AI helps those suffering from the side-effects of cancer treatment, Ndoh is building a database of much-needed clinical and demographic information. His hope is that when the company scales, he will not only be able to automate more medical processes but build models that could use AI to predict side-effects prior to treatment. “And it could eventually help doctors to choose more wisely on what drugs they could give with the same efficacy.”</p>



<p>While Hurone AI is currently doing beta trials in Rwanda, Ndoh has plans to expand throughout sub-Saharan Africa as well as into other low-to-middle income countries. The patient app, which is called Gukiza, means healing in Kinyarwanda “and we make it clear that the app cannot heal you, but it brings that positivity patients need after a cancer diagnosis when they feel like their whole world is falling apart”.</p>


Screenshot 2023-02-09 at 16.31.50

The Good Doctor With An Eye For AI in Africa


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>The global use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs in animals will rise by the end of the decade, according to <a href="https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0001305" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>published Wednesday in <em>PLOS Global Public Health</em>, a move that could help render the lifesaving drugs useless and accelerate the spread of hard-to-treat, resistant superbugs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Some 107,500 tons of antimicrobial drugs—medicine used to kill or impede microorganisms including fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasites—will be used on farmed pigs, chickens, cows and sheep by 2030, researchers projected.</p>



<p>The figure, estimated using data on current trends, marks an 8% increase from 2020.</p>



<p>Agriculture uses the vast majority of the world’s antimicrobials—<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7766021/pdf/antibiotics-09-00918.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a> put figures higher than 70%—and the projected jump comes despite global efforts to foster more responsible use of the drugs in a bid to curb the spread of resistant infections.</p>



<p>Antimicrobial resistance emerges when organisms like bacteria, fungi and viruses defeat the drugs used to treat them and it can make infections very difficult, or even impossible, to treat.</p>



<p>Farming often deploys the drugs—including many medically important ones like tetracyclines, amphenicols and penicillins—in healthy animals to keep livestock healthy and prevent disease, a strategy that helps promote resistance.</p>



<p>The researchers said China, Brazil, India, the U.S. and Australia are expected to retain their 2020 positions as the five countries using the most antimicrobials in 2030, having accounted for nearly 60% of global use at the start of the decade.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Antimicrobials are among the most important tools in medicine. They are vital for treating a litany of infections, make invasive surgery possible and cut the risks of immune system-dampening treatments for conditions like cancer. Resistance threatens to wipe them out, possibly returning us to a time when now-easily treatable conditions—or even a papercut—can kill. A growing number of infections, including MRSA, gonorrhea, salmonellosis, tuberculosis and pneumonia are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics used to combat them become less effective. The pipeline of new antimicrobials is weak, especially for new classes using new mechanisms to attack microbes, as there are few incentives for pharmaceutical firms to fund costly work in the field and resistance often emerges rapidly once a new drug hits the market. Health experts and agencies, including the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/national-estimates.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CDC</a> and <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/antimicrobial-resistance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHO</a>, describe the problem as one of the most pressing threats to public health facing humanity. In the U.S. alone, the CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/biggest-threats.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a> there are more than 2.8 million antimicrobial resistant infections each year, killing more than 35,000. The agency puts the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/national-estimates.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">national cost of treating</a> infections caused by the six superbugs commonly found in healthcare settings at more than $4.6 billion a year. Though the evolution of resistant superbugs is natural and expected over time, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals is accelerating this process.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Profligate use of the drugs in agriculture, particularly to promote growth and prevent disease in healthy animals, is a key driver of resistance. In some countries, the sector is responsible for approximately 80% of total consumption for medically important antibiotics, the WHO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/07-11-2017-stop-using-antibiotics-in-healthy-animals-to-prevent-the-spread-of-antibiotic-resistance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>10 million. That’s how many people will die each year from antimicrobial resistant infections by 2050, experts&nbsp;<a href="https://amr-review.org/sites/default/files/160518_Final%20paper_with%20cover.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimate</a>. Most of these deaths are projected to be in poorer countries and many due to infections we could once treat.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Experts&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/01/19/struggle-superbugs-antimicrobial-resistance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warn</a>&nbsp;the excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics during the Covid-19 pandemic has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(22)00796-4/fulltext#%20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">erased years&nbsp;</a>of progress combating antimicrobial resistance in countries around the world. In the U.S., the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/covid19-impact-report-508.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>&nbsp;antibiotic resistant infections and deaths rose from 2019 to 2020, largely due to a 15% jump in infections acquired in hospitals. In a foreword to the report, agency director Dr. Rochelle Walensky described resistance as one of our “greatest public health concerns prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and it remains so.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h2>



<p>The nature of evolution and the biology of microorganisms, as well as its inherently global nature and intersection at numerous different areas of health, can make resistance&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002184" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hard to monitor</a>&nbsp;and predictions on how it will emerge and spread difficult. Data suggests the scale of the problem may already be beyond the estimate of 10 million deaths by 2050. Some 1.27 million&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/01/19/antibiotic-resistance-killed-12-million-people-in-2019-study-finds-a-leading-cause-of-death/?sh=2287500b3963">people died worldwide</a>&nbsp;as a direct result of antibiotic resistant bacterial infections in 2019, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02724-0/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>published last year in the&nbsp;<em>Lancet</em>. The death toll—which only considers bacterial infections—is based on the most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/01/19/antibiotic-resistance-killed-12-million-people-in-2019-study-finds-a-leading-cause-of-death/?sh=2287500b3963">comprehensive estimate</a>&nbsp;to date from before the Covid-19 pandemic. It already exceeds deaths from major killers like HIV/AIDS and malaria. Antimicrobial resistant infections played a role in an additional 5 million deaths that year, the report estimated.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2022/08/24/the-whole-foods-label-says-the-meat-is-free-of-antibiotics-but-a-lawsuit-claims-thats-not-always-true/?sh=17496e81a80f">The Whole Foods Label Says The Meat Is Free Of Antibiotics, But A Lawsuit Claims That’s Not Always True</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2023/1/8/23542789/big-meat-antibiotics-resistance-fda" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big Meat just can’t quit antibiotics</a>&nbsp;(Vox)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/01/19/antibiotic-resistance-killed-12-million-people-in-2019-study-finds-a-leading-cause-of-death/?sh=2287500b3963">Antibiotic Resistance Killed 1.2 Million People In 2019, Study Finds, A Leading Cause Of Death</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Pigs in the pasture

Antibiotics Use In Farm Animals Is Growing—Here’s Why It Could Pose A Danger To Humans


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>According to a new <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.53590?utm_source=For_The_Media&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=ftm_links&amp;utm_term=013023" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>, Covid placed in the top 10 leading causes of death for children of all age groups, but there are several precautions (like vaccines, masks and isolation), which effectively protect against the virus.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The study, published in the&nbsp;<em>JAMA Network&nbsp;</em>on Monday, found Covid was a leading cause of death in children and adolescents and caused more deaths than any other vaccine-preventable disease.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/covid-19-leading-cause-of-death-ranking/#Total%20deaths%20in%20the%20United%20States%20from%20COVID-19%20and%20other%20leading%20causes,%202020-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According</a> to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, Covid was the third- leading cause of death in the U.S. each year from 2020 to 2022, and according to the <em>JAMA</em> study, Covid mortality between August 1, 2021 and July 31, 2022 ranked in the top 10 leading causes of death for the age group between infants and 19-year-olds.</p>



<p>Between January 2020 and January 21, there have been 1,098,583 Covid-related deaths in the U.S., with children (Americans 18 and under) making up over 1,600 of those cases,&nbsp;<a href="https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Provisional-COVID-19-Deaths-Focus-on-Ages-0-18-Yea/nr4s-juj3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>



<p>TangentA <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanam/article/PIIS2667-193X(22)00222-8/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> published in the <em>Lancet </em>found although Covid infections due to the omicron variant (the most wide-spread Covid strain) were more transmissible among children, they were less deadly than infections caused by the previous variant.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">COVID VACCINES AND BOOSTERS APPROVED FOR CHILDREN</h2>



<p>The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0618-children-vaccine.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">included</a>&nbsp;children ages six months to five years in their recommendation for Covid vaccines in June 2022. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are the only vaccines&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html?s_cid=11368:what%20age%20can%20covid%20vaccine%20be%20given:sem.ga:p:RG:GM:gen:PTN:FY21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">authorized and approved</a>&nbsp;for use in children aged six months and older by the Food and Drug Administration. However, those 12 and up can receive the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/novavax-covid-19-vaccine-adjuvanted" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Novavax</a>vaccine. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/janssen/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johnson &amp; Johnson</a>&nbsp;vaccine is only approved for people 18 years and up. Bivalent boosters (booster shot that protect against the original Covid variant and the now dominant omicron variant) became available for anyone six months and older in December 2022. Bivalent boosters are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.17.516898v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proven</a>&nbsp;to be more effective at protecting against Covid, severe symptoms and hospitalization than the original monovalent vaccines. Kids aged 6 months through four years who completed a Moderna vaccine series are eligible to receive a Moderna bivalent booster two months after their second dose, and kids five and up who completed the Moderna series can receive either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster two months after their second dose. Those aged six months through five years who are completing a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine series can only get a Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent vaccine as their third dose. Children six years and up who completed a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine series can receive either the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster two months after their second dose. Children 12 to 17 years of age who got the Novavax vaccines can get either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines two months after completing their second dose.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">OTHER PRECAUTIONS</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong>Isolation:</strong>&nbsp;Self isolation at home for at least five days for those who test positive for Covid is recommended, as infectious levels are the highest during this time. If someone has to go out in public or be around others in the household, a high-quality mask is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0811-covid-guidance.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advised</a>&nbsp;by the CDC. If symptoms are improving and a fever isn’t present for 24 hours without the use of medicine after the five day period is up, isolation can end and the use of a high quality mask should continue until day 10. However, being around high risk individuals should be avoided until day 11.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-covid19-who-is-at-higher-risk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">High risk</a>&nbsp;individuals include those over the age of 65, those with a weakened immune system, those with underlying conditions (like obesity, heart disease and cancer) and pregnant people. The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/tribal/social-distancing.html#SocialDistancing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recommends</a>&nbsp;those who aren’t vaccinated to practice social distancing in public, remaining at least six feet away from others. According to a 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-022-07636-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>, self-isolation and stay-at-home orders were essential in preventing the spread of the virus during the early phases of the pandemic.</li>



<li><strong>Masks:</strong>&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2014564118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;found masks were effective at slowing the spread of Covid. The CDC breaks down&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fscience%2Fcommunity-levels.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mask guidelines</a>&nbsp;based on Covid community levels. For those living in low level communities (places where Covid cases are minimal), masks are not required indoors in public. For medium level communities, it’s recommended high risk people wear high-quality masks or respirators (like the N95) indoors in public. For high level communities, all people should wear high-quality masks indoors in public. Regardless of community level, people with symptoms, those who’ve tested positive for Covid or have come in contact with a positive person should wear a mask indoors. As of April, the CDC no longer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/masks-public-transportation.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">requires</a>&nbsp;the use of masks on public transportation. However, it still recommends the use of masks in indoor public transportation situations.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://kdhnews.com/living/health/odds-of-severe-covid-19-disease-lower-for-children-during-omicron-predominance/article_3f1f3d1f-a0b5-5497-9830-a2ba6c0f2323.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Odds of Severe COVID-19 Disease Lower for Children During Omicron Predominance</a>&nbsp;(Killeen Daily Herald)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/01/26/covid-vaccines-heres-evidence-they-work-despite-persistent-misinformation-along-with-side-effects-and-common-misconceptions/?sh=5a8235b047c3">Covid Vaccines: Here’s Evidence They Work—Despite Persistent Misinformation—Along With Side Effects And Common Misconceptions</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Booster COVID-19 Vaccination In Colombia

Study Finds Covid A Leading Cause Of Death Among Children And Adolescents. Here’s How To Stay Safe


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>False claims that Covid-19 vaccines cause spasms have gone viral on social media, with many users — even language education company Duolingo — making an even more viral joke out of the misinformation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Anti-vaxxers are spreading videos on social media of people appearing to seize or spasm, falsely claiming these to be Covid-19 vaccine side effects — but in many cases the videos are years old, unrelated to the Covid-19 vaccine and have been debunked by fact-checkers.</p>



<p>Spasms and seizures are not listed as either <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">common side effects</a> or <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/adverse-events.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adverse side effects</a> of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/safety-of-vaccines.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emphasizes</a> the vaccines are safe and effective.</p>



<p>One&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/healthbyjames/status/1616142878723407894?s=20&amp;t=PnM3jv9-_e2R5xhE7kFShg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">video</a>&nbsp;shared by James Cintolo, who claims in his Twitter bio to be a medical expert, shows a woman convulsing — he called the video “urgent” despite a Twitter fact-checking label noting the video is two years old — and it racked up 25 million views on the platform, inspired widespread mockery and a note from Twitter’s fact-checking team noting it “has been debunked by multiple news outlets and local and Federal health officials, showing no association … with the COVID vaccine,” according to multiple news outlets including a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/covid-vaccine-misinformation-facebook" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Wired</em></a><em>&nbsp;</em>investigation.</p>



<p>Twitter users quickly turned these fake vaccine side effects into a meme: Many tweets, some simply captioned “Thanks Pfizer”—the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AngeliaDesselle/status/1522948044043468800" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">caption</a>&nbsp;from a widely derided Twitter video by Angelia Desselle labeled as misinformation that has been viewed more than 23 million times)—show a video like Steve Carrell’s character from&nbsp;<em>The Office&nbsp;</em>doing a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/theofficereacs/status/1617249097240436738" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bizarre dance</a>, or Dua Lipa simply&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/theashrb/status/1616921840135426048" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">swaying</a>&nbsp;side to side, garnering millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes this week.</p>



<p>Brands made their own jokes, too: Duolingo <a href="https://twitter.com/duolingo/status/1617619591303421953" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shared a video</a> of its mascot dancing, captioning it “Thanks Pfizer” (the company also <a href="https://twitter.com/duolingo/status/1618004237576994817" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shared a tweet</a> with a link to the CDC website, urging people to stay informed about the vaccine and assuring people “twerking is not a side effect”).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Videos of people appearing to convulse after receiving a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, which are used to intentionally spread misinformation, date back at least two years but have recently resurfaced on social media. Angelia Desselle’s January 2021 video was reshared last week on Twitter by user Cintolo, who regularly posts false and misleading information about Covid-19 and the vaccine. Desselle’s case was debunked by media outlets; A CDC spokesperson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/covid-vaccine-misinformation-facebook" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told&nbsp;<em>Wired</em></a><em>&nbsp;</em>in January 2021 it had “no adverse event data regarding a case of this nature out of Louisiana,” where Desselle is from. A Louisiana Department of Health spokesperson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/covid-vaccine-misinformation-facebook" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told&nbsp;<em>Wired</em></a><em>&nbsp;</em>in January 2021 only one adverse vaccine reaction had led to hospitalization at that time — the person, who experienced gastrointestinal distress and lightheadedness, was released and recovered. Cintolo frequently posts such bogus videos, falsely claiming that the vaccine is dangerous, and several of his tweets have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/anti-vax-movement-new-misinformation-injuries-deaths-1234666611/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">debunked</a>&nbsp;by media outlets and are branded with fact-checks on Twitter. His false tweets come as anti-vaccine propaganda&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/anti-vax-movement-new-misinformation-injuries-deaths-1234666611/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surges</a>, particularly the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/01/died-suddenly-documentary-covid-vaccine-conspiracy-theory/672819/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">“died suddenly” conspiracy theory</a>, which was peddled in a documentary of the same name and prompted Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene to&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1616940625152057345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1616940625152057345%7Ctwgr%5E3265c464fd431cb9b25bb7b031586f05c05ccedd%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fculture%2Fculture-features%2Fanti-vax-movement-new-misinformation-injuries-deaths-1234666611%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">demand</a>&nbsp;an investigation into the vaccines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>“THANKS PFIZER” MEMES</strong></h2>



<p>Duolingo has garnered nearly 300,000 likes and more than 8 million views on their “Thanks Pfizer” meme&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/duolingo/status/1617619591303421953" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweet</a>, which the language learning company posted on Monday. Other tweets taking part in the viral joke include a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/iwishyouwoulds/status/1617370708862173184" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">video</a>&nbsp;of Taylor Swift dancing in her video for “Delicate” and a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/machinegumkiss/status/1617520447373078535" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">video</a>&nbsp;of comedian Nathan Fielder dancing to Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” — both captioned “Thanks Pfizer.” “My friend Brenda got her vaccine and this started happening in the middle of movie night thanks Pfizer,” one user captioned a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/seanybrams/status/1618103835700125696" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">satirical tweet</a>, paired with a video of Regina Hall’s character having a seizure in&nbsp;<em>Scary Movie 3.</em>&nbsp;Subjects of the meme aren’t always human — some Twitter users joked the vaccine was to blame for why apps on their&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/yannhatchuel/status/1617302132058910721" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iPhone</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/jennaep7/status/1617216745315483648" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shopping cart</a>&nbsp;or a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/joshleonn/status/1616386609762521090" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halloween decoration</a>were shaking or twitching.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS?</strong></h2>



<p>The most common vaccine side effects — which tend to be mild and temporary — in adults include pain, redness and swelling in the arm, as well as tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to the CDC</a>. Booster shot side effects may include fever, headache, fatigue, and pain at the injection site.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/adverse-events.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adverse effects</a>&nbsp;of the vaccine are rare, and the CDC emphasizes the vaccines are safe and effective. Five cases per one million vaccine doses have been linked to anaphylaxis and four cases per one million doses of the Johnson &amp; Johnson/Janssen vaccine have been linked to thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. Seizures or spams are not listed among the adverse effects of any Covid-19 vaccine on the CDC website.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>FURTHER READING</strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/anti-vax-movement-new-misinformation-injuries-deaths-1234666611/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Claims of Covid Vaccine Injuries and Deaths Revive Protest Movement</a>(<em>Rolling Stone</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/covid-vaccine-misinformation-facebook" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">They claimed the Covid-19 vaccine made them ill. Then they went viral</a>(<em>Wired</em>)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Conor Murray, Forbes Africa</em></strong></p>


How A ‘Thanks Pfizer’ Covid Misinformation Meme Went Viral


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Children who are more physically active could be less susceptible to respiratory tract infections like the common cold, according to a study published in <em>Pediatric Research</em> Monday, as less than one-quarter of children are estimated to have participated in at least an hour of physical activity each day.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Researchers measured the physical activity levels and symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections—like coughing or sneezing—of 104 children aged 4 to 7 between 2018 and 2019.</p>



<p>As children increased the daily average of steps taken by 1,000, the number of days they experienced symptoms decreased by an average of 4.1 days, while children who participated in three or more hours of physical activity experienced fewer days with symptoms than those who did not.</p>



<p>One group of children whose average daily steps was over 5,600 experienced symptoms more often than another group whose average daily steps was over 9,300.</p>



<p>The study speculates higher physical activity levels result in reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines—proteins associated with chronic inflammation and disease—while improving the immune system’s responses.</p>



<p>The data analyzed by researchers was collected by the childrens’ parents, who reported any illness symptoms as well as whether their child was vaccinated, participated in sports, whether they had siblings and whether they were exposed to second-hand smoke or pet hair.</p>



<p>Despite the reporting of additional data, researchers said they found no association between respiratory tract infection symptoms and sleep patterns, siblings, vaccinations or exposure to pet hair or second-hand smoke.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>Only 24% of children aged 6 to 17 participate in at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion&nbsp;<a href="https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/physical-activity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>&nbsp;only 25% of adults aged 18 or older participate in enough physical activity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The amount of physical activity recommended for children depends on their age,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/index.htm#:~:text=60%20minutes%20or%20more%20of,should%20include%20vigorous%2Dintensity%20activities." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the CDC, though most&nbsp;<a href="https://health.gov/moveyourway/get-kids-active#:~:text=Kids%20need%2060%20minutes%20of,to%20happen%20all%20at%20once." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health organizations</a>suggest a 60-minute daily average. Regular physical activity in children has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm#print" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">linked</a>&nbsp;to reduced risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity. Lack of physical activity has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and low bone density, which could lead to osteoporosis. Other&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201501/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a>&nbsp;suggest that increased physical activity could lead to better grades and academic performance in addition to improved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/physical-activity-brain-health/index.html#:~:text=Physical%20activity%20can%20improve%20your,of%20physical%20activity%20can%20help." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cognitive performance</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/10/28/rsv-infections-are-spiking-among-kids-and-swamping-childrens-hospitals---heres-what-parents-need-to-know/?sh=ca64d3e42f5b">RSV Infections Are Spiking Among Kids And Swamping Children’s Hospitals — Here’s What Parents Need To Know</a> (<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Ty Roush, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Girl practising Somersault at home

Kids Who Exercise More Are Less Likely To Get Respiratory Infections, Study Suggests


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/bivalent-boosters.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> Friday a possible link has been identified between Pfizer-BioNTech’s bivalent Covid-19 vaccine and ischemic strokes in people over the age of 65 who received the shot, however the agencies are not recommending any changes to vaccine distribution.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The CDC’s Vaccine Safety Datalink surveillance system detected data that “raised a question” as to whether people over the age of 65 who received that specific Pfizer vaccine were more likely to have an ischemic stroke in the first 21 days following their inoculation, compared to between 22 and 44 days after.</p>



<p>The statement said no other safety signals have detected this potential issue, and neither have studies of data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Veterans Affairs, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and Pfizer-BioNTech.</p>



<p>No such signal has been detected with Moderna’s bivalent vaccine.</p>



<p>The data suggests it’s “very unlikely” this signal represents “a true clinical risk,” the CDC said, and the agency and the FDA will continue to evaluate data regarding this issue.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>15.9%. That’s how many Americans who are aged five and older have received an updated booster dose, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CDC</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Known as “updated boosters,” the bivalent shots became available to those 12-years-old and older in September, those ages 5 to 11 in October, and to some children between the ages six months and four years old in December. These shots contain mRNA from both the original strain of Covid-19, and those related to the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the omicron strain, which was one of the most popular strains of the virus last year. A CDC study released in December found that the bivalent doses were 56% more effective in preventing Covid compared to no vaccine. And those who received the dose were 50% less likely to contract Covid-19 than those who received the initial dosage at least 11 months earlier. The updated booster also greatly decreased the risk of hospitalization, compared to unvaccinated adults.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/01/04/omicron-subvariant-xbb15-the-dominant-covid-strain-in-the-us-surges-in-major-metro-areas-with-slightly-different-symptoms/?sh=a357951af2c4">Omicron Subvariant XBB.1.5: The Dominant Covid Strain In The U.S. Surges In Major Metro Areas With Slightly Weaker Symptoms</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/12/16/should-you-get-a-covid-booster-cdc-says-they-cut-risk-of-hospitalization-in-half/?sh=448049147443">Should You Get A Covid Booster? CDC Says They Cut Risk Of Hospitalization In Half</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/12/02/covid-still-killed-over-9000-americans-in-november-as-attention-to-it-and-boosters-declines/?sh=5f93d40733d8">Covid Still Killed Over 9,000 Americans In November, As Attention To It (And Boosters) Declines</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Marisa Dellatto, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Injection of the third dose of the covid 19 vaccine at a Covid-19 vaccination center in Dinan, Brittany

CDC Exploring Possible But Unlikely Link Between Covid-19 Bivalent Booster And Strokes￼


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics listed new <a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/doi/10.1542/peds.2022-060640/190443/Clinical-Practice-Guideline-for-the-Evaluation-and" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">guidelines</a> for treating obesity in those aged two years or older for the first time in 15 years–and the recommendations include weight-loss medication and even bariatric surgery for children.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The guidelines acknowledge that obesity is a chronic disease linked to factors such as lack of access to nutritious foods, physical activity and healthcare.</p>



<p>The new recommendations focus on treatment of obesity rather than obesity prevention, which “will be addressed in another forthcoming” policy statement, according to the academy.</p>



<p>It’s recommended that children six years or older should be annually tested for obesity through methods like body mass index (BMI) checks and motivational interviews.</p>



<p>Children under the age of two were not included in the recommendations because it’s hard to “practically define and measure excess adiposity in this age group,” according to the new guidelines.</p>



<p>Overweight in children and teens is defined as having a BMI at or above the 85 percentile and below the 95 percentile—obesity in children and adolescents is defined as having a BMI at the 95 percentile or higher,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>



<p>For example, a 10-year-old boy with a BMI of 21 would put him in the 85 percentile and be considered overweight, where a 10-year-old boy with a BMI of 23 (95 percentile) would be considered obese.</p>



<p>Over 14.4 million children in the U.S. have childhood obesity and are at a higher risk for type two diabetes, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, heart disease, asthma and joint and bone issues,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/consequences.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>to the CDC.</p>



<p>The objective of the new guidelines is to assist patients in making sustainable “changes in lifestyle, behaviors or environment,” Dr. Sandra Hassink, an author of the new guidelines and vice chair of the AAP&#8217;s Clinical Practice Guideline Subcommittee on Obesity, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2022/american-academy-of-pediatrics-issues-its-first-comprehensive-guideline-on-evaluating-treating-children-and-adolescents-with-obesity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">news release</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recommendations">RECOMMENDATIONS</h2>



<p>The academy recommends the use of weight-loss drugs in children aged 12 years or older, as well as behavioral therapy and lifestyle treatment. There was not enough evidence to recommend the use of weight-loss drugs in children under the age of 12 for the sole purpose of treating obesity. For children aged 13 or older with severe obesity, weight-loss surgery should be looked into, according to the new guidelines. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7118002/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;found that adolescents who received bariatric surgery—a class of surgical procedures performed on the intestines or stomach to help with weight loss—saw a BMI reduction of 29%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-weight-loss-medication-approved-for-children">WEIGHT-LOSS MEDICATION APPROVED FOR CHILDREN</h2>



<p>There are several Food and Drug Administration approved weight-loss drugs for children. The research group said glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (a class of type two diabetes drugs that are linked to weight-loss) like semaglutide, exenatide, liraglutide and dulaglutide reduce hunger by “slowing gastric emptying and by acting on targets in the central nervous system.”</p>



<ul><li>Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy—an injectable diabetes drug under the generic name semaglutide—is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.novo-pi.com/wegovy.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;for children 12 and up with obesity. Due to popular demand, Wegovy is now&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2022/12/26/what-to-know-about-ozempic/?sh=54fc8fe65adb">listed</a>&nbsp;by the FDA as being in a supply shortage.</li><li>Daily injectable liraglutide (brand name Saxenda) is FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-approves-weight-management-drug-patients-aged-12-and-older" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;for obesity management in children 12 years or older.</li><li>In June 2022, the FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-approves-treatment-chronic-weight-management-pediatric-patients-aged-12-years-and-older" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;a supplemental indication for phentermine and topiramate extended-release capsules (brand name Qsymia) for chronic weight management in patients aged 12 or older diagnosed with obesity.</li><li>Daily capsule orlistat (brand names Alli and Xenical) are FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/116843/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;for use in children 12 years or up to treat obesity.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-off-label-weight-loss-drugs">OFF-LABEL WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS</h2>



<ul><li>Exenatide (another weekly injectable under brand names Byetta and Byduren) was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/exenatide-marketed-byetta-information" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;for use in children 10 to 17 years of age with type two diabetes. Although it hasn’t been approved for weight-loss purposes,&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22076596/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a>&nbsp;have found that obese children aged 9 to 16 experienced significant weight-loss while taking exenatide.</li><li>Daily pill Metformin—brand names Fortamet and Glumetza—is a type two diabetes drug.&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34355850/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a>&nbsp;have found that the use of metformin in obese children aged 10 or up resulted in “significant reductions in weight.” A 2021 AAP&nbsp;<a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/147/3_MeetingAbstract/180/5078/Pharmacotherapy-for-Weight-Loss-in-Children" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;found that metformin was the most commonly prescribed weight-loss drug among children and adolescents.</li><li>Topiramate is an FDA approved seizure medication approved for use in adults and children,&nbsp;<a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01859013" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. A&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35767803/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;found that children 12 and up with severe obesity who took topiramate for a 16 week period saw reductions in BMI and weight.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2208601?query=featured_home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in the&nbsp;<em>New England Journal of Medicine&nbsp;</em>found that adolescents aged between 12 and 17 who took Wegovy along with counseling lost an average of 14.7% of their body weight. Participants who received the placebo gained 2.7% of their initial weight. Over 40% of patients reduced their starting BMI by 20%, Aaron Kelly, co-director of the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/weight-loss-drug-helped-teens-obesity-lower-bmi-study-finds-rcna55270" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;NBC. A 17-year-old participant told NBC that she lost 70 pounds during the trial.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/01/09/1147828006/childhood-obesity-requires-early-aggressive-treatment-new-guidelines-say" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Childhood obesity requires early, aggressive treatment, new guidelines say</a>&nbsp;(NPR)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2022/12/26/what-to-know-about-ozempic/?sh=54fc8fe65adb">What To Know About Ozempic: The Diabetes Drug Becomes A Viral Weight Loss Hit (Elon Musk Boasts Using It) Creating A Shortage</a>(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/09/health/childhood-obesity-treatment-guidelines-wellness/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Updated obesity treatment guidelines for children and teens include medications, surgery for some young people</a>&nbsp;(CNN)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obesity-kids-teens-drugs-surgery-early-new-guidelines/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Consider drugs and surgery early for obesity in kids, new guidelines say: &#8220;Waiting doesn&#8217;t work&#8221;</a> (CBS)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/"></a><em><strong>By Arianna Johnson, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


Saving lives in sugery

Weight-Loss Drugs And Surgery Now Recommended For Some Children: Here’s What’s Available And What Doctors May Prescribe


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Trials of cutting-edge cancer vaccines could kick off in the U.K. as soon as September, German Covid vaccine maker BioNTech <a href="https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-details/biontech-announces-strategic-partnership-uk-government-provide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> on Friday, part of a new government partnership to fast track development of the same mRNA technology behind the most successful coronavirus vaccines as companies race to build upon pandemic successes and target other diseases.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>As many as 10,000 cancer patients in the U.K. will be treated with personalized mRNA cancer treatments by 2030, BioNTech said in a statement, whether as part of a clinical trial testing the new therapies or as approved treatment.</p>



<p>Such treatments are often described as cancer vaccines because they work by training the patient’s immune system to target and attack cancer cells, the same mechanism the vaccines produced by Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna use to train the body to recognize and fight the virus causing Covid-19.</p>



<p>British health secretary Steve Barclay&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-partnership-to-boost-research-into-vaccines-for-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;the agreement meant “the best possible treatments are available as soon as possible” and that trials for the cancer vaccines could begin as soon as September.</p>



<p>The project is part of a broader partnership with the U.K. government focused on cancer immunotherapies, infectious disease vaccines and expanding the German biotech’s “footprint in the U.K.”</p>



<p>BioNTech said it will also set up a regional headquarters in London and a scientific research hub in Cambridge.</p>



<p>BioNTech co-founder and chief executive Ugur Sahin praised the U.K.’s rapid development of mRNA vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic that showed “drug development can be accelerated without cutting corners,” something the firm now hoped to replicate for cancer patients.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Scientists have worked on mRNA vaccines, including those targeting cancer, for decades. Unlike traditional vaccines, which inject part or all of a virus (or other pathogen) into the body to provoke an immune response, mRNA shots work by injecting genetic instructions and allowing the body to make part of the virus itself. The process is more flexible, simpler and much faster than traditional methods and can be swiftly edited to adapt to real-world changes to the virus. The field enjoyed little success and sporadic interest among scientists until the Covid-19 pandemic, when a number of highly successful vaccines were rapidly built and successfully deployed using the technology, notably from Moderna and Pfizer and BioNTech. The stellar takeoff of these vaccines during the pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/06/29/sanofi-is-injecting-almost-half-a-billion-dollars-each-year-into-mrna-tech-driving-pfizer-moderna-covid-shots/?sh=41fd25d646f3">revitalized</a>&nbsp;interest in the field and pharma giants have been ramping up efforts to deploy it against other threats like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/09/14/mrna-flu-shot-moves-forward-as-pfizer-launches-late-stage-trial-builds-on-covid-vaccine-success/?sh=acbda5c599c0">flu</a>, HIV,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/hunting-perfect-protein-malaria-mrna-vaccine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">malaria</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/01/05/pfizer-biontech-will-develop-mrna-shingles-vaccine-after-covid-19-shot-success/?sh=765c62a71d7b">shingles</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/04/11/mrna-cancer-treatment-covid-vaccine-giant-biontech-touts-promising-early-data/?sh=69386467a339">cancer</a>&nbsp;ever since.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>The pandemic has paved the way for a whole new class of vaccine and lots of firms have mRNA shots in various stages of development. It could be a number of years until these are trialed and approved—the emergency nature of the Covid-19 pandemic fast tracked the process, which ordinarily takes years—though updated Covid vaccines have already been deployed. BioNTech’s founders have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/oct/16/vaccines-to-treat-cancer-possible-by-2030-say-biontech-founders" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;mRNA cancer vaccines could be ready to use in patients as soon as 2030. Early&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/455ef4e3-b870-4baa-9b05-977329e24356" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trial</a>results of a cancer vaccine from Moderna, which targets an aggressive type of skin cancer, have been promising.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>$23 billion. That’s how much the mRNA product market could be worth by 2035, Boston Consulting Group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41573-021-00147-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>. The majority of this will come from preventative vaccines, the researchers said. Huge demand for Covid-19 vaccines, a market initially dominated by mRNA early-movers like Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech, puts a much higher value on the market now. The researchers estimated it was worth $50 billion in 2021, all of this coming from Covid-19 vaccines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2021/04/08/biontechs-humble-billionaire-ceo-on-the-next-era-of-mrna-vaccines/?sh=27647bce19da">BioNTech’s Humble Billionaire CEO On The Next Era Of mRNA Vaccines</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/mrna-vaccine-revolution-katalin-kariko" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The mRNA vaccine revolution is just beginning</a>&nbsp;(Wired)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/a8b2c939-88da-45ca-a74e-9f49bb8c8c1c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The UK’s dream of becoming a ‘science superpower’</a>&nbsp;(Financial Times)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/01/05/1066274/whats-next-mrna-vaccines/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What’s next for mRNA vaccines</a> (MIT Technology Review)</p>



<p><em><strong>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


Cancer Vaccine Trials—Using Same mRNA Tech Behind Covid Shots—Could Launch In U.K. This September


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>The Food and Drug Administration changed its regulations on Tuesday to now make it possible for abortion pills to be dispensed by retail pharmacies, further expanding access to medication abortion, as the drugs have become a more prominent abortion method in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Mifepristone is one of two drugs that’s taken to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/what-medication-abortion-your-questions-answered" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">terminate a pregnancy</a>—it stops a pregnancy, and then a second drug, misoprostol, induces contractions to expel the tissue—and it is approved for use up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy, though&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/03/health/abortion-pill-access-roe-v-wade.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in practice</a>&nbsp;it’s often used until weeks 12 or 13.</p>



<p>The drug must be prescribed and cannot be obtained over the counter, and historically it’s only been available in-person from a physician or clinic certified to prescribe mifepristone, or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/16/health/abortion-pills-fda.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more recently</a>, prescribed through telehealth appointments and dispensed through mail-order pharmacies approved to supply the drug.</p>



<p>The FDA finalized new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/information-about-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regulations</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that now&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">allow</a>mifepristone to also be dispensed at brick-and-mortar retail pharmacies after being prescribed by a medical provider—though only after those pharmacies become certified to dispense it and agree to certain criteria, which the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/health/abortion-pill-cvs-walgreens-pharmacies.html?smid=tw-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>New York Times</em></a>&nbsp;reports includes keeping the names of physicians who prescribe the drug confidential.</p>



<p>The fact that pharmacies have to opt-in to dispensing mifepristone and obtain a certification means it’s still unclear when the drug will become available at pharmacies and where it will be carried (misoprostol, also used for other medical conditions, has already been available at pharmacies).</p>



<p>Pharmacies are most likely to carry mifepristone in states where abortion is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/24/abortion-state-laws-criminalization-roe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">still broadly legal</a>: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Washington, D.C.</p>



<p>They’re least likely to carry abortion-inducing drugs in states where abortion is banned in nearly all cases, including Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Georgia (where it’s only banned after six weeks into a pregnancy).</p>



<p>Abortion is also legal as of now in Arizona, Indiana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah and Wyoming—but only because courts have temporarily blocked abortion bans in those states, so pharmacies could still be hesitant to become certified, given that abortion could become illegal through a subsequent court ruling.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h2>



<p>Exactly which pharmacies will decide to carry abortion pills. Major pharmacy chains Walgreens and CVS have not yet responded to requests for comment on whether they intend to seek certification, though a Walgreens spokesman told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/health/abortion-pill-cvs-walgreens-pharmacies.html?smid=tw-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Times</em></a>&nbsp;the company would review the FDA regulations and “continue to enable our pharmacists to dispense medications consistent with federal and state law.” Pharmacies may be skittish to dispense abortion pills given the broader political climate around abortion and threats of legal repercussions, particularly in states where there are at least some restrictions on the procedure. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-11/post-roe-many-autoimmune-patients-lose-access-to-gold-standard-drug" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pharmacies</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/07/13/1111348722/pharmacies-may-violate-civil-rights-if-they-refuse-meds-linked-to-abortion-feds-" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">came under fire</a>&nbsp;after the Supreme Court’s abortion ruling for even refusing to give out medications for other conditions, like autoimmune diseases, because they could be used to induce a miscarriage. An official at Danco, one of two pharmaceutical companies that manufactures mifepristone, also suggested to the&nbsp;<em>Times</em>&nbsp;that independent pharmacies outside of major chains will likely end up carrying mifepristone first, as it might be logistically easier for them to comply with the FDA requirements to get certified.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>53%. That’s the percentage of all abortions in the U.S. that were medication abortions in 2020, the most recent year for which data is available,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2022/02/medication-abortion-now-accounts-more-half-all-us-abortions#:~:text=Specifically%2C%20preliminary%20data%20from%20the,for%2054%25%20of%20US%20abortions." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the pro-abortion rights Guttmacher Institute. Research has consistently shown medication abortion to be highly safe and&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26241252/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">99.6% effective</a>&nbsp;in terminating a pregnancy, with only&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22898359/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">0.4%</a>&nbsp;of medical abortions resulting in serious complications. The FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>only 28 deaths have been reported in patients “associated with mifepristone” between September 2000 and June 2022, though it notes it’s not clear if those deaths were actually caused by mifepristone, as they may have been due to other factors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Medication abortion through mifepristone and misoprostol was first approved by the FDA in 2000. Though widely used even when abortion was legal throughout the U.S., the abortion drugs have gained attention in the wake of the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/10/02/100-days-since-roe-v-wade-was-overturned-the-11-biggest-consequences/?sh=3338fcdd7464">overturning Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in June, as they’re an easier way for patients in states where the procedure is banned to more easily obtain an abortion as clinics providing surgical abortions have shut down. The wave of state-level bans on abortion has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/03/health/abortion-pill-access-roe-v-wade.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prompted</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/07/06/abortion-pills-mail-telehealth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new tactics</a>&nbsp;to make abortion pills available, such as mail-order services—and mail-forwarding services that can help skirt state bans—and abortion providers setting up mobile clinics on the borders of states where abortion is outlawed. The FDA’s expansion of mifepristone to retail pharmacies and the DOJ’s opinion on mailing the pills are part of the Biden Administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/07/08/heres-what-biden-doing-to-protect-abortion-access-roe-v-wade-overturned/?sh=4af6bf3a7783">broader</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/06/28/biden-administration-will-use-medication-abortion-civil-rights-office-to-help-protect-abortion-rights-health-secretary-says/?sh=1336d0717aa5">efforts</a>&nbsp;to blunt the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling, as the administration has pointed to medication abortion and the fact the FDA has authorized abortion pills for use nationwide as a key way of counteracting state bans.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



<p>While it’s unlikely that pharmacies in states that outlaw abortion will carry abortion pills—even as abortions can be allowed in narrow circumstances like medical emergencies—the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/olc/opinion/file/1560596/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clarified</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that the drugs still can be mailed to those states under federal law. Under the Comstock Act of 1873, which restricts the mailing of items used to “produc[e] abortions,” mifepristone can legally be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service or private carriers like UPS or FedEx, the DOJ said in a legal opinion, as long as the sender believes the drug will be used in a legal way. That could still be the case even in states where abortion is banned, such as if the pills are used for a medical emergency or if the drug is actually administered in a different state where abortion is legal, the Biden Administration said. That being said, while the DOJ’s opinion will serve as a legal shield to ward off challenges against abortion pills being mailed under federal law, it’s still possible that people who mail abortion pills could face legal repercussions under state laws. That’s particularly the case in states that specifically&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/the-intersection-of-state-and-federal-policies-on-access-to-medication-abortion-via-telehealth/#:~:text=In%20the%20run%20up%20to,move%20to%20enact%20similar%20policies." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ban</a>&nbsp;the mailing of abortion pills, such as Arizona, Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Anti-abortion advocates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/11/18/new-lawsuit-aims-to-revoke-fda-approval-of-abortion-drug/?sh=459b13d43c7c">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in November that challenges the legality of abortion pills nationwide and asks a court to force the FDA to revoke its approval of mifepristone and misoprostol, arguing that the agency didn’t have the authority to approve the drugs in the first place. The lawsuit, filed in Texas, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/01/04/lawsuit-fda-abortion-pills-mifepristone-ban" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">assigned</a>&nbsp;to a Trump-appointed judge who could be sympathetic to the challengers, though any ruling against the FDA would be certain to be appealed. A ruling on whether to at least temporarily block the abortion drugs’ approval—which would stop them from being prescribed altogether—while the case moves forward could come as soon as February.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/health/abortion-pill-cvs-walgreens-pharmacies.html?smid=tw-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Abortion Pills Can Now Be Offered at Retail Pharmacies, F.D.A. Says</a>(New York Times)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/what-medication-abortion-your-questions-answered" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What is medication abortion? Your questions answered</a>&nbsp;(Association of American Medical Colleges)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/information-about-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Information about Mifepristone for Medical Termination of Pregnancy Through Ten Weeks Gestation</a>&nbsp;(U.S. Food and Drug Administration)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/fact-sheet/the-availability-and-use-of-medication-abortion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Availability and Use of Medication Abortion</a>&nbsp;(Kaiser Family Foundation)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/03/health/abortion-pill-access-roe-v-wade.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Abortion Pill Providers Experiment With Ways to Broaden Access</a>&nbsp;(New York Times)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/11/18/new-lawsuit-aims-to-revoke-fda-approval-of-abortion-drug/?sh=459b13d43c7c">New Lawsuit Aims To Revoke FDA Approval Of Abortion Drug</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Alison Durkee, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


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