Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Clinical Trial Volunteers Describe Effects Of Pfizer Vaccine
New York Post: Pfizer's Vaccine Volunteers Say It Felt Like 'Severe Hangover'
Some volunteers who took part in Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine trials say they were left feeling like they had a “severe hangover,” according to reports. The more than 43,500 people in six countries who took part in phase three trials by the pharmaceutical giant were never told whether they were injected with the vaccine or a placebo in the double-blind tests. (Brown, 11/11)
NBC Bay Area: Participant In Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Feeling ‘Superhuman’
Injected twice and now feeling "superhuman." That's how a well-known Bay Area attorney is describing his experience in the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine trial. Daniel Horowitz, 65, was one of the 44,000 people who participated in the trial. He said he feels great and humbled. (Budman, 11/11)
Iowa Public Radio: Iowan Participating In Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Reflects On Ongoing Experience
More than 40,000 people are taking part in the clinical study and one of those participants is Ashley Vanorny who works in healthcare administration industry and serves on the Cedar Rapids City Council. She's among 270 people taking part in the University of Iowa's portion of the study. University of Iowa experts say it could still be awhile before the vaccine is widely distributed. (Masters, 11/11)
Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Pfizer Vaccine: Q&A With Company's Chief Scientific Officer
On Monday, Pearl River-based pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech announced it had developed a coronavirus vaccine shown to be 90% effective in preventing the disease, according to initial results. The Journal News/lohud spoke to Pfizer's Chief Scientific Officer Phil Dormitzer, a virus expert who is responsible for research and development. (Venugopal Ramaswamy, 11/12)
In other Pfizer news —
CNBC: Pfizer CEO Sold $5.6 Million Of Stock As Company Announced Vaccine Data That Sent Shares Soaring
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla sold almost $5.6 million worth of stock on Monday, the same day the drugmaker announced positive early data on its experimental coronavirus vaccine that sent shares soaring. Shares of Pfizer jumped by almost 15% on Monday after the company and its partner BioNTech said its vaccine was more than 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 among those in the trial without evidence of prior infection. (Feuer and Wells, 11/11)
NPR: Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine News Raises Questions About CEO's Stock Sales
Bourla's sale of Pfizer stock was part of a trading plan set months in advance. Known as 10b5-1 plans, they essentially put stock trades on autopilot. Executives are supposed to adopt these plans only when they are not in possession of inside information that can affect a company's stock price — what's known as material nonpublic information. The timing of the implementation of Bourla's plan, however, has raised questions about what the Pfizer CEO knew and when, and whether that may invite further scrutiny from federal regulators. (Dreisbach, 11/11)
