Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Could Decades-Old Vaccines Jump Start The Immune System To Help Protect Against COVID-19?
The Washington Post: Can Old Vaccines From Science’s Medicine Cabinet Ward Off Coronavirus?
Two tried-and-true vaccines — a century-old inoculation against tuberculosis and a decades-old polio vaccine once given as a sugar cube — are being evaluated to see if they can offer limited protection against the coronavirus. Tests are already underway to see if the TB vaccine can slow the novel coronavirus, while other researchers writing in a scientific journal Thursday propose using the polio vaccine, which once was melted on children’s tongues. (Johnson and Mufson, 6/11)
The Hill: Tuberculosis, Polio Vaccines Examined By Scientists For Possible Protection Against COVID-19
The scientists said they are not suggesting the vaccines will prevent people from contracting COVID-19, but it may help them experience less severe symptoms if they do contract it. (Moreno, 6/11)
NBC News: Polio Vaccine Could Give Temporary Protection Against COVID-19, Scientists Hope
The polio vaccine in question is a live vaccine — meaning it uses a weakened form of the live virus. Live vaccines trigger a general immune response that helps the body fight off invaders until the immune system has time to develop specific antibodies. In theory, scientists believe that this temporary immune boost could provide protection for viruses the vaccine was not designed to prevent, such as the coronavirus, said a co-author of the Science piece, Dr. Konstantin Chumakov, a member of the Global Virus Network, an international coalition of virologists aimed at preventing and eradicating virus disease. (Sullivan, 6/11)
Reuters: Exclusive: Bottlenecks? Glass Vial Makers Prepare For COVID-19 Vaccine
Drugmakers are warning of a potential shortage of vials to bottle future COVID-19 vaccines, but their rush to secure supplies risks making matters worse, some major medical equipment manufacturers warn. Schott AG, the world’s largest maker of speciality glass for vaccine vials, says it has turned down requests to reserve output from major pharmaceutical firms because it does not want to commit resources before it is clear which vaccines will work. (Burger and Blamont, 6/12)
The Associated Press: Final Tests Of Some COVID-19 Vaccines To Start Next Month
The first experimental COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. is on track to begin a huge study next month to prove if it really can fend off the coronavirus, while hard-hit Brazil is testing a different shot from China. Where to do crucial, late-stage testing and how many volunteers are needed to roll up their sleeves are big worries for health officials as the virus spread starts tapering off in parts of the world. (Neergaard, 6/11)
Reuters: How A Vaccine Made Of Mosquito Spit Could Help Stop The Next Epidemic
Five years ago, in an office complex with a giant sculpture of a mosquito just northwest of Phnom Penh, Jessica Manning struck on a novel idea. Rather than spend more years in what felt like a futile search for a malaria vaccine, she would take on all mosquito-borne pathogens at once. (Baldwin, 6/11)
The New York Times: EU Wants To Buy COVID-19 Vaccines Up Front-Unless They're Made In America
The European Commission is seeking a mandate from EU countries to buy promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates in advance from pharmaceutical firms, as long as they are not produced solely in the United States, officials said. The EU executive wants to pay for up to six potential vaccines in deals where the makers would commit to providing doses when and if they become available. (6/11)
ABC News: As Pressure For Vaccine Builds, Regulators May Face Difficult Decision
With multiple pharmaceutical firms wading deeper into human testing of a vaccine, federal regulators may soon face their toughest decisions yet in the global battle to subdue the novel coronavirus. In a matter of months, the Food and Drug Administration will likely have to determine when to approve mass production and distribution of a vaccine that will likely be injected into the arms of tens of millions of Americans. (Rubin and Bruggeman, 6/12)
