Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid Antiviral Cuts Hospitalizations In Half — But FDA Won't Let You Have It
USA Today: An Experimental COVID Treatment Could Be A Promising Alternative To Paxlovid, Study Finds
An experimental COVID-19 antiviral appears to be effective at preventing hospitalizations without some of the downsides of other treatments. A study appearing Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine found that a shot of interferon lambda prevented 51% of hospitalizations among people who have been vaccinated — an already low-risk group and one that hasn't been proven to benefit from other treatments. (Weintraub, 2/8)
Bloomberg: Covid-19 Therapy Study Revives Debate Over Lack Of US Clearance
Positive results from an experimental Covid-19 therapy are rekindling questions about why it hasn’t gained authorization from US regulators, even as the availability of other treatments drops. Adults at high risk of severe Covid who were treated with Eiger BioPharmaceutical Inc.’s therapeutic, called peginterferon lambda, had a 51% lower risk of hospitalization than those who received a placebo, according to the study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. (Muller, 2/8)
The New York Times: Why The Odds Are Stacked Against A Promising New Covid Drug
Over the past year, America’s arsenal of Covid treatments has shrunk as new variants of the coronavirus have eroded the potency of drug after drug. Many patients are now left with a single option, Paxlovid. While highly effective, it poses problems for many people who need it because of dangerous interactions with other medications. But a new class of variant-proof treatments could help restock the country’s armory. Scientists on Wednesday reported in The New England Journal of Medicine that a single injection of a so-called interferon drug slashed by half a Covid patient’s odds of being hospitalized. (Mueller, 2/8)
And the House of Representatives votes to end the vaccine mandate —
Reuters: U.S. House Votes To End Foreign Air Traveler COVID Vaccine Requirement
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to end a requirement that most foreign air travelers be vaccinated against COVID-19, one of the few remaining pandemic travel restrictions still in place. The vote was 227 to 201 with seven Democrats joining Republicans. No Republicans voted against the bill. (Shepardson, 2/8)
