Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: Is A Second Booster Safe?; Covid Antivaxxers' Goal Is To Intimidate
The New York Times: Why Experts Can’t Seem To Agree On Boosters
Should you get another Covid booster shot? It seems like a straightforward question, but experts continue to butt heads over its answer. The Food and Drug Administration recently authorized a second booster for everyone age 50 or older and for those with compromised immune systems. Early research from Israel — a country that has tended to run a few months ahead of the United States in terms of both infections and the rollout of countermeasures — indicates that a second booster is safe and may provide some additional protections against severe illness. (Markham Heid, 4/13)
Chicago Tribune: Is A Second Booster For COVID-19 The Right Choice For You?
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently authorized a second booster shot of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for those age 50 and older. The recommendation follows a study out of Israel recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The Israel study reports a modest relative risk reduction in COVID-19 infections for those receiving a second booster compared to those who have gotten one booster, on the order of 1.5 times lower, with this benefit waning over the length of the study period, or around two months. (Sheldon Jacobson, 4/12)
East Bay Times: Anti-Vaxxers And Their Scary, Increasingly Violent Threats
Last December, we reported on the threatening behavior of a group of anti-vaccine activists toward Kristina Lawson, the president of the Medical Board of California. As Lawson recounted then, they surveilled her house, watched her children leave for school, then physically intimidated her at the garage of her business office. That was all because she headed an agency tasked with keeping doctors from spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. (Michael A. Hiltzik, 4/12)
Los Angeles Times: Millions Are Locked Down In Shanghai Because Of 'Zero COVID' Protocols. Something Needs To Change
In January 2020, as the normally joyous Chinese Lunar New Year arrived, things looked bleak in Shanghai. COVID-19, then a complete unknown, was spreading. The government had shut down all but essential businesses, grocery store shelves were empty and the city’s streets were deserted. But China’s response — prolonged self-isolation, mask wearing, infrared temperature checks and location-tracking smartphone QR codes — actually worked. It won the authorities time to study the virus, develop treatments and eventually create and administer a safe vaccine. Some three months later, as much of the rest of the world locked down, it felt as if our COVID battle had ended in victory. (Liam Gowing, 4/12)
The Washington Post: Other Cities Should Not Follow Philadelphia On Reinstating Mask Mandates
The city of Philadelphia reinstated its indoor mask mandate on Monday, citing an increase in daily covid-19 cases driven by the highly contagious BA.2 omicron subvariant. Though the uptick in cases is important to keep an eye on, I believe it was premature for the local government to reimpose a mask requirement. Other cities should not follow suit. (Leana S. Wen, 4/12)
Also —
Stat: Needed: Novel Incentives To Repurpose Generic Drugs For New Uses
The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, better known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, which enabled the regulatory process for generic drugs, has been remarkably successful. Generic drugs now represent about 90% of prescriptions, bringing substantial cost savings to the health care system. The inventory of drug targets known to be modulated by generics has more than doubled over the past 20 years and is expected to reach somewhere between 250 and 450 drug classes (depending on precise target definition) by 2030, according to an analysis we conducted using PharmaProject and DrugBank databases. (Marc Herant and Jason Brauner, 4/13)
Columbus Dispatch: What Is The Problem With The 340B Drug Pricing Program?
Ohio has proven its commitment to the health of our citizens. Our state legislature passed reforms to protect patients from predatory pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices. More recently, Ohio has taken steps to make vaccination easier for those with limited transportation. Our elected leaders have historically been proactive about taking meaningful steps to protect the health of those who can’t always effectively protect themselves. (Brian Nyquist, 4/13)
