Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Distribution Of Vaccine: Complex Massive Rollout
ABC News: Pfizer May Win The COVID Vaccine Race. But Distributing It Could Be Another Matter.
Pfizer, the multinational pharmaceutical company, may be the first in the United States to seek regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine, but even if its vaccine is authorized, the company may face additional challenges in distributing it. That's because Pfizer's vaccine can't be stored in the refrigeration systems found at the typical doctor's office. Instead, it requires special ultra-low-temperature freezers that can store medicine at approximately 94 degrees below zero. (Harrison and Salzman, 9/10)
CNN: 8,000 Cargo Jets Needed To Transport Covid-19 Vaccines, Says IATA
As global pharmaceutical companies race to complete their Covid-19 vaccine trials, the logistics that will be required to deliver them to all corners of the world are coming into focus -- and it will be a mission like no other. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), providing a single dose of the vaccine to 7.8 billion people will require the use of 8,000 Boeing 747 cargo aircraft -- and planning needs to begin now. (Cripps, 9/10)
In other vaccine news —
ABC News: Vaccine Developers Hustle To Meet FDA Data Requirements To Submit For Approval
There is much uneasiness and many questions about a potential COVID-19 vaccine, among them the unprecedented speed of its development and worries about a rushed approval in a highly politicized atmosphere. Recent comments by vaccine manufacturers about data being ready as soon as October are only bringing those questions into greater light. (Mitropoulos, 9/10)
AP: HealthPartners Suspends Recruiting In COVID-19 Vaccine Trial
A Minnesota health care provider has suspended its successful recruitment of participants in a coronavirus vaccine trial while its maker investigates whether a recipient’s “potentially unexplained” illness is a side effect of the shot. The trial led by AstraZeneca and Oxford University was suspended while a review is underway of a participant in the United Kingdom who became ill. (9/9)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: COVID Vaccine Trials Lack Important Study Participants
Gwinnett County Transit driver Mikesha Walker talked to co-workers recently about whether they would participate in a COVID-19 vaccine research trial. They’re ideal participants, many researchers say. They spend more time with the public, which puts them at greater exposure to the disease. Many workers are Black, a demographic that is not adequately represented in trials. (Stirgus and Poole, 9/9)
