Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Approves Drug That Could Be Used To Treat Smallpox In Case Of A Bioterrorism Attack
The New York Times: Drug To Treat Smallpox Approved By F.D.A., A Move Against Bioterrorism
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the first drug intended to treat smallpox — a move that could halt a lethal pandemic if the virus were to be released as a terrorist bioweapon or through a laboratory accident. The antiviral pill, tecovirimat, also known as Tpoxx, has never been tested in humans with smallpox because the disease was declared eradicated in 1980, three years after the last known case. (McNeil, 7/13)
The Associated Press: FDA OKs 1st Drug To Treat Smallpox, In Case Of Terror Attack
Smallpox, which is highly contagious, was eradicated worldwide by 1980 after a huge vaccination campaign. But people born since then haven't been vaccinated, and small samples of the smallpox virus were saved for research purposes, leaving the possibility it could be used as a biological weapon. (Johnson, 7/13)
In other news from the FDA —
CNN: FDA Joins 22 Countries' Recall Of Common Heart Drug
A common drug used to control blood pressure and help prevent heart failure was announced by the US Food and Drug Administration on Friday, a week after 22 other countries recalled it because the drug contains a chemical that poses a potential cancer risk. Valsartan is off patent and is used as a component of other generic medicines, but not all medicines containing the ingredient are involved, according to the FDA. The US recall includes the the versions of valsartan that are made by Major Pharmaceuticals, Solco Healthcare and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. as well as valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) sold by Solco Healthcare and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. (Christensen, 7/13)
