Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Says Pfizer's Maternal RSV Vaccine Is Effective For Protecting Newborns
CNN: Pfizer's Maternal RSV Vaccine Effective At Preventing Severe Infections In Newborns, FDA Says, But Flags Potential Risk Of Preterm Birth
Pfizer’s vaccine to protect newborns from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, by vaccinating their moms late in pregnancy cuts the risk that infants will need to see a doctor or be admitted to the hospital with a moderate to severe infection before 6 months of age, according to a new analysis by government regulators. Many parents have been eagerly anticipating this news, particularly after last year’s long and severe RSV season. (Goodman, 5/16)
Axios: Race For RSV Shots Heats Up With Maternal Vaccine
After decades of research and multiple failed attempts, Americans could find themselves with several respiratory syncytial virus vaccines to choose from by next winter. Driving the news: FDA advisers tomorrow will weigh whether it's safe to protect infants against the respiratory virus by giving pregnant people an experimental Pfizer shot. (Gonzalez, 5/17)
CIDRAP: COVID Public Health Measures May Have Led To RSV Resurgence
A lack of exposure to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to the global resurgence of the virus in 2022 and 2023, finds a study published yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics. (Van Beusekom, 5/16)
Fox News: New Report Suggests 'Panic Buying' Of Medications By Patients And Providers Caused Drug Shortages
As the "triple threat" of COVID-19, influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) caused a spike in patients seeking medication in the winter of 2022, drug shortages were the highest they had been in five years, according to a March 2023 Senate report. In terms of what caused the shortages, a new report from the Milken Center for Public Health in Washington, D.C., suggested those shortages stemmed from individuals and providers "panic-buying" more medications than they needed amid fear and confusion. (Rudy, 5/16)
Also —
San Francisco Chronicle: Why It Could Be Harder To Avoid Getting COVID In The Future
The end of the national COVID-19 public health emergency has substantially shifted how coronavirus data is gathered and reported. The familiar, colorful community-level reports, graphs illustrating fluctuating case counts and jarring smartphone notifications that helped guide people through the first three years of the pandemic have largely disappeared. (Vaziri, 5/16)
CNN: Trust In Childhood Vaccines Holds Steady, Despite Skepticism Of Covid-19 Vaccines, Survey Finds
Divisive views on the Covid-19 vaccines haven’t shaken the broadly favorable views of routine childhood vaccines, a new survey suggests. Nearly nine out of 10 adults in the US say that the benefits of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines outweigh the risks – a share that’s remained unchanged since before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data published Tuesday by the Pew Research Center. (McPhillips, 5/16)
