Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Results Confirm AstraZeneca's Half-Dose 'Mistake' Is 90% Effective
Stat: AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid-19 Vaccine Has Moderate Efficacy, Data Show
The Covid-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca appears to have moderate efficacy in preventing symptomatic illness, and may significantly reduce hospitalization from the disease, data from four clinical trials of the vaccine reveal. The highly anticipated publication of the data, released Tuesday in The Lancet, also point to some signals that deserve further exploration — the possibility of protection after a single dose and the suggestion that at least one dosing regimen may have led to a decrease the number of asymptomatic infections. (Branswell and Herper, 12/8)
The Hill: AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Safe And Effective, Studies Suggest
AstraZeneca and Oxford first announced the efficacy results of their vaccine late last month. The findings later came under scrutiny after the company acknowledged that members of a sub-group of trial participants were originally mistakenly given a half dose followed by a full dose. The admission, along with a relatively small test group compared to other studies, drew questions among experts on the accuracy of the findings. (Williams, 12/8)
AP: Studies Suggest AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Safe, Effective
New results on a possible COVID-19 vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca suggest it is safe and about 70% effective, but questions remain about how well it may help protect those over 55 — a key concern for a vaccine that health officials hope to rely on around the world because of its low cost, availability and ease of use. Still, experts say the vaccine seems likely to be approved, despite some confusion in the results and lower levels of protection than what some other vaccine candidates have shown. (Marchione, 12/8)
The New York Times: AstraZeneca Missteps Undermined U.S. Faith In Coronavirus Vaccine
On the afternoon of Sept. 8, AstraZeneca officials had a conference call with the Food and Drug Administration. The discussion covered important ground: What would AstraZeneca need to do to win the F.D.A.’s blessing for the coronavirus vaccine it was developing with the University of Oxford? But the AstraZeneca representatives neglected to mention a crucial development: Two days earlier, the company had quietly halted trials of its vaccine around the world, including a late-stage study in the United States. It acted after a participant in Britain fell ill. (Robbins, LaFraniere, Weiland Kirkpatrick and Mueller, 12/8)
