Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Paxlovid Doesn't Cut Severe Covid Effects For Standard-Risk Patients
Axios: Pfizer's COVID Pill Found Ineffective For Standard-Risk Patients
Pfizer on Tuesday said a study showed its COVID-19 pill Paxlovid didn't significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization or death in people with a standard risk of developing severe infections. The results could mean the antiviral could be largely limited to high-risk patient populations, where it's been shown to be effective. Pfizer said it was halting enrollment in the study of standard-risk patients after Paxlovid showed a 51% risk reduction, which the company called "non-significant." (Bettelheim, 6/14)
CIDRAP: Data Show Low Level Of COVID Rebound With Paxlovid
A study of nearly 500 high-risk patients treated with Paxlovid for their COVID-19 infections found that only a few had rebound symptoms, Mayo Clinic researchers reported today in Clinical Infectious Diseases. ... The retrospective review included 483 high-risk patients who received the drug at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, through an outpatient COVID-19 treatment program. The researchers identified four patients who had rebound symptoms, which occurred at a median of 9 days after treatment. All were fully vaccinated. Symptoms were generally mild, and all four recovered without additional COVID-specific treatment. (Schnirring, 6/14)
An FDA panel has greenlighted the Moderna vaccine for ages 6 and up —
USA Today: FDA Panel Recommends Moderna COVID Vaccine As Option For Kids 6 And Up
Parents could soon have two vaccines to choose from when vaccinating their children against COVID-19. After hearing hours of testimony Tuesday, a federal advisory panel voted unanimously to recommend Moderna's vaccine be made available to children 6 and up. So far, only Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine has been allowed for children. Assuming the Food and Drug Administration commissioner signs off on the panel's recommendation, as expected, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will review Moderna's vaccine data later this week and the shots could become available as soon as next week. (Weintraub, 6/14)
In other news on the vaccine rollout —
New Hampshire Public Radio: N.H.’s COVID Vaccine Vans Reach The End Of The Road
New Hampshire’s COVID-19 vaccine van initiative is retiring this month after operating for nearly a full year. From housing complexes to state parks, the mobile vaccine vans have traveled all over New Hampshire. Some clinics have administered hundreds of shots, while others saw fewer than 10 people. The retirement of the vaccine vans is part of a long-standing plan to shift responsibility for New Hampshire's pandemic response away from state government and toward the private healthcare system. The vaccine for infants and young children, which is expected to roll out later this month, will be primarily distributed at pharmacies, doctors offices and urgent care centers, rather than state operated clinics. (Fam, 6/14)
