Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Safety Of Pfizer, Moderna Vaccines For Pregnant Women Affirmed In Study
Axios: Pfizer And Moderna COVID Vaccines Safe For Pregnant Women, Study Says
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are deemed safe and effective for pregnant women, according to a pre-print study out Thursday in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, is in line with statements from health officials and the World Health Organization that pregnant and lactating women may take the vaccine. (Fernandez, 3/25)
Stat: Pfizer And BioNTech To Begin Testing Covid-19 Vaccine In Children
Pfizer and BioNTech said Thursday they are beginning a study aimed at showing their Covid-19 vaccine can be used in children as young as 6 months. The study follows the launch of a separate and ongoing trial in children ages 12 to 15, which was fully enrolled in January. That study could lead to results by the end of the first half of the year, depending on the data, and then to an emergency use authorization. (Herper, 3/25)
Stat: HHS Is Urged To Use Its Patents For The Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine
Seeking to quickly widen global access to Covid-19 vaccines, academics, and patient advocates are urging the Biden administration to use a key patent owned by the U.S. government to boost manufacturing and distribution of the Moderna (MRNA) shot. In a letter to federal officials, the group noted that a soon-to-be-issued-patent covering the use of spike proteins in the vaccine was jointly developed by the company and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The patent has not been licensed to Moderna; the group maintains it is an “important policy tool” that can be used to ensure any licensing agreement fosters greater access. (Silverman, 3/25)
In updates on the AstraZeneca vaccine —
Stat: What To Make Of AstraZeneca's Vaccine Data — And Debate Around Them
AstraZeneca’s up-and-down quest to develop a vaccine for Covid-19 stands out from what has otherwise been a remarkably straightforward process in the U.S. And the latest twist for AstraZeneca’s vaccine, involving a contentious back-and-forth with federal authorities, only adds confusion to an already muddled process. (Feuerstein, Garde and Tirrell, 3/26)
CNBC: AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine: All The Issues And Problems The Shot Has Faced
Heralded as “the vaccine for the world,” AstraZeneca’s Covid shot has been accompanied by high hopes ever since its inception. But unlike other coronavirus vaccines, the shot developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford has been plagued by problem after problem. AstraZeneca’s troubles started almost as soon as it published interim trial data and have continued ever since. (Ellyatt, 3/25)
KHN: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Getting Down To Work At HHS
As questions swirl about the covid vaccine made by AstraZeneca, public health experts are worried the confusion could create more doubts among people already hesitant to get a vaccine. Meanwhile, the first Senate-confirmed officials are settling into their offices at the Department of Health and Human Services, starting with new Secretary Xavier Becerra, who was confirmed on a 50-49 vote. Becerra, at least at first, appears focused on the rollout of new benefits for the Affordable Care Act passed as part of the recent covid relief bill. (3/25)
