Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Scientists See Vaccine Progress — And Encounter Roadblocks
The Washington Post: Operation Warp Speed Is Pushing For Covid-19 Therapeutics By Early Fall
New treatment options for covid-19 could arrive months before even the most optimistic timeline for a vaccine, senior Trump administration officials said at a briefing Monday. But demand could outstrip supply if the pandemic continues to rage, creating a national tug of war over limited doses. (Johnson, 7/13)
CIDRAP: FDA Grants Fast Track Designation To Two COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates
Pfizer and BioNTech announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to two of the companies' vaccine candidates for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. (7/13)
The Washington Post: Glass Vials For Vaccine Are In Demand As Governments And Drug Companies Rush To Lock Down Supply
As scientists race to test coronavirus vaccines in humans, a parallel scramble is underway to produce billions of medical-grade vials and syringes that will be needed to inoculate the world’s population. The job of delivering vaccine to a majority of humans is so vast that global production of pharmaceutical vials needs to be ramped up by 5 to 10 percent within two years, a job the industry says requires immediate preparation and increases in production but is not an insurmountable challenge. (Rowland, 7/13)
Stat: Patient-Reported Data Can Help Monitor Covid-19 Vaccine Safety
The pharma industry is in a mad dash to bring a Covid-19 vaccine to market, ideally before 2020 slips into 2021. This represents a dramatic acceleration from standard development timelines, which historically have often lasted 10 to 15 years. More than 100 Covid-19 vaccines are currently in development, with 21 already being tested in human clinical trials. (Velentgas and De Haart, 7/14)
The Hill: Senate Democrats Call For $25B For Vaccine Production, Distribution In Next Package
Senate Democrats on Monday called for Congress to provide $25 billion in emergency funding for production and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine ahead of negotiations on an upcoming response package. In addition to the development of the vaccine itself, a massive and complex undertaking is required to manufacture the millions of needed doses, ensure the supply of supporting materials like needles and syringes, and then distribute the vaccine all across the country for people to be vaccinated. (Sullivan, 7/13)
In global vaccine developments —
AP: Global Vaccine Plan May Allow Rich Countries To Buy More
Politicians and public health leaders have publicly committed to equitably sharing any coronavirus vaccine that works, but the top global initiative to make that happen may allow rich countries to reinforce their own stockpiles while making fewer doses available for poor ones. (Cheng, 7/14)
Stat: European Parliament Backs WHO's Covid-19 Patent Pool Plan
In an overwhelming vote, the European Parliament late last week agreed to support a World Health Organization initiative to create a Technology Access Pool, which would collect patent rights, regulatory test data, and other information that could be shared for developing drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics to combat Covid-19. The move adds pressure on the European Commission and member states to embrace the effort, which was launched in May in response to concerns that some Covid-19 medical products may not be accessible for poor populations, in any country. (Silverman, 7/13)
