Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Vaccines Are Hurtling Through Development Process, But That Doesn't Mean They'll Be Ready By Fall
Stat: Mounting Promises On Covid-19 Vaccines Are Fueling False Expectations, Experts Say
Vaccines to prevent Covid-19 infection are hurtling through development at speeds never before seen. But mounting promises that some vaccine may be available for emergency use as early as the autumn are fueling expectations that are simply unrealistic, experts warn. (Branswell, 5/6)
Bloomberg: Pfizer Starts U.S. Trials Of Experimental Covid-19 Vaccine
Pfizer Inc. has administered the first U.S. patients with its experimental vaccines to fight the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, part of a bid to shave years off of the typical time it takes to develop a new inoculation. The trials are being conducted at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the drugmaker said Tuesday. “The short, less than four-month time-frame in which we’ve been able to move from preclinical studies to human testing is extraordinary,” Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said in a statement. (Koons, 5/5)
NBC News: Pfizer, NYU Working On Innovative Coronavirus Vaccine That Could Be Ready By End Of Summer
The vaccine, which carries genetic code known as messenger RNA, attempts to reprogram the deadly pathogen rather than manipulate the live virus. "It is probably the fastest way of having a vaccine available to stem this pandemic, based on the data that I have seen," said Kathrin Jansen, who leads vaccine research for Pfizer. (Costello and Stelloh, 5/5)
Reuters: Most Americans Would Take Coronavirus Vaccine If Deemed Safe: Reuters/Ipsos Poll
Three-quarters of Americans would take a coronavirus vaccine after receiving certain assurances that it was safe, and another 9% would take one as soon as it was available, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday showed. (Bernstein, 5/5)
Politico: Trump Softens Promise Of Coronavirus Vaccine By End Of Year
President Donald Trump on Tuesday softened his ambitious pledge from just days earlier that there could be a coronavirus vaccine by year’s end. “You can never be convinced,” Trump, during a trip to Arizona, told ABC News’ David Muir in an interview when asked whether he was still firm in that declaration, contending that “we have a really good shot of having something very, very substantial.” (Oprysko, 5/5)
