Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Releases List Of Pediatric Antibiotic Formulations; Data Show Overuse Of Antibiotics In Hospitals
CIDRAP: WHO Unveils Priority Pediatric Antibiotic Formulation List
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced the launch of its first-ever list of priority pediatric formulations for antibiotics, part of an effort to spur more research and development geared toward the needs of infants and children. (Schnirring, 3/28)
Reuters: Antibiotics May Not Help Survival Of Patients Hospitalized With Viral Infections -Study
Most patients admitted to hospitals with acute viral infections are given antibiotics as a precaution against bacterial co-infection, but this practice may not improve survival, new research suggests. Researchers investigated the impact of antibiotic use on survival in more than 2,100 patients in a hospital in Norway between 2017 and 2021 and found that giving antibiotics to people with common respiratory infections was unlikely to lower the risk of death within 30 days. (Grover, 3/24)
FiercePharma: Brii Biosciences Halts Manufacture Of COVID-19 Antibody Combo
By choosing antibodies from the plasma of a wide range of recovered COVID-19 patients, Brii Biosciences hoped to score big with a treatment that would stand up to coronavirus variants. (Dunleavy, 3/24)
Reuters: Exclusive: WHO To Consider Adding Obesity Drugs To 'Essential' Medicines List
Drugs that combat obesity could for the first time be included on the World Health Organization's "essential medicines list," used to guide government purchasing decisions in low- and middle-income countries, the U.N. agency told Reuters. A panel of advisers to the WHO will review new requests for drugs to be included next month, with an updated essential medicines list due in September. (Rigby, 3/29)
Reuters: Sanofi, Regeneron Unveil 'Blow-Out' Smoker's Lung Drug Data
Sanofi's asthma drug Dupixent met all targets in a trial to treat "smoker's lung", potentially adding billions to the French drugmaker's growth prospects, but also underscoring a heavy reliance on its bestseller. In a late stage trial Dupixent, jointly developed with Regeneron (REGN.O), led to a 30% reduction in moderate or severe acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a potentially deadly disease marked by progressive lung function decline. (Burger and Babu, 3/23)
