About COVID-19
Andy Slavitt wants to see most vaccines get administered within a week of shipping: An informative Washington Post interview about what we can expect in the near future from the Biden administration with respect to COVID-19.
Oxford/AstraZeneca jab fails to prevent mild and moderate Covid from S African strain, study shows: “In both the human trials and tests on the blood of those vaccinated, the jab showed significantly reduced efficacy against the 501Y.V2 viral variant, which is dominant in South Africa, according to the randomised, double-blind study seen by the Financial Times.
’A two-dose regimen of [the vaccine] did not show protection against mild-moderate Covid-19 due to [the South African variant]’, the study says, adding that efficacy against severe Covid-19, hospitalisations and deaths was not yet determined.”
New COVID-19 deaths in U.S. top 5,000 to set new single-day record: “According to the data, there were almost 5,100 coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday -- by far the most of any day since the pandemic began a year ago. The previous one-day record was about 4,500 deaths.”
Where Did Covid Come From? Investigator Foreshadows Fresh Clues: “Scientists probing the origins of the coronavirus are wrapping up a lengthy investigation in China and have found ‘important clues’ about a Wuhan seafood market’s role in the outbreak.
Peter Daszak, a New York-based zoologist assisting the World Health Organization-sponsored mission, said he anticipates the main findings will be released before his planned Feb. 10 departure. Speaking from the central city of Wuhan, where Covid-19 mushroomed in December 2019, Daszak said the 14-member group worked with experts in China and visited key hot spots and research centers to uncover ‘some real clues about what happened.’”
Biden health team hatches new vaccine strategy as variant threat builds: “The Food and Drug Administration is preparing to release new standards for Covid-19 vaccine booster shots, tests and drugs in the coming weeks — all aimed at preparing the country to beat back fast-spreading virus variants that are less susceptible to existing shots.
The agency confirmed Thursday that it plans to release draft guidance. It could come in two to three weeks, according to four people familiar with the discussion. In the meantime, federal and state officials are scrambling to track how widely the coronavirus variants first found in South Africa, Brazil and the United Kingdom are spreading in the United States.”
NHS plans for annual coronavirus vaccinations: “Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that the government was expecting annual inoculations to take place every autumn in much the same way as flu prevention, adding: ‘Where you look at what variant of virus is spreading around the world, you rapidly produce a variant of vaccine, and then begin to vaccinate and protect the nation.’”
Biden to use Defense Production Act to increase supply of Covid-19 vaccines and tests: ”The Biden administration announced new initiatives Friday to speed up Covid-19 vaccinations and increase the availability of tests and protective gear — even as top health officials pleaded with Americans to double down on basic public health measures like wearing masks.
The White House will use the Defense Production Act to make at least 61 million at-home or point-of-care coronavirus tests available by summer. And the Defense Department will deploy more than 1,000 active military personnel to support state vaccination sites, beginning in California on Feb. 15.”
Pfizer expects to cut COVID-19 vaccine production time by close to 50% as production ramps up, efficiencies increase: “Pfizer expects to nearly cut in half the amount of time it takes to produce a batch of COVID-19 vaccine from 110 days to an average of 60 as it makes the process more efficient and production is built out, the company told USA TODAY.”
Amazon Alexa can now tell you the nearest spot to get a Covid-19 test — here’s how to use it: “It works on phones and through the Amazon Echo smart speaker… it’s best on a phone or on an Echo with a screen since it shows you a list of the nearby locations and how far each place is. Here’s what you do.
Open the Alexa app on your phone.
Touch the “Tap to talk to Alexa” button at the top.
Say: “Where can I get tested for Covid-19?”
Alexa will return a list of nearby places using data pulled from GISCorps and other sources, such as Yelp…If you tap a location, you’ll see a phone number you can call to confirm that there are appointments available, if one is needed.”
About pharma
Drug used to treat arthritis may cause serious heart problems, cancer, FDA warns: “The FDA said Xeljanz, also known as tofacitinib, can increase a patient’s risk of developing serious heart-related problems and cancer, specifically in those being treated for rheumatoid arthritis.
The FDA said Thursday preliminary results from a safety clinical trial of Xeljanz, which compared it to a similar type of medication, revealed the potential risks.
The safety clinical trial was requested by the FDA, which also investigated other potential health risks including blood clots in the lungs and death, though the final results are not yet available.
In 2019, the FDA warned that interim trial results found there was an increased risk of blood clots and death in patients prescribed the higher 10 mg twice daily dosage.”
OIG: Part D opioid prescriptions dipped during onset of COVID-19 pandemic: “The report [from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG)] looked at opioid prescriptions from January through August of 2020. It found that for most months, about 1.1 million Medicare Part D beneficiaries are getting a short-term opioid prescription, which is roughly the same rate as in 2019.
But there was a significant decline in the spring of 2020. In April, the number fell to 727,505 beneficiaries, a major one-third decline.”
Jazz Pharmaceuticals to Buy GW Pharmaceuticals for $7.2 Billion: “Jazz Pharmaceuticals is set to acquire GW Pharmaceuticals, a UK drugmaker known for its cannabidiol (CBD) products Epidiolex (cannabidiol) and Sativex (nabiximols), for a whopping $7.2 billion.
Sativex, a cannabis extract administered orally as a spray, received UK approval in 2010 for treatment of multiple sclerosis symptoms. The product is currently going through phase 3 trials to support FDA approval for treating spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury.”
COVAX Releases Distribution Plan for COVID-19 Vaccines: “The COVAX vaccine program aims to distribute almost 340 million vaccine doses during the first half of the year, according to its latest distribution plan.
COVAX — which is administered by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, with backing from the World Health Organization — aims to inoculate 3.3. percent of the populations of 145 participating nations during the first half of this year, including essential healthcare workers and groups deemed to be most vulnerable.”
20 most expensive prescription drugs in 2021: FYI
Novel immunotherapy approach to treat cat allergy: “Researchers from the Department of Infection and Immunity of the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) brought forward the potential of high doses of a specific adjuvant molecule, namely CpG oligonucleotide, in successfully modulating the immune system's allergic response to the main cat allergen Fel d 1, thereby inducing a tolerance-promoting reaction and reverting the main hallmarks of cat allergy. The researchers analysed the molecular mechanisms underlying this tolerance and proposed a pre-clinical allergen-specific immunotherapy approach to improve the treatment and control of this common type of allergy. The full study results were published recently in the journal Allergy, the official journal of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI).”
About health insurance
MA Enrollment in Plans With Extra Benefits for Chronically Ill Tripled in 2021: “New analysis of 2021 benefits and enrollment from Avalere finds that 787 MA [Medicare Advantage] plans offered by 44 parent organizations are providing special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill (SSBCI) in 2021. Those plans represent 16% of all analyzed MA plans. A majority (86%) of the total Medicare beneficiary population live in counties where at least 1 MA plan that offers at least 1 type of SSBCI is available. Overall, in 2021, 15% of enrollees in non-employer MA plans are enrolled in plans offering SSBCI, as compared to 6% in 2020.”
Fla. Biz Owner Pleads Out Of $400M Health Fraud Case: “A Florida businesswoman settled out of criminal and civil charges stemming from what prosecutors say was a health care scheme involving the submission of $400 million worth of false medical equipment claims to Medicare and other federal health care programs, the U. S. Department of Justice said. Kelly Wolfe copped to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and filing a false tax return in 2017, charges that carry an up to 13-year prison sentence, in a plea deal…”
New UnitedHealthcare policies change coverage for lab tests, specialty drugs. Hospitals want CMS to review them: “The American Hospital Association urged CMS to review new policy changes from UnitedHealthcare for diagnostic and specialty pharmacy services that the insurer says are needed to lower medical costs.
In a Feb. 4 letter to acting CMS Administrator Elizabeth Richter, the AHA argued two new UnitedHealthcare policies ‘create significant barriers to access to necessary diagnostic and specialty pharmacy services for tens of millions of health plan enrollees.’
One policy is UnitedHealthcare's designated diagnostic provider program. Beginning July 1, diagnostic tests completed at a facility that isn't a "designated diagnostic provider" won't be covered for UnitedHealthcare's commercial health plan members. Labs that are designated diagnostic providers will be reimbursed at a fixed rate.
Under the policy, coverage will be denied for patients who receive testing at a non-designated laboratory even if the provider is considered "in-network." UnitedHealthcare is providing members a one-time exemption if they use a non-designated lab, but otherwise, members will need to pay out of pocket for testing that is completed at a non-designated lab. The requirement doesn't include inpatient or emergency room tests.”