About the public’s health
Two policy pieces worth reading by leaders in the healthcare field:
Health Care Policy After the COVID-19 Pandemic by Victor Fuchs
The Moral Determinants of Health by Donald Berwick
Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Fecal Viral Shedding in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: “These findings suggest that that 12% of patients with COVID-19 will manifest GI symptoms; however, SAR-CoV-2 shedding was observed in 40.5% of patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. This highlights the need to better understand what measures are needed to prevent further spread of this highly contagious pathogen.”
Lack of Health Literacy a Barrier to Grasping COVID-19: The headline speaks for itself. The article is a good explanation of the problem and possible solutions.
Models show rising US COVID-19 cases, deaths in months ahead: “The model produced by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, influential among members of the White House coronavirus task force, updated its projection of fatalities due to the novel coronavirus, showing the US death toll could reach 169,890 by Oct 1. That model shows a second wave of fatal infections, with deaths from the virus dropping off in July and August before rising sharply at the end of September and worsening through October and November.”
As Coronavirus Infections Climb, Washington Moves On to Other Business: Despite the above prediction for a second wave, “there seems to be a tacit agreement between the parties: Democrats have largely stopped harping on social distancing, while Mr. Trump plans to resume his political rallies — first in Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona and North Carolina — and Republicans refrain from shaming protesters over shedding pandemic precautions.” Of note is that the tickets for Trump’s Tulsa rally have a disclaimer about COVID-19 that is meant to shield organizers from liability.
Trends in Frequency of Sexual Activity and Number of Sexual Partners Among Adults Aged 18 to 44 Years in the US, 2000-2018: “This survey study found that from 2000 to 2018, sexual inactivity increased among US men such that approximately 1 in 3 men aged 18 to 24 years reported no sexual activity in the past year. Sexual inactivity also increased among men and women aged 25 to 34 years. These findings may have implications for public health.”
Association Between Breastfeeding and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Encouragement for breastfeeding is often framed as benefits to the baby. Here is another good reason. “Breastfeeding is associated with a significant decrease in risk of ovarian cancer overall and for the high-grade serous subtype, the most lethal type of ovarian cancer. The findings suggest that breastfeeding is a potentially modifiable factor that may lower risk of ovarian cancer independent of pregnancy alone.”
Antibody testing suggests immune response post-COVID is very variable: “A bunch of recent draft papers have looked at the sort of immune response we're seeing in patients who have cleared the virus after testing positive for it. And the results suggest that it's very variable—as is the quality of the tests that detect it.”
Rwandan researchers discover new rare tuberculosis strain: Let’s see what we do with this information in light of what we have learned about early detection of possible pandemic-related pathogens.
'Surprisingly rapid' rebound in carbon emissions post-lockdown: Because of COVID-19-related reduced travel and other activities, carbon emissions declined significantly. Now that restrictions are relaxing, the rebound in these emissions is occurring more rapidly than expected.
About pharma
FDA approves Nyvepria, biosimilar to pegfilgrastim, to reduce infections:”Pegfilgrastim-apgf (Nyvepria, Pfizer) — a biosimilar to pegfilgrastim(Neulasta, Amgen) — is indicated to reduce infections manifested by febrile neutropenia among patients who receive nonmyelosuppressive anticancer drugs such as chemotherapy that can cause fever and low white blood cell count.” Its introduction could significantly lower treatment costs.
Free samples of prescription drugs cannot be given to pharmacists, EU court rules: “The European Union's Court of Justice on Thursday ruled that free samples of prescription medicines cannot be given to pharmacists, following a request for clarification on the matter by Novartis. The court determined that European directives only allow those entitled to prescribe drugs, namely doctors, to receive free samples, citing the risks associated with their use or the uncertainty of their effects without proper medical supervision.”
Hedge fund manager stands to profit on ‘flip’ of taxpayer-funded coronavirus drug: “The perception that companies are profiteering during a global medical crisis — especially in cases where inventions were funded by taxpayers — poses political dangers to the pharmaceutical industry.” This article is a case study about how this problem is playing out.
Gilead should be allowed 'real pricing' for remdesivir—and a sizable profit, analyst says: “‘If you are going to war, or preparing for war in a capitalist country, you have to let business make money out of the process or business won’t work,’ SVB Leerink’s Geoffrey Porges wrote in a Wednesday note to investors, quoting former U.S. Secretary of War Henry Stimson during World War II…
What kind of a sticker price for remdesivir is acceptable? Around $5,000 per course, in Porges’ view. That was roughly the same as the $4,460 that drug cost watchdog the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) came up with recently for the drug to be deemed cost-effective.”