AJMC Staff

The first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant has been detected in the United States; Supreme Court justices signal support for upholding Mississippi’s abortion law; a federal judge blocks the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for health care workers.

An FDA advisory panel voted in favor of emergency authorization for Merck's COVID-19 pill; South African drug maker Aspen Pharmacare announced that it was finalizing the first agreement to control production of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Africa; the International AIDS Society launched its latest strategy to find a cure for HIV.

CTI BioPharma's New Drug Application had previously been granted Priority Review. The PDUFA date was November 30.

The CDC expands its recommendation on booster shots to all adults aged 18 and older amid Omicron variant concerns; a federal judge temporarily blocks COVID-19 vaccine mandates for health workers in 10 states; the Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on Mississippi’s landmark abortion case tomorrow.

President Joe Biden will provide an update today on his administration’s response to the Omicron COVID-19 variant; marked rise in lung transplants for patients with COVID-19 sparks ethical questions; an independent panel of experts will advise FDA tomorrow on the use of Merck’s COVID-19 antiviral pill.

A federal jury in Cleveland found CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies responsible for contributing to the opioid crisis; concerns rise after the death of a woman who received infusions of the Alzheimer disease drug Aduhelm; Juul vowed to stop advertising its vaping products to young people in Arizona.

The White House will invest $1.5 billion to bolster the nation's health care workforce; new data reveal long-term Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in children; Idaho deactivates crisis standards of care for some portions of the state.

Low- and middle-income countries that hosted completed COVID-19 vaccine trials received disproportionately fewer doses than high-income counterparts; mental health apps indicated to increase uptake in underserved men; CDC report finds notable stillbirth risk in pregnant women with COVID-19.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

CVS announces it will close around 900 stores; states in the upper Midwest are suffering another COVID-19 surge; Biden increases federal waterway protection.

Moderna requests an EUA for its COVID-19 booster for all adults; the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating claims regarding data for Cassava Sciences’ Alzheimer drug; Florida legislators approved a bill barring private companies from issuing COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Pfizer has granted a second license to allow its COVID-19 pill to be manufactured and sold in developing countries; a bipartisan group argues against the No Surprises Act; the battle over the 340B discount program continues.

Researchers have found a second reported case of an immune system potentially curing a person of HIV; US premature birth rates are on the rise in minority groups; most Americans say mental health professionals should be first responders to mental health and suicide situations.

Appeals court affirms decision to place a hold on the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large employers; rising Medicare premiums linked with controversial Alzheimer drug; 3 states expand COVID-19 booster shot eligibility to all adults.

An overview of the latest clinical news in Parkinson disease reported across MJH Life Sciences™.

Data about prescribing preferences and protective effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists in diabetes were presented on the opening day of the 2021 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, held in a virtual format.

California is offering COVID-19 boosters to its entire adult population; FDA recalls millions of home COVID-19 tests over false positives; veterans’ access to health resources will be expanded.

The World Health Organization and CDC warn of the potential for measles outbreaks; the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Moderna battle over patent rights to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine; a new Kaiser Family Foundation shows employers have increased mental health care offerings.

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma ruled that Johnson & Johnson cannot be held liable for the state’s opioid crisis; a trial found the psychedelic drug psilocybin may be a highly efficacious therapy for treatment-resistant depression; people who went to bed at midnight or later had a 25% greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

Pfizer and BioNTech expect to seek emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 booster vaccine in all adults 18 years and older; the Biden administration urges appeals court to not block employer vaccine mandate; nearly 8 in 10 Americans believe or are unsure of false COVID-19 information.

The United States lifts travel restrictions for numerous countries, requiring proof of vaccination and in some cases negative COVID-19 tests; discrimination of any kind was associated with greater risk of mental health problems in young people; a controversial Alzheimer disease drug faces several uptake issues.

In this new study, researchers examined 50 patients with PD, including 22 with sleep apnea and 28 without; patients were examined both before and after deep brain stimulation.

The authors backed plans for the United Kingdom to establish a national diagnostic program based on whole genome sequencing (WGS) to speed the time to diagnosis.

Researchers found that the degree to which a person with idiopathic Parkinson disease engages in these avoidance tactics—such as putting a hand in the pocket to hide a tremor—is moderately predictive of social anxiety. The trouble is, such strategies may make anxiety worse, and patients can develop social anxiety disorder.

Pfizer releases promising data on its COVID-19 pill; Republican state officials push back on President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate; some spray deodorants may contain high levels of cancer-causing chemicals.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

The life expectancy in the United States dropped sharply during 2020; the United Kingdom has approved the first COVID-19 antiviral pill; a government advisory panel recommends all US adults younger than 60 years be vaccinated against hepatitis B.

The CDC director endorsed a pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years; proposed drug pricing reform will allow Medicare Part D to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies; some employers may not send death benefits to families of employees who die of COVID-19 without being vaccinated.

Bhavesh Shah, RPh, BCOP, associate chief pharmacy officer for Specialty and Hematology Pharmacy at Boston Medical Center (BMC), spoke with The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) about the several current issues in multiple myeloma, including the use of anti-CD38 agents and risk stratification of patients.

FDA announce it will need more time on its decision to approve Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 12 to 17 years; lingering questions as the Supreme Court proceeds with hearings on the legality of the Texas abortion law; global death toll from COVID-19 surpasses 5 million.