Emerging Infectious Diseases
A bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that seeks to repeal or modify regulations that have impeded the ability of the government to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Act establishes a commission charged with prioritizing regulation... Read More »
The Assure COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Device this week became the first antibody point-of-care test for COVID-19 to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Originally granted authorization for use by certain labs in July, the new EUA allows the test... Read More »
All 64 jurisdictions under the Immunizations and Vaccines for Children cooperative agreement will receive $200 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the coming days, as a means of supporting COVID-19 vaccination services.
The money will aid both planning and... Read More »
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is revealing major gaps in national readiness to prepare for, respond to, and recover from biological threats, requiring that decision makers consider improved policies, programs, and technologies to ramp up the federal defense, experts said during the Sept. 24 virtual... Read More »
Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced Wednesday legislation designed to create a COVID-19 Commission to assess the nation’s preparedness and response to the pandemic while providing guidance regarding future occurrences.
The measure would establish an independent,... Read More »
In an effort to better track COVID-19 infections, the Luminex Corporation and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) have partnered on the creation of a more advanced serology test.
This latest effort is based on the xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay, a... Read More »
A new, phase three clinical trial for Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies’ investigational COVID-19 vaccine began recruiting adult volunteers this week to see if a single dose could prevent symptomatic cases.
The trial will enroll up to 60,000 volunteers at nearly 215 clinical research sites in... Read More »
Top Trump Administration officials dismissed concerns that approval of a COVID-19 vaccine is being rushed to satisfy the President’s reelection efforts and assured the public they would volunteer to take any vaccine themselves that is ultimately approved by the government.
“We do feel the... Read More »
As part of a 250-325 household study spanning three countries, The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles will participate in a $7.1 million effort to investigate some of the unanswered questions surrounding COVID-19 and influenza transmission.
Among those questions being... Read More »
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) expanded its partnership with Ortho Clinical Diagnostics to accelerate the development of a COVID-19 antigen test.
The Vitros antigen test is designed for the rapid detection of the virus that causes COVID-19. It is intended for... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in collaboration with the University of Washington, analyzed kits that could be used as a critical part of a laboratory test used to detect the COVID-19 virus in a sample from an infected person.
“We are pleased the DOE... Read More »
The global initiative known as the COVAX facility announced major news for all seeking relief from the COVID-19 pandemic: a total of 156 economies have banded together under the program, guaranteeing both robust and lower income economies will get vaccines.
This week marked the formal commitment... Read More »
A group of legislators recently encouraged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to invest federal funding in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) with an eye toward low-cost, effective COVID-19 testing.
Rep. TJ Cox (D-CA) recently joined 11 colleagues in forwarding correspondence... Read More »
Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have introduced a measure they said is designed to help prevent COVID-19 spread via a pilot program requiring air traveler temperature checks at TSA screenings.
The Fly Safe and Healthy Act establishes a 120-day pilot program via the TSA to... Read More »
Under a new agreement with the European Commission, Sanofi and GSK will provide up to 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union in exchange for manufacturing scale-up support.
The vaccine in question is based on a mix of Sanofi’s recombinant protein-based technology --... Read More »
More than 90 organizations representing scientists, physicians, health providers, as well as patients and medical advocates are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure that reviews of COVID-19 vaccine candidates meet all regulatory standards prior to authorization.
“While we are... Read More »
Eli Lilly and Company announced a new collaboration with Amgen last week that will allow a significant increase in supply capacity and scaling of production of its potential COVID-19 therapies.
The news came a mere day after Lilly announced that proof of concept data from its BLAZE-1 clinical... Read More »
Federal agencies have partnered with Ology Bioservices to expand the capacity for filling and finishing vials for COVID-19 vaccines and drugs in the United States.
The joint effort includes the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the Department of Defense’s Joint... Read More »
In a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week, 15 Democratic senators called for the agency to be fully transparent in its COVID-19 vaccine review process, over concerns President Donald Trump is pressuring it to approve a vaccine before Election Day.
Public trust must be... Read More »
Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are seeking information from the nine pharmaceutical companies developing COVID-19 vaccines about their research and development efforts and how they are ensuring that only a safe and effective product will be made publicly available.
The... Read More »
Global leaders gather for a virtual session of the 75th United Nations General Assembly this month, and as proceedings got underway, the World Health Organization (WHO) took the opportunity to push for three actions it deems key to the collective future.
Foremost among these concerns a weight on... Read More »
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is looking to innovate in terms of COVID-19 tools, and as a result, has awarded seven contracts to a mix of companies and academic institutions for things like smartphone apps, wearable devices, and software.
These technologies could aid in several... Read More »
America’s top public health officials earlier Wednesday briefed U.S. Senate subcommittee members on two documents outlining the Trump administration’s strategy to distribute over the next several months safe, effective and free COVID-19 vaccines to Americans as quickly as possible once the Food... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) has introduced a bill that would create a COVID-19 Misinformation & Disinformation Task Force to counter the rising misinformation and disinformation related to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The task force will be charged with coordinating the government’s analysis... Read More »
House Republican leaders are seeking information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how it plans to manage COVID-19 response efforts in addition to the flu and other respiratory issues this season.
“We share your concerns about the unprecedented convergence of two... Read More »
Louisville Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency officials said officers recently seized 10 boxes of Virus Shut Out devices, which officials said does not protect the bearer from the Coronavirus.
Authorities indicated the shipment of shut out devices, which claim potency against Coronavirus... Read More »
Phase three trials have resumed for the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222, after pausing for safety concerns raised when an enrollee came down with an unexplained illness that was later determined to be unrelated to the experimental vaccine.
One of the leading candidates in the... Read More »
The development of a diagnostic tool for assessing, diagnosing, reporting, and tracking COVID-19 patients by 98point6 is now being supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
The tool, originally used to treat and track influenza infections, also utilizes a... Read More »
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lifted enhanced screening requirements on most inbound international flights this week, abruptly changing a system based on 15 airports that have been in place since March.
Under current rules, international passengers from high-risk countries... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation last week seeking to provide $118.9 million in funding for the organization and strengthen global COVID-19 vaccine efforts.
The funds provided under the Abiding by U.S. Commitments Act would be a continuation of dues the... Read More »
A new report says investment in data and artificial intelligence (AI) is needed to drive the health system improvements needed to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study – called Reimagining Global Health through Artificial Intelligence: The Roadmap to AI Maturity -- was... Read More »
A bipartisan group of senators recently called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve COVID-19 data collection and management.
Specifically, the lawmakers are asking the agencies to harness technologically... Read More »
International Air Transport Association (IATA) officials maintain governments should initiate planning with the industry to ensure preparedness when COVID-19 vaccines are approved and ready for distribution.
“Safely delivering COVID-19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the... Read More »
Under new legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), American companies operating with the support of U.S. taxpayer funds would be barred from providing any new COVID-19 vaccine to citizens of other countries ahead of Americans.
The America First Vaccine Act (S. 4542) would lock... Read More »
A top COVID-19 vaccine candidate being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University was forced to halt phase 3 trials this week after a volunteer became ill, signaling an adverse reaction that could delay the effort at immunization development.
The pause was announced as a standard review of... Read More »
