Scott Hensley
Stories
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Health
Nobel Prize goes to scientists who made mRNA Covid vaccines possible
Hungarian-born biochemist Katalin Karikó and American immunologist Drew Weissman found that a chemical change to genetic code called mRNA eliminated a problematic side effect when used in vaccines.
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Health
CDC advisers back broad rollout out of new COVID boosters
A panel of doctors and scientists advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to recommend that people 6 months of age and older get new COVID boosters this fall.
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Health
FDA advisers support approval of RSV vaccine to protect infants
At least 58,000 childern younger than 5 years old are hospitalized each year with RSV infections. A Pfizer vaccine given to pregnant people could help protect their infants from severe RSV illness.
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Health
Advisers to the FDA back first over-the-counter birth control pill
In a unanimous vote, 17-0, a panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the agency approve the first over-the-counter birth control pill.
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Health
FDA authorizes first revamp of COVID vaccines to target omicron
The new shots from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech target both the original strain of the coronavirus and the omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants that most people are catching now.
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Health
Advisers to the FDA back COVID vaccines for the youngest children
A committee of experts voted unanimously to recommend that the Food and Drug Administration authorize COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech for children as young as 6-months-old.
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Health
Advisers to FDA weigh in on updated COVID boosters for the fall
The vaccines now in use are based on the form of the virus that circulated at the beginning of the pandemic and are less effective against the omicron variant. New options are in the works.
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Health
Pfizer-BioNTech will seek authorization for second COVID booster for older adults
Pfizer and BioNTech are planning to ask the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a second COVID-19 booster shot for people age 65 and older.
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National
FDA authorizes a Pfizer booster shot for children ages 12 to 15
The agency also shortened the time between the completion of primary vaccination of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and a booster dose, down to five months from six.
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National
The FDA has authorized Merck's COVID pill for home use — the second in two days
The medicine, called molnupiravir, is taken twice a day for five days and works by preventing the virus from replicating. Merck says it will have 10 million packs available by the end of the month.