MPR Weekly Dose

This week we have news of a change to the storage of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine; A gene therapy gets Fast Track status by the FDA; Vitiligo cream shows promise in clinical trials; And outcomes in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease are compared for different aspirin dosages.

This week we have news of a COVID-19 vaccine authorization expanded for adolescents; A new postoperative pain treatment; There's a new insulin smart pen devices; Insulin products are recalled; And the FDA grants fast track status to a potential treatment for the rare disease, FSHD.

New guidelines on mask use; J&J vaccine update; Novel major depressive disorder treatment gains Priority Review; A scabies topical suspension; And a device to help stroke rehabilitation. 

The FDA revoke Emergency Use Authorization for bamlanivimab; Issues identified at a Janssen manufacturing facility; Merck halts trials for investigational COVID-19 therapy; A new contraceptive is approved; And Ragwitek has approval expanded.

The latest status on the Janssen vaccine; Updated guidance from the National Institutes of Health on COVID-19 antibody treatments; The FDA changes in-person mifepristone dispensing; Xolair prefilled syringe approved for self-administration in select patients; And the AI world comes to colonoscopies. 

Back to regular programming this week with a summary of the top news, which includes updated travel guidance; Six month efficacy data for the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines; Vial doses increased for Moderna; A new ADHD drug is approved; And the FDA has issued a safety communication regarding the potential increased risk of arrhythmias in patients taking lamotrigine.

With three FDA authorized vaccines being administered throughout the US, but new variants growing in number, we are at a crucial moment in the COVID-19 pandemic.  To get a better understanding of how the future months could unfold, MPR sat down with Dr Joshua Barocas, an assistant professor of medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine and also an Infectious Diseases physician at Boston...

This week we have new study data on the real-world effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine; The number of Americans who are completing both vaccine doses; A vaccine trial that has started in children; And an approval in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. 

This week it's all COVID related news; There's new CDC guidance for those who are vaccinated; A first over the counter test that doesn't require a prescription; Nasopharyngeal povidone iodine and the combo of Bamlanivimab-Etesevimab is assessed; And there's reports of vaccine local reactions.

This week we have news of an indication for the cancer treatment, Keytruda, being withdrawn; Janssen's single dose vaccine gains Emergency Authorization; There's findings on the effectiveness of Ivermectin as a therapy for mild COVID-19; And devices to treat migraine and prevention of sub-concussive head impacts are authorized for marketing.

An FDA warning over pharma company's promo material; Entresto's approval is expanded, There's approvals in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy; And a migraine device for OK'd for teens.

This week's stories include a caution about remdesivir; New and updated Emergency Use Authorizations; And new approvals in sleep apnea and for Botox.

This week we take a look at the remaining prospective COVID vaccines, that includes AstraZeneca, J&J and Novovax; There's also drug approvals for analgesia and influenza.

On this week's pod: The Moderna vaccine and what we know about its effectiveness against emerging variants; Merck ends it's development of two vaccines; Two separate treatment combos show promise in reducing hospitalizations and preventing COVID, respectivel; And the FDA approve a new treatment for lupus nephritis. 

On this week's MPR pod we take a look at the current status of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine candidate; Considerations in assessing blood donors during the pandemic; A newly approved drug to treat heart failure; Promising results for a potential Alzheimer treatment; And changes declared for vinca alkaloid labeling.

This week we have news of the neutralizing response of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to the new COVID-19 variant; A trial investigated ravulizumab in adults with severe COVID is halted; A rapid blood test for concussions gets the all clear; A novel treatment for chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes; and the drug manufacturer Fresenius Kabi announces a voluntary recall of one lot o...

On the first MPR pod of 2021 we cover the latest COVID-19 news including admin. scheduling and production news; A diagnostics test that is giving false negative results; Bristol Myers Squibb withdraw an indication for Opdivo; And experts vote on the best diets for 2021.

Its been a long year, but the monumental efforts to achieve a COVID-19 vaccine are bearing some fruits, we about that, and also a fully at home diagnostic COVID test, as well as new findings related to glucosamine supplements and a novel treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis.

This week we cover new findings for the diabetes drug sitagliptin in pediatrics; An obesity treatment has approval expanded; The FDA issue a Complete Response Letter for an outpatient alternative treatment; And news of availability for a transdermal contraceptive patch.

This week we cover a back and forth between the FDA and the WHO over remdesivir efficacy; Recommendations for who should get a COVID vaccine first; Xolair and Hetlioz have approval expansions; And a novel neuroblastoma treatment gets accelerated approval. Moreover, there's movie trivia!

The latest on vaccine news from Moderna, and BioNTech and Pfizer as they release more trial data; A at-home diagnostic test is approved; Keytruda gains expanded approval; and all the rest of the drug news from this past week.

Major developments in COVID-19 vaccine and antibody treatments: Are we close to having a vaccine gain Emergency Use Authorization? The antibody bamlanivimab is given Emergency Use Authorization; An NIH study concluded that hydroxychloroquine has no clinical benefit; And unrelated to COVID, but still big news, the Advisory Committee have voted on what would-be the first Alzheimer disease treatment...

This week we cover a new treatment submission to the FDA for the prevention of diabetes; The launch of a bupivacaine implant to treat post op pain; The DEA schedules a newly approved opioid; The FDA classifies over 200 drugs as essential and wants manufacturers to ramp up production; And more news on drugs that are in the pipeline.

This week: The study that identified factors associated with strong antibody responses to COVID; How convalescent plasmas benefits may be limited; A nasal spray to treat diabetic gastroparesis; Recommendations for colorectal cancer screening; And a new treatment approved for dry eye disease.  

This week on the pod: Results from the survey assessing willingness to receive a COVID vaccine; Dr. Fauci shares that he is 'cautiously optimistic' a vaccine could arrive before year's end; A short course of treatment for tuberculosis shows promise; Phase 3 results for a novel pneumococcal vaccine; The FDA rejects a patch intended to treat migraines; And the breaking news that remdesivir (Veklury)...