J&J to Test COVID-19 Vaccine on Babies, Pregnant Women and the Immunocompromised
Pharmaceutical and medical device giant Johnson & Johnson, Inc. (J&J) announced on Feb. 28, 2021 plans to test its experimental Ad26.COV2.S vaccine for COVID-19 on infant children (including newborns), pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems. J&J did not include infants, pregnant women or the immunocompromised in the U.S. population in clinical trials on […]
WHO Does About-Face on Whether Pregnant Women Should Get Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
In early January 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended against pregnant women receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech experimental mRNA COVID-19 vaccine due to insufficient scientific data for that vulnerable population.1 On Jan. 26, the WHO recommended against pregnant women receiving the Moderna experimental mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, with WHO director of immunization Kate O’Brien being quoted by […]
AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 Vaccine Not Recommended for People Over 65 in Germany
Health officials in Germany have cautioned that the AstraZeneca/Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine (AZD1222) should not be given to people over the age of 65. Germany’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, only recommends the shot for people between the ages of 18-64 after concluding that there is not enough data available to determine whether the […]
Moderna, Pfizer Test mRNA Experimental Biologics on Children
On Dec. 10, 2020, American biotechnology company Moderna, Inc., which is pioneering the development of experimental messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, gave a 12-year old a dose of the company’s mRNA-1273 vaccine in a Phase 2/3 study of the new vaccine. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said, “Our goal is to generate data in the […]
Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 Vaccine Approved for Pregnant Women in Israel
Story Highlights The World Health Organization issued a Jan. 26, 2021 statement recommending that pregnant women should not be vaccinated with Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, approved for use under emergency authorization, citing a lack of data in pregnancy. Previously, most countries were in agreement with that opinion, but Israel is now recommending that pregnant women should […]
Researchers Suggest Adding Lithium to Drinking Water to Curb Suicide Rates During Coronavirus Pandemic
A study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry in 2020 showed that there is an inverse association between lithium consumption from public drinking water and suicide rates at the population level. Researchers have found that naturally occurring lithium in drinking water may have the potential to reduce the risk of suicide and may help […]