FDA Approves Yeztugo as Injectable Product to Prevent HIV in Adults and Adolescents
Last week, Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Yeztugo (lenacapavir), the company’s injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor, for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Yeztugo is not labeled a “vaccine” but is a pharmaceutical product intended to reduce the risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) via sexual activity […]
Trust in U.S. Doctors and Hospitals Has Declined Since COVID Pandemic
A 2024 survey study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open found that Americans trust in medical doctors and hospitals declined significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic.1 The 2020 pandemic signified a turning point in the public’s trust in the medical profession that was previously deemed to be a trustworthy profession. […]
Annual COVID Shot. Is it Inevitable?
In a recent interview, the newly appointed director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggested that the agency may soon come out with a recommendation for Americans to be vaccinated for COVID-19 every year.1 2 Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, who was sworn in as the 20th CDC director on July 10, […]
U.S. Facing Severe Shortage of Infectious Disease Physicians
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a focus on the shortage of doctors opting to specialize in infectious disease. According to forecasts by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the United States will face a serious shortage of infectious disease doctors with estimates showing that that by 2035 there will […]
Demand for COVID-19 Vaccines Declines As Eligibility Expands
As eligibility for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) COVID-19 vaccines expands to people 16 years and older, many counties in the United States are starting to experience a decline in demand for the vaccines.1 Carlos Del Rio, MD, professor at the Emory University School of Medicine said, “I worry that we’re rapidly transitioning our country from […]
Hammerin’ Hank’s COVID-19 Vaccination: A “Double-Edged Sword”?
When baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron was given a COVID-19 vaccination at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia on Jan. 5, 2021, it came across as an event meant to encourage other people, particularly African-Americans, to also get vaccinated. Shortly after getting Moderna’s experimental mRNA-1273 vaccine, Aaron told The Associated Press, “[Getting vaccinated] […]