RSV Vaccine Approved by FDA for Adults 60 and Older
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a license for the world’s first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to be given to people 60 years of age and older. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GSK (formerly GlaxoSmithKline) has already begun manufacturing doses of the vaccine, which will be sold as early as this fall […]
Big Pharma’s Influence on U.S. Medical Schools is Significant
An informal survey of medical schools conducted in 2005 by National Public Radio (NPR) showed that a number of universities and academic institutions are funded by pharmaceutical giants and other health industry sources. The survey, carried out through telephone calls and internet searches, found that two to six percent of the yearly budget of medical […]
Doctors Link Shortage of Children’s Medications to Spike in Respiratory Infections
In the last few months, parents and caregivers of children have struggled to find over-the-counter and prescription medications used to treat common childhood illnesses like influenza, ear infections and sore throats for their sick children.1 2 The four medications reportedly in short supply are Amoxicillin (an antibiotic), Tamiflu (an antiviral), Albuterol (a bronchodilator) and children’s Tylenol […]
The FDA Has a History of Rushed Drug Approvals
Two weeks ago, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was reported as the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for individuals aged 16 and older.1 But, for some, questions remain regarding conflicting discrepancies of the wording surrounding the approval.2 While the FDA’s report states that full approval was […]
If You’re Vaccinated, You’re Protected… or Not
“If you’re vaccinated, you’re protected. If you’re unvaccinated, you’re not protected.” These words, or some slight variation of them, are increasingly being used by U.S. government officials to encourage Americans to get vaccinated for COVID-19. In a July 4, 2021 interview on ABC’s “This Week,” White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients was asked, “What does […]
Johnson & Johnson Pauses Phase 3 COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Following ‘Unexplained Illness’
Story Highlights Weeks after Johnson & Johnson announced that their experimental COVID-19 vaccine was in final, Phase 3 testing, the company has paused the study to evaluate an unexplained illness in a study participant. AstraZeneca’s late-stage vaccine trial is also still on pause in the U.S. after two cases of a neurological illness arose in […]
