Key takeaways: The FDA has approved the world’s first vaccine for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) for adults aged 60 and up, made by GSK. The…
Posts tagged as “FDA”
The Supreme Court has granted the Justice Department's request to leave in place the FDA's approval of the widely used abortion pill mifepristone, preserving access to the drug and reinstating steps that make it easier to obtain. This decision is a victory for abortion rights advocates, who argued that the restrictions on the drug were medically unnecessary. The case is expected to be heard by the full 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in the coming months.
A federal judge in West Virginia has denied a request from Republican officials to pause a lawsuit from a maker of mifepristone. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, had failed to disclose two interviews on a Christian radio show where he discussed his extremist views on contraception and gay rights. The case is now pending at the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and questions have been raised about Kacsmaryk's impartiality and ability to make unbiased rulings.
The CDC has announced that older adults aged 65 and up, as well as those with weakened immune systems, can now receive a second dose of the updated versions of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid booster shots. The agency has recommended that people wait at least two weeks after their first dose before getting the second dose, and that those immunocompromised should wait at least two months. Vaccination is the best way to protect against the virus, but it is not 100% effective, so people should still take precautions such as wearing a mask and social distancing.
The Supreme Court has granted a temporary extension of access to the abortion pill mifepristone until Friday while they consider a legal challenge to the medication's FDA approval. The lower court ruling had increased the gestational age limit for using the drug and reduced the number of required in-person visits. The Biden administration and drug maker Danco Laboratories have requested the Supreme Court to halt the appeals court ruling. The temporary extension of access to mifepristone will remain in place until Friday at 11:59 p.m.
Key takeaways: Adults ages 65 and older can opt to receive a booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as long as it…
The FDA has authorized a second dose of the updated Covid booster for older adults and people with weakened immune systems, which is designed to protect against the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Omicron. This new bivalent formula will replace the multi-dose primary series for those who have not yet been vaccinated, and can be administered as early as four months after the first shot. It is hoped that this will help to reduce the spread of the virus and protect those who are most vulnerable.
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a ruling from a federal judge in Texas that would have put a pause on the Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone, a medicine used in two-step medication abortions. This decision will allow for nationwide access to mifepristone to be preserved until Wednesday, when the justices will consider next steps. Abortion clinics are readying contingency plans in case mifepristone's FDA approval is overturned.