About the public’s health
Canadian study finds temperature, latitude not associated with COVID-19 spread: “A new study finds that temperature and latitude do not appear to be associated with the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but school closures and other public health measures are having a positive effect.” Humidity had a weak association with spread. The findings are significant, since many policy makers are predicting the warm summer weather may slow SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
How Climate Change Is Contributing to Skyrocketing Rates of Infectious Disease: An excellent article that describes how destruction of biodiversity enhances more rapid emergence of diseases that will affect humans. An interesting (staggering) statement- “One study estimates that more than 3,200 strains of coronaviruses already exist among bats, awaiting an opportunity to jump to people.”
The "Pill" at 60: promises unkept — unintended pregnancies must still be stamped out: Saturday was the 60th anniversary of the FDA’s approval of the first birth control pill. “Six decades later, however, the ‘pill’ has yet to deliver on its warrant to render unintended pregnancies a thing of the past. Nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are still unintended.”
Triple combination of interferon beta-1b, lopinavir–ritonavir, and ribavirin in the treatment of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19: an open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial: The triple therapy reduced the median number of days to a negative test result from 12 to 7, compared with a control group that only received lopinavir-ritonavir. However, the “trial was open label, without a placebo group, and confounded by a subgroup omitting interferon beta-1b within the combination group, depending on time from symptom onset.”
U.S. FDA authorizes first at-home saliva test for COVID-19: “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it has authorized the first diagnostic test for the new coronavirus that allows patients to collect saliva samples at-home.” The test costs $150 and must be mailed to a commercial lab.
Abbott Says Research Confirms Accuracy of COVID-19 Antibody Test: The test has “high specificity” and 100% sensitivity. But the figures are for tests done 17 days or more after symptoms began.
Schumer calls on VA to explain use of unproven drug on vets: “Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said the VA needs to provide Congress more information about a recent bulk order for $208,000 worth of hydroxychloroquine.” The problem is that the drug probably does not work in COVID-19 treatment.
About hospitals
National Patient and Procedure Volume Tracker: This report details which hospital departments were hardest hit by the elective procedure slowdown. Ophthalmology leads the list at 81%.
About pharma
Generic Pharmaceutical Company Admits to Fixing Price of Widely Used Cholesterol Medication: “According to the one-count felony charge filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Apotex and other generic drug companies agreed to increase and maintain the price of pravastatin, a commonly prescribed cholesterol medication that lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke. The conspiracy began in May 2013 and continued through December 2015.” The criminal penalty is $24.1 million.