About the public’s health
FDA names 28 antibody tests to be taken off the market: “The 28 serology tests, mostly manufactured overseas, include ones that were voluntarily withdrawn by their sponsors as well as those that neglected to pursue an official FDA Emergency Use Authorization.
Under a policy in place from mid-March through early May, the agency allowed over 180 antibody blood tests to be sold and distributed in the U.S. without federal review but with certain conditions for manufacturers: They must notify the FDA of their plans, perform self-validation studies and carry a label saying the product is not authorized and incapable of diagnosing COVID-19 on its own.”
After Coronavirus, Office Workers Might Face Unexpected Health Threats: “Stagnant plumbing systems in emptied commercial buildings could put returning employees at risk of Legionnaires’ and other illnesses.”
Exclusive: A quarter of Americans are hesitant about a coronavirus vaccine - Reuters/Ipsos poll: “Fourteen percent of respondents said they were not at all interested in taking a vaccine, and 10% said they were not very interested. Another 11% were unsure.
…but experts estimate that at least 70% of Americans would need to be immune through a vaccine or prior infection to achieve what is known as ‘herd immunity,’ when enough people are resistant to an infectious disease to prevent its spread.”
U.S. Gives AstraZeneca $1.2 Billion to Manufacture COVID-19 Vaccine: The UK-based drugmaker [which has a joint venture with the University of Oxford] is partnering with HHS to make at least 300 million doses of the vaccine AZD1222. The funding will go toward development, production and delivery of at least 300 million doses.
The first doses are expected to be delivered as early as October.”
CDC estimates that 35% of coronavirus patients don't have symptoms: “The CDC also says its ‘best estimate’ is that 0.4% of people who show symptoms and have Covid-19 will die, and the agency estimates that 40% of coronavirus transmission is occurring before people feel sick.”
Scientists Warn CDC Testing Data Could Create Misleading Picture Of Pandemic: “The CDC combines the results of genetic tests that spot people who are actively infected, mostly by using a process known as polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, with results from another, known as serology testing, which looks for antibodies in people's blood. Antibody testing is used to identify people who were previously infected.” This mistake can cause authorities to miss a second spike in new cases. Such a mistake was one reason Toronto missed a second big peak during the SARS epidemic in 2003.
As States Start to Ease Coronavirus Restrictions, Few Americans Expect to Stay in Hotels or Fly This Summer, Though Most Plan to Visit a Doctor, Get a Hair Cut and Dine Out: This Kaiser Family Foundation poll revealed marked differences in behavioral attitudes between Democrats and Republicans. For example, 75% of Republicans said they would eat at a restaurant in the next 3 months, while the same response was only 39% for Democrats.
About healthcare costs
Milliman Medical Index [MMI]: Healthcare costs reach $6,553 for the average American, $28,653 for hypothetical family of four: “In 2020, healthcare costs for our hypothetical family of four reached $28,653. Healthcare costs for the average person are at $6,553. While these are averages, the MMI allows for greater specificity thanks to an interactive tool that was first released last year.”
About pharma
Gilead to start selling remdesivir in coming weeks, expects 'multi-year commercial opportunity': “The company will pivot to a commercial plan after the donated supply of 1.5 million doses runs out around June or early July…
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review [ICER] recently found remdesivir would be cost-effective at $28,670 if the analysis used as a benchmark the common $100,000 per incremental quality-adjusted life-year gained. But the U.S. drug cost watchdog argued that $50,000/QALY should be applied to remdesivir during a public health emergency. After that calculation, ICER pegged a reasonable price at $4,460.”
Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without a macrolide for treatment of COVID-19: a multinational registry analysis: “In summary, this multinational, observational, real-world study of [96,000] patients with COVID-19 requiring hospitalisation found that the use of a regimen containing hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine (with or without a macrolide) was associated with no evidence of benefit, but instead was associated with an increase in the risk of ventricular arrhythmias and a greater hazard for in-hospital death with COVID-19. These findings suggest that these drug regimens should not be used outside of clinical trials and urgent confirmation from randomised clinical trials is needed.” And yet…the President still insists his use is justified.
About health insurance
Trump Administration Announces Changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D to Provide Better Coverage and Increase Access for Medicare Beneficiaries: “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today finalized requirements that will increase access to telehealth for seniors in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, expand the types of supplemental benefits available for beneficiaries with an MA plan who have chronic diseases, provide support for more MA options for beneficiaries in rural communities, and expand access to MA for patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).”