About the public’s health
Coronavirus Attacks the Lungs. A Federal Agency Just Halted Funding for New Lung Treatments.:”…earlier this month, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, a federal health agency, abruptly notified companies and researchers that it was halting funding for treatments for this severe form of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.
The new policy highlights how staunchly the Trump administration has placed its bet on vaccines as the way to return American society and the economy to normal in a presidential election year. BARDA has pledged more than $2.2 billion in deals with five vaccine manufacturers for the coronavirus, compared with about $359 million toward potential Covid-19 treatments.”
Apparently the government believes we can’t do both.
Could an Unrelated Live Attenuated Vaccine Serve as a Preventive Measure To Dampen Septic Inflammation Associated with COVID-19 Infection?: Note, this suggestion is still speculative: “There is mounting evidence that live attenuated vaccines provide nonspecific protection against lethal infections unrelated to the target pathogen of the vaccine by inducing “trained” nonspecific innate immune cells for improved host responses against subsequent infections. “
Amid threats and political pushback, public health officials are leaving their posts: “Public health workers, already underfunded and understaffed, are confronting waves of protest at their homes and offices in addition to pressure from politicians who favor a faster reopening.” This article highlights some examples.
Association of Recreational Cannabis Laws in Colorado and Washington State With Changes in Traffic Fatalities, 2005-2017: The message is…it depends. “This study found evidence of an increase in traffic fatalities after the implementation of RCLs in Colorado but not in Washington State. Differences in how RCLs were implemented (eg, density of recreational cannabis stores), out-of-state cannabis tourism, and local factors may explain the different results. These findings highlight the importance of RCLs as a factor that may increase traffic fatalities and call for the identification of policies and enforcement strategies that can help prevent unintended consequences of cannabis legalization.”
About pharma
Generic remdesivir to cost up to $79 per dose:”Two generic drugmakers, Cipla and Hetero, were given the green light from Indian regulators to market their generic versions of remdesivir, a drug that has been authorized by the FDA for emergency use in treating patients with COVID-19.
Hetero Labs generic will be sold under the name Covifor and will cost between $66 and $79 for a 100 milligram dose, the drugmaker said.
The Cipla generic will be sold under the name Cipremi.”
Kaiser Permanente joins Civica Rx to supply generic drugs: This addition will add further strength to the consortium.