A planned drive-through vaccine clinic by the Frontenac Doctors was abruptly cancelled. Why? The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) refused to cover the costs. This isn't the first time OHIP's budget cuts have caused trouble, according to a local doctor. The clinic, organized by medical students,
Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently recommended that adults aged 50 and above should get a shot to protect against pneumococcal disease? This decision was made by a scientific panel and then approved by the CDC. This disease is caused by a type of bact
Let's take a look at what's been happening in the biotech world today. Sage Therapeutics is cutting its workforce by a third and changing its leadership. Why? Recent clinical trial failures have likely played a role. Over in Australia, regulators have rejected Eisai and Biogen's Alzheimer's drug, L
During the COVID-19 pandemic, government responses had unintended consequences. The number of unvaccinated kindergarten kids hit a record high. The CDC reported that around 80,000 more kids didn't get their shots compared to before the pandemic. This means fewer kids are protected against diseases l
Imagine having your life nearly derailed by a tiny mosquito. That’s what happened to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is now calling for more action against the West Nile virus. At 83 years old, he considers himself lucky. His cognitive issues have vanished, and his physical problems are almost gone. He share
In a surprising turn of events, a British doctor named Thomas Kwan admitted in court that he tried to kill his mother’s partner using a fake COVID-19 vaccine. The 53-year-old doctor from Sunderland dressed up as a nurse and even took his own mother's blood pressure before injecting the victim with p
Amidst a Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, vaccine testing is being fast-tracked. The cAd3-Marburg vaccine, developed by NIAID and tested in phase 1 trials last year, showed promising results with no severe adverse effects. However, its practical effectiveness remains untested. Phase 2 clinical tria
The U.S. government has decided to invest $72 million to prepare bird flu vaccines, ensuring they are ready if needed. This investment, made by the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), is a precautionary measure. The money will go to CSL Seqirus, Sanofi, and GSK. These pharmaceutical compani
Imagine you’re reading a dictionary, and suddenly you notice that the definition of “vaccine” has changed. It might seem like a small thing, but it’s actually quite important. In 2021, both Merriam-Webster and the CDC updated their definitions for "vaccination" and "vaccine." Why is this significant
This weekend, Rwanda will receive experimental vaccines and therapeutics to fight the deadly Marburg virus. These will be used in clinical trials expected to start soon. The virus, similar to Ebola, has caused 41 cases so far, with 12 deaths, mostly among healthcare workers. The government aims to q
