Covid

New findings further call into question scientific judgment of current health leaders in the Trump administrationA French researcher whose work was praised by Donald Trump and Dr Mehmet Oz during the Covid-19 pandemic published hundreds of papers with “substantial” ethical and legal concerns, according to a new analysis.An international team of scientists found concerns in 853 articles published by the Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, or the IHU, hundreds more than previously flagged by past investigations into work at the large research hospital. Of those, institute founder Didier Raoult was listed as co-author on 758 of them, according to one of the researchers behind the new analysis. Continue reading...

• A new oral antiviral drug called Xocova has been developed to prevent COVID-19 infections in individuals who have been exposed to the virus. • Unlike treatments administered after symptoms appear, Xocova is specifically designed as a post-exposure prophylactic to reduce the likelihood of contracting the illness. • This medication addresses a critical gap in pandemic care by offering a preventative option for those who have had close contact with positive cases.

• The FDA has approved mFLUSIVA, the first flu vaccine to utilize mRNA technology similar to that used in COVID-19 vaccines. • Clinical trial data published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that 2% of mFLUSIVA recipients developed flu-like illnesses, compared to 2.8% for those receiving a standard-dose vaccine. • This approval marks a significant shift in vaccine technology, offering a relative efficacy advantage of approximately 26.6% over traditional flu shots.

Konstantin Kontis and Vicky Kos were compelled to testify at a coronial inquest resuming on the sixth anniversary of the tragedyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQuiet sobs could be heard in Melbourne’s coroner’s court, as several families attended to finally hear from the pair who were the most senior managers when, throughout July and August 2020, almost a quarter of the 188 residents at St Basil’s aged care home died from Covid-19 or neglect.Following multiple failed legal bids to avoid giving evidence after 50 residents died in the Victorian aged care home they managed, Konstantin Kontis and Vicky Kos were compelled to testify at a coronial inquest resuming on the sixth anniversary of the tragedy. Continue reading...

• Health officials have approved mFLUSIVA, the first mRNA-based flu vaccine developed by Moderna, which is expected to be available by the next flu season. • Clinical data indicates the shot may be 27% more effective than traditional vaccines, though side effects like fatigue and headaches occurred in up to two-thirds of patients. • The rollout follows a severe winter flu season characterized by a virulent strain that led to record-high case numbers across multiple US states.

The mFlusiva vaccine for older people is first made with mRNA platform key to ending coronavirus pandemicThe Food and Drug Administration has approved a new kind of flu vaccine for older people, the first made with the same mRNA technology that was key to ending the Covid-19 pandemic, Moderna, the manufacturer, said.The shot, named mFlusiva, is intended for adults aged 50 or older. Other brands of flu shots already have begun arriving in pharmacies ahead of fall vaccination season, and Moderna said late on Wednesday that it expected some of its new version to be available soon at select retailers. Continue reading...

Anthony Fauci invoked fifth amendment dozens of times to parry hostile Republican inquisition over Covid responseUS politics live – latest updatesA Republican-controlled US Senate committee voted to hold Dr Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after the veteran public health official repeatedly pleaded the fifth amendment to parry a hostile inquisition into his stewardship of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.Fauci, the former director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Niaid), who led the agency for 38 years before retiring in 2022, gave the same response to multiple questions while refusing to give clarifying answers during a tense hearing last week, citing his constitutional protections. Continue reading...