The single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine could lead to an increased risk of a rare neurological condition, warned the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday, adding it to the list of possible side effects. This comes along with a series of new reports on the side effects associated with the leading COVID-19 […] Continue reading ->
Human genome editing has great potential to improve health and serve as a tool for public health, according to two landmark WHO reports, the world’s first to issue global recommendations on the safe, effective, and ethical use of human genome editing. “These new reports from WHO’s Expert Advisory Committee represent a leap forward for this […] Continue reading ->
WHO urged high income countries in Europe and elsewhere to reconsider the reopening of mass events, and keep strict social distancing rules in place – in the wake of a surge in COVID cases almost everywhere but Latin America. They spoke at a press briefing on the day that the world passed the tragic milestone […] Continue reading ->
Levels of neutralizing antibodies in vaccinated individuals is a strong indicator of COVID-19 vaccine success- and this knowledge could be used to jump-start vaccine approvals and mass administration – even before large Phase 3 clinical trials are completed, suggests a new study by the University of Oxford Vaccine Group, Public Health England, and AstraZeneca. Knowledge […] Continue reading ->
As many high-income countries are relaxing restrictions for the summer months, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are witnessing rises in cases, deaths, and overwhelmed hospitals. Countries in Europe and the United States are increasingly allowing in travellers, ending mask mandates, and allowing large gatherings including football matches and concerts. At the same time, the third […] Continue reading ->
After a rocky second wave with COVID-19, Switzerland has turned a corner and is witnessing a decline in cases and deaths and the easing of restrictions, opening the country for tourism and large events. Switzerland has been praised for its response early in COVID-19 and for its economic policy throughout the pandemic. “Switzerland has navigated […] Continue reading ->
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to strengthen the delivery of healthcare and move the world closer towards universal health coverage, but ethical considerations and human rights must be central to the design, development, and deployment of AI technologies, according to a new report released on Monday. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Ethics and Governance […] Continue reading ->
A COVID-19 antibody cocktail developed by the US-based company, Regeneron, dramatically reduced the risk of mortality and shortened hospital stays in patients who didn’t naturally produce antibodies against SARS-CoV2 in a recent large-scale trial. Meanwhile, the US government announced that it would invest some US$3.2 billion in developing new forms of antiviral COVID-19 treatments to […] Continue reading ->
Despite the global decline in COVID-19 cases by 12% over the last week, countries in Central and South America continue to be epicenters of pandemic, with high mortality rates and insufficient access to vaccines. Over 1.1 million new COVID-19 cases and 31,000 deaths were reported in the Americas over the last week, officials from the […] Continue reading ->
In a “groundbreaking” trial conducted in Indonesia, lab-grown mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria reduced the rate of symptomatic dengue infections by 77%, and hospitalizations by 86%, in communities where the bacteria-armed mosquitoes were released. The three-year study, which was led by the World Mosquito Program, provides compelling evidence for a new method of controlling dengue. […] Continue reading ->