Medical Treatments

Operation Warp Speed Leader On Logistics Of A Coronavirus Vaccine

5:05pm November 09, 2020

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Gen. Gustave Perna about overseeing the logistics of a coronavirus vaccine for the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed program.

Joe Biden rallied supporters Wednesday, Nov. 4, in Wilmington, Del. Though he is now U.S. president-elect, Biden will have to await outcomes of January run-off races in the Senate to know much support he's likely to get there for his health care agenda.

What Biden's Election Means For U.S. Health Care And Public Health

12:00pm November 09, 2020

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

The Trump administration has been marked by a scaled-back federal investment and involvement in U.S. health care. Biden's team has plans to change that — even if Republicans retain Senate control.

Even before becoming president-elect, Joe Biden has been working on a coordinated, national plan for fighting the coronavirus. Among other things, it will empower scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help set national, evidence-

President-Elect Biden Has A Plan To Combat COVID-19. Here's What's In It

2:32pm November 08, 2020

by Allison Aubrey

Coronavirus cases are surging around the country. How will Joe Biden manage the pandemic differently, once he takes office in January? Expect a more centralized U.S. response plan, his team says.

The Department of Health and Human Services on Saturday made public several contracts with companies working on COVID-19 vaccines as part of Operation Warp Speed.

Health & Safety

HHS Released More Coronavirus Vaccine Contracts As Election Results Unfolded

2:16pm November 08, 2020

by Sydney Lupkin

Newly released COVID-19 vaccine contracts include weakened protections against potential price gouging. Several key federal contracts still haven't been disclosed by the government.

FDA Advisory Panel Rejects Controversial Alzheimer's Drug

5:10pm November 06, 2020

by Jon Hamilton

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted that studies of the drug aducanumab for Alzheimer's treatment don't show it's effective.

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The flawed coronavirus test kits went out to public laboratories in February. An internal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention review obtained by NPR says the wrong quality control protocols were used.

CDC Report: Officials Knew Coronavirus Test Was Flawed But Released It Anyway

2:22pm November 06, 2020

by Dina Temple-Raston

An unreleased CDC review obtained by NPR shows that lab officials knew an early coronavirus test kit had a high failure rate. They decided not to recall it and sent it to the nation's labs anyway.

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Regeneron has developed a drug called REGN-COV2 that is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies that block the virus that causes COVID-19. The company has a contract to supply up to 300 million doses to the U.S. government.

Health & Safety

Federal Supply Deal For COVID-19 Antibody Treatment Lacks Some Customary Protections

2:19pm November 06, 2020

by Sydney Lupkin

To boost the supply of Regeneron's antibody therapy for COVID-19, the federal government entered into a $450 million supply contract. Details of the deal show some safeguards are missing.

Medical staff members treat a patient with COVID-19 last week in the intensive care unit of United Memorial Medical Center in Houston. Once a COVID-19 vaccine is available, experts say immunizing health workers first is the best way to curb deaths and sto

First COVID-19 Vaccine Doses To Go To Health Workers, Say CDC Advisers

8:26pm November 05, 2020

by Pien Huang

A team of independent advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a science-based outline for deploying a vaccine when it's ready. The goal is to stop deaths and viral spread fast.

CDC Immunization Committee Chair On Coronavirus Vaccination Logistics

4:06pm November 05, 2020

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Jose Romero, chair of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's immunization committee, about the committee's recommendations for coronavirus vaccination.

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The hallucinogenic chemical psilocybin produced in some mushrooms helped people with major depression in a study that also included supportive psychotherapy.

Health & Safety

Rigorous Study Backs A Psychedelic Treatment For Major Depression

9:39pm November 04, 2020

by Jon Hamilton

Psilocybin, the hallucinogenic substance found in "magic" mushrooms, appears to relieve the symptoms of major depression.

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