August 12th 2025
Your daily dose of the clinical news you may have missed.
August 11th 2025
FDA accepts priority review of gepotidacin for uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhea, with phase 3 data showing non-inferiority to standard injectable therapy.
July 25th 2025
Nirsevimab lowered the risk of RSV-related illness by over 87% and hospitalizations by 98% in a new study.
July 24th 2025
Vaccination lowered influenza cases by about 33% to 42% in seasonal flu setups with 40% vaccine effectiveness, researchers reported.
July 17th 2025
Merck has launched phase 3 trials for MK-8527, a promising once-monthly HIV prevention pill, aiming to enhance PrEP options globally.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 26, 2022
Data from the CDC on US vaccination and booster shot rates and from the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 interactive map on cases and deaths in the US and worldwide.
Pfizer Reports Positive Topline Phase 3 Data for Bivalent RSV Vaccine in Older Adults
Pfizer announced that a single dose of the vaccine, RSVpreF, demonstrated 85.7% efficacy against severe disease, defined by ≥3 symptoms.
Antimicrobial Resistance During COVID-19 Gained New Ground: Expert Perspective
Widespread antibiotic prescribing in the first year of the pandemic set back US progress on the fight against antimicrobial resistance, says Anne Meneghetti, MD.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 25, 2022
Three Flu Season Imperatives: Vaccinate the Young, the Old, and Everyone in Between
Influenza season in the southern hemisphere is "substantial," says Dr William Schaffner. To prepare: "Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate!"
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 24, 2022
COVID-19, Flu, or Both—There are Always Patients on the Fence
The patients on the vaccine fence are the ones that take the extra time and, over time, an added measure of patience for the clinician.
Moderna Requests Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine
Moderna filed with the FDA for emergency use authorization of a 50-µg dose of a BA.4./BA.5 Omicron-targeting bivalent booster vaccine for those aged ≥18 years.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 23, 2022
Pfizer-BioNTech Request EUA for Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine for Fall
Pfizer-BioNTech filed with the FDA for emergency use authorization of a 30-mcg dose of an Omicron BA.4.BA.5-adapted vaccine for those aged ≥12 years.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 22, 2022
HHS: Monkeypox Vaccine Production to Begin in the US as Cases Surpass 14 000
Federal officials have announced an agreement between Jynneos manufacturer Bavarian Nordic and a Michigan-based drug maker to "fill and finish" US-owned doses.
New Real-world Study Finds Average Length of COVID-19 Infectiousness is 5 Days
A new real-world study found that two-thirds of patients with COVID-19 were still infectious 5 days and one-fourth at 7 days after symptom onset.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 19, 2022
William Schaffner, MD: "If It's Not Flu and It's Not COVID, It's Probably RSV"
Respiratory virus season is top of mind for Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, and he says it's going to be a challenge.
COVID-19 Vaccine Risk Presented in Context Could Improve Uptake
Pair the risk of side effects associated with a COVID-19 shot with the risk of death in a car accident and see what happens. It worked in this study.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 18, 2022
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 16, 2022
FDA: Repeat At-home COVID-19 Antigen Tests to Reduce Risk of False Negative Result
The FDA now recommends serial testing following a negative result on any at-home COVID-19 antigen test to reduce the risk of a false negative result.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 15, 2022
New CDC COVID-19 Guidelines Reduce Quarantine Requirement after Exposure
After exposure to COVID-19, asymptomatic individuals in low-risk settings no longer need to quarantine, says the CDC; masking is still recommended.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 12, 2022
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 11, 2022
5 Clinical Updates in Tick-borne Disease Research
Lyme disease vaccine being tested in phase 3 trial, Lyme disease diagnoses up 357%, and 3 more updates on tick-borne diseases.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 10, 2022
Less Than One-third of Adults with HCV Get Timely Treatment, According to New CDC Report
Timely initiation of DAA treatment, regardless of insurance type, is crucial in reducing HCV-related death, disparity, and transmission, concluded CDC researchers.
FDA EUA for Monkeypox Virus Vaccine Expands Available Doses by 5-Fold
A smaller dose given by intradermal injection will expand the total US supply by a factor of 5, FDA says.
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 9, 2022
COVID-19 Update: US Vaccinations, Booster Doses, & Global Data as of August 6, 2022
Vaccine Flashcards: 4 Respiratory Virus Updates
Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV: 4 drug makers have all 3 viruses targeted for vaccines, alone and in combination. Click through the flash-card update.