Competition Among Clinics Increased Influenza Vaccine Rates Among Patients, Study Showed
A recent experiment found offering healthcare providers financial incentives and creating competition by informing clinics how their performance ranked relative to others were effective in increasing influenza (flu) vaccine rates among patients.
Measles Virus Destroys Immune System’s Memory of Past Infections
Two studies were conducted to determine whether measles infection causes long-term damage to immune memory.
FDA Approves Biosimilar to Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug
Amgen’s biosimilar to Johnson & Johnson’s rheumatoid arthritis drug, Remicade, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Study of Kevzara from Severe to Critical COVID-19 Patients
Following a review by the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) of preliminary results from the Phase II portion of an ongoing Phase II/III trial evaluating Kevzara (sarilumab), the trial was amended so only critical patients continue to be enrolled to receive Kevzara 400 mg or placebo.
Clinical Trial Will Assess IVIG for Treating COVID-19
Octapharma USA is supporting a new investigator-initiated clinical trial led by George Sakoulas, MD, of Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, Calif., focused on treating the most critical coronavirus patients who are experiencing respiratory failure who become ventilator dependent.
Novartis Initiates Phase III Trial of Ilaris to Treat COVID-19 Patients with Pneumonia
Novartis has initiated a Phase III clinical trial to examine the efficacy of utilizing canakinumab (Ilaris), an interleukin (IL)-1β blocker, to treat a type of severe immune overreaction called cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in people with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Central Repository Created for SARS-CoV 2 Clinical Trials
Inato, a marketplace that helps biopharmaceutical companies increase the pool of available patients engaged in clinical trials, has unveiled its anticovid platform, a comprehensive, central repository for all existing clinical trials for SARS-CoV 2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).
Study Suggests MMR Vaccine May Be Linked with Fewer Deaths from COVID-19
Epidemiological data suggests populations with the highest measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination rates often have the fewest deaths from COVID-19.
Waiver Allows Medicare Patients to Receive Free Telehealth Services
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has broadened access to Medicare telehealth services so beneficiaries can receive a wider range of services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility.
FDA Campaign Designed to Help Consumers Use New Food Label
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a campaign to help consumers use the new Nutrition Facts label that appears on packaged foods to maintain healthy dietary practices.
