Over 82 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines distributed across the country have gone to waste since the start of the pandemic, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: Vaccine waste has been an ongoing concern during the pandemic that has highlighted worries about the efficacy of the vaccine rollout.
A small cancer immunotherapy drug trial in patients with rectal cancer recently had an "unheard of" result: Every single patient treated achieved complete remission.
Why it matters: Based on just 12 patients, the trial was published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine and needs to be replicated in a much bigger study. But seeing complete remission in 100% of patients tested is a very promising early signal, researchers said.
The CDC and FDA have caught plenty of flak for bureaucratic and cultural issues that slowed America's pandemic response, but the National Institutes of Health needs a critical look, too, health policy experts write in The Atlantic.
What they're saying: "America's research enterprise has become sclerotic, cautious, focused on doing what it has always done and withdrawing from clinical research," according to the piece co-authored by Ezekiel Emanuel, vice provost of the University of Pennsylvania who served on then-President-elect Biden's COVID-19 task force.
Bristol Myers Squibb agreed to buy Turning Point Therapeutics, a San Diego-based precision oncology company whose lead candidate focuses on lung cancer, for $4.1 billion in cash.
Why it matters: This reflects the biotech industry's stock slump, as incumbents look to restock their portfolios with newer drugs. Turning Point shareholders will get a 122% premium to Thursday's closing price, but a discount to the stock's September 2021 peak.
The argument for "red flag" laws is built on researchers and government agencies' finding that most mass shootings are preventable if citizens, health professionals and courts can act on signs of troubling behavior in time.
Why it matters: Although mass shootings only account for a fraction of firearm deaths in the U.S., advocates are pushing for a preventative approach to keeping guns out of the hands of people believed at greatest risk of committing violence. Red flag laws may also be a rare point of bipartisan consensus as the nation grapples with a surge of mass shootings.
Coffee is one of life’s rarest gifts:a pleasure that’s good for you.
Why it matters: Most things we indulge in — desserts, cocktails, fried food — aren’t the healthiest for us. But coffee is like a delicious cup of caffeinated medicine.
