Scientists with the Food and Drug Administration said in new analysis of data released on Friday that Moderna's coronavirus vaccine is safe and effective for young children and infants.
Why it matters: The FDA's outside advisers will review this data at a meeting next week and will also decide whether to authorize the company's vaccine for babies and children younger than 5 years old.
Why it matters: The U.S. has confirmed at least 45 monkeypox cases in 15 states and D.C. as of Friday. There have been more than 1,000 monkeypox cases globally from 29 different countries.
A judge in Texas on Friday temporarily blocked Texas state officials from investigating parents for child abuse if they seek gender-affirming care for their trans children.
Driving the news: The court granted a temporary restraining order to block Texas' Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) from investigating families that are part of PFLAG National, an LGBTQ advocacy group that filed a lawsuit this week challenging a directive issued by Gov. Greg Abbott in February.
The U.S. government said Friday it has purchased an additional 300,000 monkeypox vaccines produced by Bavarian Nordic, adding to its current stock of around 72,000 doses, AP reports.
Why it matters: The U.S. has started shipping vaccines to multiple states to prevent the spread of the virus, which is endemic in parts of Africa but has recently started appearing in localized outbreaks in several European countries and several states in the U.S.
About 1.6 million people in the U.S. are transgender, and almost half of them are teenagers and young adults, according to a new report based on government health surveys.
Driving the news: About 43% of the U.S. transgender population is between the ages of 13 and 24, per a June report released by the UCLA Williams Institute.
Why it matters: The discovery, made by researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, could open the door for potential treatments or vaccinations to protect both pregnant people who become sick and their fetuses.
Novavax's share price tumbled on Thursday on news the vaccine maker's COVID shot might be delayed further by additional FDA reviews of its manufacturing process.
Why it matters: Novavax's shot is in line to become the fourth to be authorized in the U.S. after an FDA advisory committee concluded the benefits outweighed risks.
The recent spate of mass shootings, including an incident that claimed four lives at a Tulsa hospital, is driving efforts to enact new safeguards for health workers and enhanced penalties for individuals who use dangerous weapons on medical campuses.
Why it matters: Hospital trauma departments are on the front lines whenever there's a mass shooting, but when those spaces are targeted, staff must mobilize to not only protect their patients but also themselves.
