Driving the news: The website delivered error messages to many people because of "overwhelming traffic" as soon as it opened up to the public, the NYC Health Department said. There are now no appointments available and "vaccine supply remains low," per the health department website.
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday issued an emergency use authorization for Novavax's coronavirus vaccine, making it the fourth COVID vaccine available for people over 18 years old.
The big picture: The Biden administration announced this week that it had purchased over 3 million doses of Novavax's vaccine in anticipation of the FDA authorizing the vaccine.
Abortion providers in South Carolina filed a lawsuit on Wednesday to challenge the state's six-week ban, which took effect shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Driving the news: The six-week ban had been blocked since March 2021. Following the high bench's ruling, a federal district court granted a request from South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) to lift the injunction on the law and allow it to take effect immediately.
The Biden administration on Wednesday issued guidance to around 60,000 pharmacies telling them they can't stop patients from accessing prescribed medication, and that such an action would be considered discrimination.
Why it matters: Some patients, particularly in states that have banned or restricted abortions, have been denied access to specific medication like cancer treatments because they can terminate a pregnancy.
From frequent prenatal office visits, to caring for pregnancy-related conditions to the delivery itself, the cost of having a baby in the U.S. is nearly $19,000, per a new Kaiser Family Foundation report.
That translates to almost $3,000 in out-of-pocket costs on average for women insured by large group plans, the report said.
More than 80 House Democrats sent a letter to President Biden on Tuesday urging him to issue a national emergency declaration and a public health emergency declaration in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Driving the news: Biden told reporters over the weekend that he is considering issuing a public health emergency on abortion. However, the White House has said that it is not "a great option" because doing so "doesn’t free very many resources."
The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday reaffirmed it would protect consumers who share sensitive health information or location data with mobile apps or websites,threatening to use federal privacy laws against companies that exploit personal data.
Why it matters: Following the demise of Roe v. Wade, some consumers began deleting apps and tightening their digital footprints, fearing data could be used to investigate potential violations of state abortion bans.
The U.S. is facing a summertime wave of COVID-19. But some public health experts worry the Biden administration is tiptoeing around the problem.
What's happening: The White House COVID-19 team on Tuesday outlined a strategy for managing the subvariant, and officials urged eligible people to get booster shots now instead of waiting for the fall, Axios’ Oriana Gonzalez reports.
More than 6 in 10 young women — and 5 in 10 young men — say states' individual abortion laws will at least "somewhat" influence where they choose to live, according to a new Generation Lab/Axios poll.
Why it matters: Several states are banning or heavily restricting abortions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The survey's findings suggest that may significantly influence where Americans ages 18-29 are willing to attend college, move for work or build families.
