The Food and Drug Administration approved updated versions of COVID-19 vaccines on Monday, a key step in getting the new shots to Americans as early as this week.
Why it matters: The Biden administration has faced increasing calls to make the reformulated vaccines available more quickly as infections and hospitalizations ticked up in recent weeks.
Walgreens settled a class action lawsuit on Sept. 6 with Theranos customers for $44 million, per court documents.
Why it matters: Walgreens patients in Arizona and California who received fraudulent blood tests will be refunded for products that did not work, following prison sentences for the company's executives.
FDA advisers will consider whether an ingredient in commonly used decongestants should be reclassified after the agency found it is ineffective.
Driving the news: Oral formulations of phenylephrine, which is in drugs like Sudafed PE and some versions of NyQuil, doesn't work at standard or even higher doses, the FDA said in briefing documents posted ahead of the two-day advisory meeting that starts Monday.
The country's fentanyl crisis has become a potent political weapon, reflecting its deep and emotional impact on millions of Americans.
Why it matters: The opioid epidemic was once a rare topic that brought Republicans and Democrats together. But even as overdose deaths continue to climb, the discourse around fentanyl has become more politicized and, at times, less aligned with reality — especially when Republicans talk about its connection to the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Biden administration is urging employers to keep the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone on hand, comparing it to workplaces preparing emergency plans in case of a fire.
Why it matters: Narcan, a nasal spray version of naloxone, became available over-the-counter at major retailers for the first time this week amid record levels of overdoses from increasingly lethal forms of opioids like fentanyl.
