Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
USDA Says 15 More States Have Signed Up For National Milk Testing Program
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that 15 more states have enrolled in its National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS), which boosts the number of participating states to 28 and covers 65% of the nation's milk production. The USDA unveiled a national milk testing order on December 6, which began with 6 states and spelled out a broader strategy for testing milk in the wake of ongoing outbreaks on dairy farms. (Schnirring, 1/8)
The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota today published a comprehensive, state-of-the-art report aimed at improving surveillance, research, and response to a potential chronic wasting disease (CWD) spillover from cervids such as deer to people or farm animals. The report, "Chronic Wasting Disease Spillover Preparedness and Response: Charting an Uncertain Future," identifies gaps in spillover preparedness and offers recommendations to support public and animal health agencies' ability to recognize and respond to a species jump. (Van Beusekom, 1/8)
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday that it has required and approved labeling changes for two respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines owing to the risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurologic disorder. The new labeling warnings apply to Pfizer's Abrysvo vaccine and GSK's Arexvy vaccine. (Schnirring, 1/8)
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI) today announced a $3.7 million award to Atlanta-based Micron Biomedical to continue the development of a small dissolvable "button" to deliver needle-free vaccines. In a statement, CEPI said the technology could help address critical vaccine access challenges. (Schnirring, 1/8)
Also —
The change unfolded slowly, over the course of the last four years. But it largely escaped notice until December, when the U.S. National Library of Medicine said it would change names in its databases of genes and viruses to comply with the ICTV’s new monikers. Many new names sounded as if they’d been cooked up by a medieval monk. HIV-1 would henceforth be known as Lentivirus humimdef1. SARs-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid, would be known as Betacoronavirus pandemicum. Ebola was now Orthoebolavirus zairense. (Mast, 1/9)
