Why was the infectious disease community in denial about the unfolding pandemic? When can we expect a vaccine? And are ventilators being overused?
We discuss all that and more this week on “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. First, STAT’s Helen Branswell joins us to discuss the ousting of a federal vaccine agency official; she also tells us about her reporting on the inability of experts in the first weeks of this year to recognize the full threat of Covid-19. Next, medicinal chemist Derek Lowe calls in to share his thoughts about the race to develop vaccine candidates to protect against the novel coronavirus. Then, our colleague Sharon Begley joins us to discuss the growing evidence suggesting that ventilators may be being overused in some Covid-19 patients. Finally, we discuss Biogen’s latest earnings call, a therapeutic video game, and the fate of next year’s J.P. Morgan conference.
For more on what we cover, here’s the news on the removal of the head of the federal agency known as BARDA; here’s Helen’s story about the months of magical thinking among epidemiologists; here are Derek’s recent blog posts on the vaccine race; and here’s Sharon’s reporting on the latest thinking around the use of ventilators.
We’ll be back next Thursday evening — and every Thursday evening — so be sure to sign up on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.
And if you have any feedback for us — topics to cover, guests to invite, vocal tics to cease — you can email [email protected].
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Although it can’t allow the vaccination of the whole world population (unless, a systematic strategy is applied), a vaccine is already available, for those who want to see it