Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, although anyone watching the developments emanating from Washington, D.C., can be forgiven for feeling a bit weary. So what better way to recover — and prepare for the week ahead — with a few cups of stimulation? Our choice today is, once again, maple bourbon. Feel free to join us or pick up a bottle of water. Meanwhile, here are a few tidbits to help you along. Hope you have a wonderful day, and stay safe. …
The Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of blood plasma from patients who have recovered from Covid-19 as a treatment for the disease, STAT reports. The decision to issue an emergency use authorization, which President Trump’s press secretary heralded ahead of time as a “major therapeutic breakthrough,” likely falls far short of that description — and could generate intense controversy inside the administration and the broader scientific community.
The Trump administration is considering fast tracking an experimental Covid-19 vaccine developed at Oxford University in the U.K. for use in the U.S., The Financial Times reports. One option being explored to speed up the availability of a vaccine would involve the FDA awarding emergency use authorization in October to a vaccine developed in a partnership between AstraZeneca and Oxford University. The move would be highly unusual and would most likely prompt concerns about whether the administration is cutting corners on approvals for political purposes.
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