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FDA Approves IV Version Of Smallpox Drug As Monkeypox Emerges
FDA on Thursday (May 19) approved an intravenous version of SIGA Technologies’ smallpox drug TPOXX (tecovirimat), coming as cases of monkeypox — which is in the same viral family as smallpox — emerge around the world and in the United States. TPOXX is not FDA-approved to treat monkeypox, but a company official told Inside Health Policy it has been shown to work against the disease.
Experts Push For OTC Birth Control As SCOTUS Poised To Overturn Roe
With the Supreme Court seemingly poised to overturn Roe v Wade and leave abortion policy up to the states, it’s more important than ever to focus on making contraception, including the birth control pill, available over-the-counter, drug policy and women’s health advocates say. Making the pill available OTC would increase access to contraception and help reduce unintended pregnancies, they argue.
WH Wants To Boost Naloxone Access, Makes No Mention Of OTC Switch
The Biden administration wants to increase access to and affordability of the overdose reversal drug naloxone as part of its broader strategy to address the opioid overdose epidemic, but the administration’s plan is focused more on ensuring consistent access across states and makes no mention of switching the drug from prescription to over-the-counter status.
CDC Will Recognize Mixed Vaccine Regimens For Travelers To Enter U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will consider foreign nationals flying into the United States who have received a “mix-and-match” COVID-19 vaccine regimen — a two-dose regimen where the first and second dose are not the same vaccine — as being fully vaccinated and able to enter the United States, CDC announced Friday evening (Oct. 15).
Collins: NIH Contemplating Next-Gen Clinical Trials ForPsychedelics
The National Institutes of Health is contemplating how to move forward with psychedelics research for mental health disorders like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The agency is considering hosting a workshop on the topic, NIH Director Francis Collins told Senate appropriators last week.