Pharmalittle: International experts argue against Covid-19 boosters; centrist House Dems to release separate drug-pricing proposal

By Ed Silverman Sept. 13, 2021

Reprints

Alex Hogan/STAT

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, because the time has come to return to that oh-so familiar routine of Zoom calls and deadlines. But you knew this would happen. After all, the world, such as it is, keeps spinning. So time to give it a nudge with a delicious cup of stimulation. Our choice today is pumpkin spice. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits to help you on your journey. We hope you have a smashing day, and please do keep in touch. …

A group of international experts — including, notably, two outgoing Food and Drug Administration vaccine regulators — argues in a new paper against offering Covid-19 vaccine boosters to the general population, STAT tells us. The paper, published in the Lancet, is based on a review of available data about the durability of vaccine protection. The paper is sure to add to debate about whether the White House got ahead of its scientific agencies in outlining plans for general boosters, which the Biden administration had signaled would start rolling out next Monday.

A pair of centrist House Democrats are expected to soon release their own proposal for lowering the cost of prescription drug prices, as the party tries to close internal divisions over a popular plank of its $3.5 trillion social welfare and climate package, The Wall Street Journal reports. The legislation takes a narrower approach to a key provision of the broader House Democratic plan, which would allow Medicare to negotiate over the price of prescription drugs by allowing the bargaining under more limited circumstances.

STAT+ Exclusive Story