by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Credit: CC0 Public Domain The secret to producing large batches of stem cells more efficiently may lie in the near-zero gravity conditions of space. Scientists at Cedars-Sinai have found that microgravity has the potential to contribute to life-saving advances on Earth by facilitating the rapid mass production of stem cells. A...
Month: <span>December 2021</span>
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Scientists retool CAR T cells to serve as ‘micropharmacies’ for cancer drugs
by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Electron microscopic image of a single human lymphocyte. Credit: Dr. Triche National Cancer Institute Immunotherapies called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells use genetically engineered versions of a patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer. These treatments have energized cancer care, especially for people with certain types of blood...
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Study finds most COVID-19-related EUAs not supported by high-quality evidence
During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency use authorizations (EUAs) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of COVID-19-related medical products were for diagnostic products and were supported by comparisons to previously authorized assays, according to a research letter published online Dec. 20 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Noting that EUA was used extensively for...
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Do at-home COVID-19 tests detect the omicron variant?
by Carla K. Johnson Do at-home COVID-19 tests detect the omicron variant? Credit: AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin Do at-home COVID-19 tests detect the omicron variant? Yes, but U.S. health officials say early data suggests they may be less sensitive at picking it up. Government recommendations for using at-home tests haven’t changed. People should continue to use...
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Americans told to avoid cruise travel, even if vaccinated
US health authorities are now urging Americans to avoid cruising, regardliness of Covid-19 vaccination status. US health authorities on Thursday urged Americans to avoid cruise travel even if they are vaccinated, citing the surge in Covid-19 cases spurred by the Omicron variant. “Avoid cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status,” said a posting on the US...
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COVID-19 saliva test at least as accurate as nasal swabs
COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives significantly. One of the things we had to get used to was nasal swabs for PCR testing. They are uncomfortable or even painful compared to a regular saliva test, but also necessary to detect COVID-19 cases and avoid spreading this viral infection. But then scientists at the University of Illinois have...
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U.S. Children Hospitalized With COVID In Near-Record Numbers
MARTHA BELLISLE 12/30/2021 12:05pm EST SEATTLE (AP) — The omicron-fueled surge that is sending COVID-19 cases rocketing in the U.S. is putting children in the hospital in close to record numbers, and experts lament that most of the youngsters are not vaccinated. “It’s just so heartbreaking,” said Dr. Paul Offit, an infectious-disease expert at Children’s...
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Two new over-the-counter at-home COVID-19 tests brought to US market quickly
by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The Biden-Harris administration has brought two new over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests to the U.S. market. The tests, one manufactured by SD Biosensor and distributed by Roche and the other manufactured by Siemens, have received emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug...
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FDA may allow Pfizer boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds by Monday
Younger adolescents may soon be eligible for COVID-19 booster vaccines, possibly by early next week. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is planning on Monday to broaden booster eligibility to include 12- to 15-year-olds, sources told The New York Times. This would be for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, currently the only COVID-19 vaccine approved for this age group. The...
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Real-world data confirms Pfizer vaccine is safe for kids ages 5-11
New U.S. data based on nearly 9 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine delivered to kids ages 5 to 11 shows no major safety issues, according to researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vaccine was first authorized for use in this age group in October. Now the new study...