Category: Vaccine

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A Bollywood film actress and model who faked her own death to highlight the dangers of cervical cancer and to promote the HPV vaccine is now being sued for the stunt.

A post on Poonam Pandey's Instagram page on Feb. 2 stated that she had died from cervical cancer, with her team confirming the news to the media. Her manager, Nikita Sharma, stated the star had "bravely fought the disease" but had "tragically passed away," according to NDTV India.

However, the following day, Pandey, 32, posted a video of herself revealing she was alive and well and that the death announcement was a ruse to raise awareness about the potentially fatal disease.

The move sparked uproar online, with the overwhelming majority of commentators slamming Pandey for her actions.

Poonam Pandey, a Bollywood film actress and model, faked her own death via a social media post on Friday to raise awareness about the potentially fatal disease and for women to get vaccinated. (Ashish Vaishnav/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

OHIO NURSE AND MOM BEATS CERVICAL CANCER AS EXPERT SHARES WARNING SIGNS YOU SHOULD NEVER IGNORE

"Im alive, I didnt die because of cervical cancer," Pandey told her 1.3 million followers, as poignant music played in the background.

"Unfortunately, I cant say that about the hundreds of thousands of women who have lost their lives because of cervical cancer. Im here to tell you that, unlike other cancers, cervical cancer is preventable, all you have to do is get a test and you have to get HPV vaccine."

"We can do all this and more to make sure there are no more lives lost to this disease," she added.

She then directed her followers to log onto a specially designed website http://www.poonampandeyisalive.com which was packed with information on the deadly cancer and the vaccine designed to prevent it. The website and her Instagram posts relating to her fake death have now been deleted.

Cervical cancer visualized by sagittal MRI, papillomavirus infection is often the cause. (CAVALLINI JAMES/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

CERVICAL CANCER DRUG RAISES SURVIVAL RATE BY 30% COMPARED TO CHEMOTHERAPY: 'GAME-CHANGER'

Pandey and her husband Sam Bombay are now being sued for more than $12 million by Faizan Ansari, according to The Times of India. Ansari is an actor and reality TV star.

The lawsuit alleges Pandey and Bombay orchestrated a "false conspiracy of death" and trivialized serious illnesses like cancers for their own publicity gains.

Ansari argues that the couple's actions betrayed the trust of millions of Indians and also tarnished the reputation of the Bollywood fraternity.

The lawsuit demanded the couple's arrest and called for them to appear in court to face defamation charges.

Pandey's initial death post came a day after Indias finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans for a cervical cancer vaccination program for girls aged 9 to 14 as part of her interim budget in 2024, according to NDTV. Cervical cancer arises from the cervix, which is the lower part of theuterusin thefemale reproductive system.

Cervical cancer is ranked as the most frequent cancer in women in India, with around 365 million women aged above 15 years of age, who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. The World Health Organization estimates there are 74,000 deaths annually in India, accounting for nearly one-thirdof the global cervical cancer deaths.

This undated image provided by Merck in October 2018 shows a vial and packaging for the Gardasil 9 HPV vaccine. (AP Images)

Pandey's stunt caused a firestorm online and was mostly panned by her followers.

"Am happy she is alive but pls arrest her for this drama and publicity stunt," wrote one follower, with his top post getting nearly 33,000 likes on Feb. 3.

Another commenter wrote, "Exploiting a serious issue like cervical cancer for cheap publicity is absolutely disgraceful. Using your platform to spread awareness is commendable, but faking your own death is a new low. Respect for real survivors and victims matters more than attention-seeking stunts.#Disappointed."

Pandey posted a second video the day after her death post acknowledging the blowback she was receiving. She said she was sorry for upsetting people but did not appear to have any regrets.

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"Yes, I faked my demise. Extreme, I know. But suddenly we all are talking about cervical cancer, arent we?" Pandey said. "Its a disease that silently takes a life and this disease needed the spotlight urgently."

"I am proud of what my death news has been able to achieve."

"Unlike some other cancers, cervical cancer is entirely preventable," she said. "The key lies in the HPV vaccine and early detection tests. We have the means to ensure no one loses their life to this disease. Lets empower one another with critical awareness and ensure every woman is informed about the steps to take."

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Bollywood actress Poonam Pandey sued for faking cervical cancer death in HPV vaccine promotion stunt - Fox News

Russian scientists are close to creating cancer vaccines, says President Putin. The global burden of cancer is staggering, with mi... Read More Russian scientists are close to creating cancer vaccines, says President Putin. The global burden of cancer is staggering, with millions of lives affected each year by its devastating impact. From diagnosis to treatment, cancer poses significant challenges to healthcare systems, economies, and individual lives worldwide. Efforts to combat cancer require collaborative approaches, innovative treatments, and comprehensive prevention strategies to alleviate its burden on societies globally. Read Less A cancer vaccine might become a possibility shortly as Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russian scientists were close to creating vaccines for cancer. Putin said the vaccine could soon be available to patients. Putin said in televised comments that "We have come very close to the creation of so-called cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation", Reuters reported. "I hope that soon they will be effectively used as methods of individual therapy," he added, speaking at a Moscow forum on future technologies. Putin, however, did not specify which types of cancer the proposed vaccines would target, nor how. There are currently six licensed vaccines against human papillomaviruses (HPV) that cause many cancers, including cervical cancer, according to the World Health Organization, as well as vaccines against hepatitis B (HBV), which can lead to liver cancer. Bubonic plague, which led Black Death in the 14th century, detected in 2024! A number of countries and companies are working on cancer vaccines. Last year the UK government signed an agreement with Germany-based BioNTech to launch clinical trials providing "personalised cancer treatments", aiming to reach 10,000 patients by 2030. Pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Merck & Co are developing an experimental cancer vaccine that a mid-stage study showed cut the chance of recurrence or death from melanoma - the most deadly skin cancer - by half after three years of treatment. Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting need for services: WHO On World Cancer Day, which was observed on February 4, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had released the latest estimates of cancer across 115 countries. "About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease," the WHO report had found along with an alarming data that cancer had claimed 9.7 million lives in 2022 and close to 20 million new cancer cases were detected in 2022. The commonly occurring cancers As per the WHO, Lung cancer was the most commonly occurring cancer worldwide with 2.5 million new cases accounting for 12.4% of the total new cases. Female breast cancer ranked second, followed by colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and stomach cancer. The TOI Lifestyle Desk is a dynamic team of dedicated journalists... Read More The TOI Lifestyle Desk is a dynamic team of dedicated journalists who, with unwavering passion and commitment, sift through the pulse of the nation to curate a vibrant tapestry of lifestyle news for The Times of India readers. At the TOI Lifestyle Desk, we go beyond the obvious, delving into the extraordinary. Consider us your lifestyle companion, providing a daily dose of inspiration and information. Whether you're seeking the latest fashion trends, travel escapades, culinary delights, or wellness tips, the TOI Lifestyle Desk is your one-stop destination for an enriching lifestyle experience.Read Less

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Russia close to making cancer vaccine, announces Vladimir Putin - Times of India

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (Feb 14) said scientists in his country were on the precipice of creating vaccines to cure cancer that could soon be available to patients.

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Speaking at a Moscow forum on future technologies,Putin made the rather remarkable claim that may have the potential to revolutionise the medical field.

"We have come very close to the creation of so-calledcancervaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation," said Putin in the televised address.

"I hope that soon they will be effectively used as methods of individual therapy," Putin added, although he did not specify which type pf cancer the proposed vaccines would target.

While a number of countries have been working to develop cancer vaccines, it is the first time that any state of head has made such a bold claim.

In the UK, the Tory government last year signed an agreement withGermany-based BioNTech to launch clinical trials providing "personalised cancer treatments", aiming to reach 10,000 patients by 2030.

Meanwhile, US pharma giants Moderna andMerck & Co, during the mid-stage study of a cancer vaccine said it cut thechance of recurrence or death from melanoma - the most deadly skin cancer - by half after three years of treatment.

Russia developing a vaccine for cancer should not come as a surprise. During the coronavirus pandemic, Moscow developed the Sputnik vaccine which showed encouraging efficacy results when administeredto the general public.

Putinhimself said he had taken Sputnik, in a bid to assure people of its efficacy and safety.Consequently, the vaccine was sold to a number of countries across the globe.

Watch |NY Post report: Putin to temporarily handover power to loyalist to undergo cancer treatment

For themajor part of last year, western media reports claimed that Putin had contracted cancer and that his health was deteriorating.

A video went viral on social media that showed Putin being unable to control his twitching feet during a conversation with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

Also read |'I didn't get full satisfaction': Putin surprised by lack of 'sharp questions' during Tucker Carlson interview

However, putting the rumour mills to rest,Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, in October, denied the claims, adding that Putin was fit and well.

"I can tell you that he has no doubles, and with regards to work and so on, this is already an absurd informational hoax that is discussed by some media with vigorous tenacity. It makes me nothing but smile," Peskov said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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`I hope that soon`: Putin claims Russia close to creating cancer vaccines - WION

After a brutal three-year period that saw its shares collapse by 99%, any remaining longtime shareholders of Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX) are doubtlessly eager for the biotech to finally step out of the shadows of its first "success" and launch its next winner, even if it means waiting as long as 10 years.

Alas, that might not be enough time for this company to find its next big thing. In fact, it might not survive half that long. Here's why.

There is a strong possibility that Novavax won't even be in business in 2034. On Jan. 31, management announced another round of layoffs, slashing 12% of its workforce in the aftermath of cutting 25% of its employees in May 2023. Management has already told shareholders that the biotech's survival is in serious question.

Despite trailing 12-month (TTM) sales of its Nuvaxovid coronavirus vaccine bringing in more than $1 billion, it's still nowhere near being profitable, and it's burning plenty of cash each quarter. Right now, it has $651 million in cash, equivalents, and short-term investments, and its TTM cash burn was $727 million.

The issue is that Nuvaxovid didn't get approved until long after competing vaccines were already commercialized and had time to establish their market shares. Then, as the pandemic's intensity was perceived to decrease, the COVID-19 vaccine gold rush era ended. Now, there is little demand for doses and the few people who do already have strong preferences when they go to get their boosters, assuming they go at all. There probably won't be any disruption of that trend over the next 10 years, so if Novavax is going to survive, it'll need to develop and sell new or dramatically improved products.

Assuming Novavax survives the near term, it is unclear exactly which products it will be selling or what vaccines or other biotechnologies it will be developing. Today, its pipeline features no early-stage programs at all, and only two in phase 2 trials. One of those two is a seasonal influenza jab, and the other is a combination vaccine for both coronavirus and influenza.

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Both of those programs could yield medicines that generate some recurring revenue over the long-term if they are commercialized, and they might even sell enough to sustain the company in a reduced form. But there is a scenario in which it could perform a bit better.

Under the best possible conditions, ongoing research into its coronavirus vaccine's performance characteristics would show that it is capable of arresting viral transmission, thereby fully protecting people from infection. That'd be a major advantage, as the vaccines made by Pfizer, Moderna, and other manufacturers can't fully prevent people from developing symptoms and infecting others. Based on the research available today, that outcome is plausible, though still unproven. It's also possible that an updated version of the product could be developed intentionally to have the desired attributes.

Uncovering or developing other positive and unique capabilities, like perhaps the shot's ability to guard against the possibility of infected people developing "long COVID" or other chronic post-infection problems, would be another bonus. And when bundled into the same shot with an effective flu vaccine, the more complete protection offered by Novavax's jab could make it an obvious winner for people looking to stay healthy, driving recurring revenue and securing a decent market share. Today's shareholders would likely not be rich 10 years from now if this best-case scenario occurs, and they might not beat the market, but they might see some moderate returns over time.

Without much to offer from its pipeline beyond seasonal updates to its coronavirus vaccine and opportunities for convenient combination vaccines, it's difficult to see how the Novavax of 2034 might be significantly bigger than the Novavax of today. If it's going to survive, it'll certainly need to become profitable at a minimum.

If it navigates its near-term financial challenges, the highest probability outcome is that it will continue to limp along through the rest of the decade and beyond. In case it was not clear from the above, it's not a great idea to buy shares of this business today. Even if it survives, it does not have a pathway to thriving in the long term. Regardless of where it'll be in the 2030s, that probably means investors should consider selling this biotech stock.

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Where Will Novavax Be in 10 Years? was originally published by The Motley Fool

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Where Will Novavax Be in 10 Years? - Yahoo Finance

This article has been reviewed according to ScienceX's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

by Hackensack Meridian Health

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First-year Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM) student Elizabeth Titova leveraged her background in phlebotomy and scientific research to publish a new clinical study around COVID-19 vaccination in Microbiology Spectrum.

In her study, Titova found that while naturally stronger in immunocompetent individuals, the immunocompromised population"especially cancer patients undergoing treatment"still received a "robust immune response" from the vaccine, indicating protection against SARS-CoV-2.

This response would impact both likelihood of infection, as well as the possibility of the disease's progression into its potentially-deadly complications, most prevalent in those with comorbidities including immune deficiency.

The study's importance in the medical community is in providing clinicians with new evidence that vaccinations are still of beneficial effect to immunocompromised patients. This is a notion often questioned by practitioners and patients, alike, since the vaccine's advent in December 2020.

"I was ecstatic to hear that all our efforts have finally come to fruition," said Titova. "These are important results that we collected and analyzed during a global health crisis. We have done our part to bolster the scientific literature."

Titova, of Fair Lawn, N.J., was a scientist and clinical research coordinator for two years at Hackensack Meridian Health's Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI), completing her 2023 research study before beginning her med school career. She recruited more than 600 patients to assess T-cell and antibody responses in COVID-19 vaccinated patients with special focus on immunocompromised individuals.

Her research was completed in partnership with HMH's John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC) and with clinical laboratory firm Quest Diagnostics.

"This was truly a team effort. I want to thank the JTCC clinical team for its help in patient recruitment," said Titova. "I also want to thank the Quest team for helping in every aspect of the process, from coordinating sample collection to assisting with analysis and moving the paper forward to publication."

Titova has been published as a research scientist since first beginning with the CDI, gaining publication and co-authorship in journals such as Viruses, reinforcing the theories of COVID-19 vaccination importance among today's commonly accepted best practices for stemming the tide of the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

"In her two years working at the CDI, I've personally witnessed so much potential already realized in her career path," said David Perlin, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and executive vice president of the CDI. "I know she'll be a phenomenal clinician through the same dedication and passion she demonstrated in the lab."

"Elizabeth's reputation in medical research preceded her as she chose to chart a path to becoming a physician," said Jeffrey Boscamp, M.D., president and dean of HMSOM. "We are lucky to have such an accomplished and dedicated student on campus, advancing medical science."

More information: Elizabeth Titova et al, Humoral and cellular immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 post-vaccination in immunocompetent and immunocompromised cancer populations, Microbiology Spectrum (2024). DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02050-23

Provided by Hackensack Meridian Health

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Immunocompromised population shown to react well to COVID-19 vaccine - Medical Xpress

BOSTON and LEXINGTON, Mass., Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --The Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA) Joint Science and Technology Office (JSTO) for the Chemical and Biological Defense (CBD) Program has awarded, through the Medical CBRN [Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear] Defense Consortium (MCDC) requirement 22-05, "Adjuvant Activity to Vaccines Prototype," a 5-year contract totaling up to $31 million including program options to the team of Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc. (NYSE: DNA) and SaponiQx, Inc. (a subsidiary of Agenus Inc.,NASDAQ:AGEN) to discover and develop next-generation vaccine adjuvants. Partners in adjuvant discovery and development since 2021, Ginkgo, which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, and SaponiQx, developing a visionary adjuvant development platform, will use a combination of high-throughput empirical and artificial intelligence/machine learning approaches, including Generative Molecular Design (GMD), to develop superior novel saponin-based adjuvants.

Adjuvants are components of vaccines that help to enhance the magnitude, breadth, and duration of the immune response to vaccination. Currently, only a handful of adjuvants are available for human use in licensed vaccines. SaponiQx's STIMULON QS-21 is a key adjuvant component in market-leading vaccines for shingles, malaria, and respiratory syncytial virus. Novel adjuvants with enhanced properties, including tailored humoral and cellular immune responses, could pave the way for a new wave of innovative vaccines against existing and emerging pathogens.

"The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the critical need for safe, effective, and accessible vaccines against emerging biothreat agents," said Jennifer Wipf, SVP, Head of Commercial Cell Engineering at Ginkgo Bioworks. "Imagine a future where vaccines are not only more affordable but also provide consistent protection in fewer doses, without causing discomfort or requiring refrigeration. We're very excited by this opportunity to strengthen and expand the SaponiQxGinkgo partnership and to work with DTRA to make that future a reality."

"Building on our achievements with STIMULON QS-21, SaponiQx is excited to realize our company's founding vision of harnessing the potential of Generative Molecular Design to dramatically increase access to lifesaving vaccines around the world," said Rebecca Kurnat, Head of Operations at SaponiQx.

The partners aim to demonstrate in the laboratory and in animal studies the ability of these novel adjuvants to protect against challenges from biothreat agents, such as the plague, and to provide lower cost, sustainable and scalable manufacturing processes by leveraging Ginkgo's leading platform for cell programming. The partners intend to design candidate adjuvants using SaponiQx's leading platform for adjuvant generation, and to identify additional candidates by screening natural extracts for previously uncharacterized saponins and creating non-natural saponins with enzyme-based techniques. Harnessing a first-of-its-kind "data lake" for adjuvants, they plan to use iterative GMD to propose and optimize adjuvant structures against eight functional parameters. Adjuvant candidates will be put through in-depth testing, first in the laboratory for immune and toxicity responses, and then in studies of their effectiveness in protecting vaccinated animals from pathogens; QS-21 and the related QS-7 will serve as benchmarks.

By leveraging Ginkgo's leading platform for cell programming, the partners also intend to develop more affordable, sustainable, and scalable adjuvant manufacturing processes. Ginkgo will develop a first-generation Adjuvant Development Candidate (ADC) production method, using a heterologous production strain such as brewers' yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ginkgo's platform powers iterative DesignBuildTestLearn-driven cell engineering to enable the rapid prototyping, optimization, and development of proteins, enzymes, metabolic pathways, and whole organisms under commercial-scale manufacturing conditions. Development of a first-generation ADC production method could facilitate further development of a sustainable mass-production manufacturing process for these complex adjuvants.

About Ginkgo Bioworks

Ginkgo Bioworks is the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, providing flexible, end-to-end services that solve challenges for organizations across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to pharmaceuticals to industrial and specialty chemicals. Ginkgo's biosecurity and public health unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, is building global infrastructure for biosecurity to empower governments, communities, and public health leaders to prevent, detect and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. For more information, visitginkgobioworks.com andconcentricbyginkgo.com, read ourblog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (formerly known as Twitter) (@Ginkgo and @ConcentricByGBW), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks and @ConcentricByGinkgo), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks) orLinkedIn.

About SaponiQx

Founded in 2021, SaponiQx, a subsidiary of Agenus Inc., stands at the forefront of saponin-based adjuvant discovery and manufacturing. Its mission is to provide scalable and affordable vaccine adjuvants to enhance global health. Its proprietary adjuvant, STIMULON QS-21, forms an integral part of the AS01 adjuvant used in several leading vaccines. STIMULON is a trademark of Agenus Inc., the parent company of SaponiQx Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the capabilities and potential success of Ginkgo's cell programming platform. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "can," "project," "potential," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo operates and plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, and changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo's business, (ii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, (iii) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (iv) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (v) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vi) our ability to realize the expected benefits of merger and acquisition transactions, (vii) the outcome of any legal proceedings against Ginkgo, including as a result of recent acquisitions, (viii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform programs, (ix) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, and (x) the product development or commercialization success of our customers. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of Ginkgo's quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on November 8, 2023 and other documents filed by Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

GINKGO BIOWORKS INVESTOR CONTACT:

[emailprotected]

GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA CONTACT:

[emailprotected]

Forward-Looking Statements of SaponiQx

This press release includes forward-looking statements, subject to risks and uncertainties, concerning the development of vaccines and adjuvants. Refer to the Risk Factors in Agenus' latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC for a detailed discussion of these risks.

SAPONIQX MEDIA CONTACT:

communications@saponiqx.com

SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks

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Ginkgo Bioworks and SaponiQx Awarded MCDC Contract to Discover and Manufacture Next-Generation Vaccine ... - PR Newswire

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) A fiery debate over public health and personal rights gripped Puerto Rico this week, intensifying Wednesday when legislators clashed with medical experts.

The debate began earlier this month after the administrator of Puerto Ricos House of Representatives announced the mandatory use of face masks, following various COVID-19 cases reported in the seaside Capitol building.

One conservative legislator, Lisie Burgos, refused to wear a mask and was removed from a hearing last week, prompting her to file a lawsuit on Monday that has yet to be resolved. Later that day a judge ordered that, in the meantime, the islands House of Representatives should not prohibit, prevent or interfere with Burgos right to attend meetings.

Many were outraged by the ruling, noting that the island of 3.2 million people is reporting some 1,100 COVID-19 cases a day, with nearly 25% of tests returning a positive result. Last November, Puerto Ricos government also declared a flu epidemic.

Hours after the judges ruling on Monday, the president of the House of Representatives declared a state of emergency and announced that all sessions would be held virtually until the end of February.

Puerto Ricos Senate has said it is not considering similar measures.

As representatives gathered behind their computer screens this week, they tackled a proposed bill that would eliminate vaccine requirements for schoolchildren younger than 5, a proposal that further enflamed the ongoing health debate.

On Wednesday, medical experts condemned the bill.

This bill, in essence, inserts the state into an anti-science, ideological current that has been gaining followers in what has been described as a new age of obscurantism, said Dr. Carlos Daz Vlez, president of Puerto Ricos Association of Surgeons.

Other doctors testified about the safety and need for vaccines. Waleska Crespo, president of an association of private high schools and universities, echoed their concerns.

Its the government that mainly has to protect the fundamental right to health, she said.

The bill was submitted by Burgos, member of a small conservative party, and four other legislators who represent Puerto Ricos two biggest political parties. They argue that parents or legal guardians who do not believe in vaccination for religious purposes or other reasons should be exempt.

Backing the bill was Carlos Prez Toro, a Catholic priest, who spoke at Wednesdays hearing.

The lack of informing parents, so they are the ones who ultimately decide what is best for the health of their children, led to government decisions on forced vaccination that were often not based on the need to protect the school community from contagious diseases, he said.

The hearings over the bill are ongoing, with several legislators vowing to fight its approval as well as the pending lawsuit filed by Burgos rejecting the face mask requirement.

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Puerto Rico is entangled in a heated public health debate over vaccines and masks - The Associated Press

15 February 2024, 12:00 GMT

Image source, Science Photo Library

England is now seeing clusters of measles cases across a number of regions including London, the North West, Yorkshire, The Humber and the East Midlands, as well as the West Midlands.

There have been 166 cases in the last month, with 56 of those in the last week, latest figures reveal.

Measles is highly contagious and is likely to keep spreading unless more people are vaccinated, experts warn.

Symptoms include a rash and fever.

The West Midlands accounted for about half of the 166 cases seen since 15 January, mostly in Birmingham. Case numbers in that region now appear to be stabilising.

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Many of the infections have been in children and young people.

Measles is almost entirely preventable with vaccination using the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jab.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, from the UK Health Security Agency, said: "As expected, due to worryingly low MMR vaccine uptake in some areas across the country, we are now starting to see clusters of cases in other regions.

"While parents are coming forward to take up the offer of the MMR vaccine for their children, there are still hundreds of thousands of children who remain unprotected, and therefore remain at risk of serious complications or lifelong disability.

"I strongly urge parents to take up the offer of the MMR vaccine now to make sure their child is protected."

Measles is caused by a virus that is spread by coughs and sneezes.

Small white spots may appear inside the mouth

A blotchy red or brown rash usually appears after a few days, typically on the face and behind the ears, before spreading to the rest of the body.

It can be harder to see on brown and black skin.

You can catch it any age if you have not been vaccinated.

After both MMR vaccine doses, 99% of people are protected against measles and rubella, and 88% are protected against mumps.

The first MMR dose is usually given at 12 months old, while the second jab is administered at about three years and four months.

The number of young primary school children who have had both doses of the MMR vaccine is below World Health Organization targets.

Approximately 85% of children in England in 2022-23 had received two MMR doses by their fifth birthday, the lowest level since 2010-11. The recommended figure is 95%.

That means a few million children under the age of 16 have not had both doses and are potentially at risk.

Measles normally clears up within seven to 10 days. However, complications can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures. For some people, it is deadly.

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England now seeing clusters of measles cases - BBC.com

Media Advisory

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Women who receive an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination or booster during pregnancy can provide their infants with strong protection against symptomatic COVID-19 infection for at least six months after birth, according to a study from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. These findings, published in Pediatrics, reinforce the importance of receiving both a COVID-19 vaccine and booster during pregnancy to ensure that infants are born with robust protection that lasts until they are old enough to be vaccinated.

COVID-19 is especially dangerous for newborns and young infants, and even healthy infants are vulnerable to COVID-19 and are at risk for severe disease. No COVID-19 vaccines currently are available for infants under six months old. Earlier results from the Multisite Observational Maternal and Infant COVID-19 Vaccine (MOMIv-Vax) study revealed that when pregnant volunteers received both doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, antibodies induced by the vaccine could be found in their newborns cord blood. This suggested that the infants likely had some protection against COVID-19 when they were still too young to receive a vaccine. However, researchers at the NIAID-funded Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (IDCRC), which conducted the study, did not know how long these antibody levels would last or how well the infants would actually be protected. The research team hoped to gather this information by following the infants through their first six months of life.

In this portion of the study, researchers analyzed data from 475 infants born while their pregnant mothers were enrolled in the MOMI-Vax study. The study took place at nine sites across the United States. It included 271 infants whose mothers had received two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. The remaining 204 infants in the study were born to mothers who had received both doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine as well as a COVID-19 booster. To supplement data gathered during pregnancy and at birth, the infants were evaluated during at least one follow-up visit during their first six months after birth. Parents also reported whether their infants had become infected or had demonstrated COVID-19 symptoms.

Based on blood samples from the infants, the researchers found that newborns with high antibody levels at birth also had greater protection from COVID-19 infection during their first six months. While infants of mothers who received two COVID-19 vaccine doses had a robust antibody response at birth, infants whose mothers had received an additional booster dose during pregnancy had both higher levels of antibodies at birth and greater protection from COVID-19 infection at their follow-up visits.

While older children and adults should continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, this study highlights how much maternal vaccination can benefit newborns too young to take advantage of the vaccine: During the course of this study, none of the infants examined required hospitalization for COVID-19. Researchers will continue to evaluate the data from the MOMI-Vax study for further insights concerning COVID-19 protection in infants.

CV Cardemil et al. Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination and Prevention of Symptomatic Infection in Infants. Pediatrics DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-064252 (2024).

Cristina Cardemil, M.D., a medical officer in NIAIDs Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, is available to comment.

To schedule interviews, please contact Elizabeth Deatrick, (301) 402-1663, NIAIDNews@niaid.nih.gov.

NIAID conducts and supports researchat NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwideto study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

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COVID-19 vaccination and boosting during pregnancy protects infants for six months - National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov)

Wyoming patients getting blood transfusions could soon have a choice whether or not to use blood from someone whos had a COVID-19 or messenger RNA vaccine. However, multiple blood transfusion groups and the FDA say there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines harm people via blood transfusions.

House Bill 115 Donated blood-mRNA disclosure dictates that this decision would only apply in non-emergency situations, but the bill is part of a movement in the U.S. to give patients opposed to COVID vaccines an option.

That includes a failed bill in Montana last year to ban blood donations from those vaccinated against COVID-19, and a failed bill to give individuals a choice to have a blood transfusion from an unvaccinated blood donor in Connecticut.

House Bill 115, sponsored by nurse practitioner Rep. Sarah Penn (R-Lander), would require people collecting blood donations to ask donors whether theyve ever had a COVID-19 vaccine or an mRNA vaccine. If donors say yes, their blood must be conspicuously marked.

After all that, when someone in need of blood is at the hospital in a non-emergency situation, theyd have the right to choose whether to use the marked blood or not as long as the requested blood is available.

The legislation came from concerns over new mRNA treatments, Penn said.

Many have strived to keep their bodies free of this technology, she wrote in an email. They have had family members and friends suffer complications from mRNA therapies. The adverse effects are being increasingly documented in the literature.

Penn went on to list complications of COVID-19 vaccines like myocarditis an inflammation of the heart tissue in explaining her reasoning behind blood labeling.

We cannot confidently say that there isnt risk, she wrote. The burden of proof is on those claiming its safety and we do not have the proof.

Alternately, organizations like the American Red Cross and Americas Blood Centers argue theres no proof of a risk from these transfusions.

Its impossible to prove a negative, Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies Chief Medical Officer Dr. Claudia Cohn told WyoFile. Nonetheless, if you look at a disproportionate number of people who have received this mRNA vaccine and have been given blood, and people who have received that blood, theres no evidence of harm. So my opinion on the scientific validity of [passing HB 115] is it does not exist.

Meanwhile, there is clear evidence of blood shortages from donors nationwide.

While rare, there have been documented cases around the country of people demanding blood from those who havent received COVID-19 vaccines.

These same [U.S.] patients, some of whom are likely to imminently require blood, have refused to consent to transfusion unless they can be assured that the blood donor did not receive a COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of the risk of morbidity and mortality, researchers stated in a paper published in 2021 in the British Journal of Haematology.

Those same researchers said pandering to people demanding blood from unvaccinated donors could open the door to other unscientific demands like blood from a particular race or sex.

Wyomings proposed legislation is narrowly focused, Penn said, adding I simply want to make sure that mRNA is identified specifically.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends people whove been vaccinated against COVID-19 still donate blood, though it suggests a short waiting period for certain types of vaccines, excluding the mRNA vaccine.

Many have strived to keep their bodies free of this technology.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross, Americas Blood Centers and the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies issued a joint statement last year, stating transfusions from people whove been vaccinated are safe and that vaccine components dont replicate via transfusions or alter blood recipients DNA.

[T]here is no scientific evidence that demonstrates adverse outcomes from the transfusions of blood products collected from vaccinated donors and, therefore, no medical reason to distinguish or separate blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccination, the group said.

AABB even published a flyer to help doctors who were hearing concerns from patients about getting blood from vaccinated donors something thats happening around the continent and the globe.

Theres also the issue of blood crossing state lines.

Blood is moved across states all the time, Dr. Cohn with AABB said. And so if Wyoming is to receive blood from neighboring states, then those bags will not be labeled.

Beyond that, Cohn said, items on labels attached to blood donations like the markings mentioned in HB 115 result from FDA confirmation tests. Labeling means that an FDA approved test has been run, Cohn said. And the results of that test are required on the blood bag label. And there is no FDA approved test to look for the vaccine in donor blood.

Even if that issue was overcome, Cohn said, people could lie on donation forms and theres no test to fact-check them.

People can already lie on blood donation forms, Penn said. But there are at least tests to check for proven dangers like HIV, Cohn noted.

We may not achieve perfection but we can begin the process to take one more step towards safety, Penn said in an email.

People can donate blood to their future selves or get direct donations from friends and family they trust, but Cohn noted that these requests are only granted when medically necessary in many institutions like if someone has a rare blood type.

Its a logistical nightmare, she said, pointing to her work at the University of Minnesota hospitals blood bank. We release hundreds of units [of blood] a day. And if we have to segregate a unit for a single patient [while shifts come and go], the chance that theres a mistake is greater.

The FDA has its own issues with direct donations used to avoid blood from vaccinated donors, saying they lack scientific support.

Blood donor supplies are already low, with only about 3% of eligible donors giving, Cohn added.

After the airplane industry, Ive been told that we are the most regulated industry in the United States, she said of blood donor organizations. Imposing additional levels of needless regulation will only hurt the blood supply.

Last month, the Red Cross even offered the chance to win Super Bowl tickets for those who donated in light of yet another emergency blood shortage, citing the lowest number of donors in 20 years.

The American Red Cross is also specifically opposing HB 115, writing in an email that it creates unnecessary barriers to accessing blood transfusions.

Blood is an essential, lifesaving medicine, the organization stated. Unlike other drugs, blood cannot be manufactured to meet demand.

There are multiple bills this legislative session aimed at those who dont trust vaccines and vaccine requirements. Below is a list of those WyoFile identified as of Wednesday.

For more legislative coverage click here.

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Vaccine concerns prompt blood-labeling bill, but experts say theres no scientific basis - WyoFile