Author: Matt Perrone
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ALS drug gets rare second review at high-stakes FDA meeting
WASHINGTON • A closely watched experimental drug for Lou Gehrig’s disease got an unusual second look from U.S. regulators on Wednesday, after intense pressure to approve the treatment for those with the fatal illness. Patients and their families have rallied behind the drug from Amylyx Pharma, launching an aggressive lobbying campaign and enlisting members of…
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Parents hunting for baby formula as shortage spans US
WASHINGTON • Parents across the U.S. are scrambling to find baby formula because supply disruptions and a massive safety recall have swept many leading brands off store shelves. Months of spot shortages at pharmacies and supermarkets have been exacerbated by the recall at Abbott, which was forced to shutter its largest U.S. formula manufacturing plant…
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FDA panel endorses lower-dose Moderna COVID shot for booster
WASHINGTON • The panel of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to recommend a booster shot for seniors, as well as younger adults with other health problems, jobs or living situations that put them at increased risk from COVID-19. The recommendation is nonbinding but it’s a key step toward expanding the…
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U.S. likely to authorize COVID booster shots
WASHINGTON • After struggling for months to persuade Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. health officials could soon face a fresh challenge: talking vaccinated people into getting booster shots to gain longer-lasting protection as the delta variant sends infections soaring again. As early as Wednesday, U.S. health authorities are expected to recommend an extra…
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Virus testing in the U.S. is dropping, even as deaths mount
WASHINGTON • U.S. testing for the coronavirus is dropping even as infections remain high and the death toll rises by more than 1,000 a day, a worrisome trend that officials attribute largely to Americans getting discouraged over having to wait hours to get a test and days or weeks to find out the results. An…