Health Care

WHO says COVID-19 booster shots needed, reversing previous call

An expert group convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday it "strongly supports urgent and broad access" to booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine amid the global spread of omicron, capping a reversal of the U.N. agency’s repeated insistence last year that boosters weren't necessary and contributed to vaccine inequity.

Purdue’s Sacklers, states reach Opioid deal valued at up to $6 billion

Members of the Sackler family who own Purdue Pharma LP and grew wealthy from sales of OxyContin agreed to pay up to $6 billion to settle lawsuits accusing them of helping fuel the opioid-addiction epidemic, earning the unanimous support of state attorneys general to resolve the family’s liability and end the drugmaker’s bankruptcy case.

Biden SOTU addresses prescription drug prices

In his State of the Union address, President Biden focused on the impact inflation is having on Americans. One topic which has been an agenda item in particular is bringing down the cost of prescription drugs.

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine less effective in ages 5-11: study

Two doses of the Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccine was protective against severe disease in children aged 5 to 11 during the recent omicron variant surge, but quickly lost most of its ability to prevent infection in the age group, according to a study by New York State researchers.

J&J, distributors finalize $26B opioid settlement

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and three major distributors finalized nationwide settlements over their role in the opioid addiction crisis Friday, an announcement that clears the way for $26 billion to flow to nearly every state and local government in the U.S.