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The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently confirmed three additional measles cases in unvaccinated children in Anoka, Hennepin, and Ramsey counties.
MDH stated that based on current information, these cases are not directly linked and have not traveled, so there is concern for the possible spread of measles in the community.
As of July 26, 2024, Minnesota has confirmed 15 measles cases in 2024, and is an increase compared to other years. All the cases have occurred among unvaccinated children.
Minnesota isn’t the only state to have seen an increase in measles cases. Just to the south, Chicago, Illinois, reported a significant outbreak (64 cases) this year.
MDH is working with local health departments and other locations to notify people who may have been exposed directly. However, health officials note that anyone not vaccinated against measles could be at risk and should watch for symptoms of measles.
“Measles spreads easily, and it finds those who are vulnerable,” said Jessica Hancock-Allen, infectious disease division director at MDH, in a press release.
“That is why families need to ensure their children are up to date on their immunizations to protect them from this potentially serious disease.”
"The best way to prevent measles is through immunization."
Measles vaccines are generally available at clinics and pharmacies throughout the U.S.
As flu shots arrive in local pharmacies next month, Canadians will have different vaccines to choose which is best for their needs.
To assist this decision process, the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) annual Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccines for 2024-2025 recommends Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent among the preferential influenza vaccines over standard-dose influenza vaccines.
According to NACI on July 26, 2024, Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent has the most substantial body of supporting evidence among preferentially recommended vaccines for adults 65 years of age and older.
Dr. Angel Chu MD, FRCPC, Infectious disease specialist, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Calgary, STI Clinic Calgary, and Vice-Chair of Immunize Canada, commented in a press release, “In the newest NACI statement, Fluzone® High-Dose continues to be recommended for adults 65 years of age and older. NACI also recognizes Fluzone® High-Dose has the most substantial body of supporting evidence among flu vaccines for seniors.”
Influenza can cause mild to severe illness. Some populations, especially young children and adults 65 and older, are at a higher risk for serious influenza complications.
Sanofi says vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza and its complications.
Earlier this year, the WHO recommended that trivalent vaccines be deployed during the 2024-2025 northern hemisphere influenza season.
On June 27, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine committee meeting included presentations focused on Considerations and Proposed Recommendations for the 2024-25 Influenza Season in the United States. Physicians, nurses, and pharmacists can offer patients up to nine different influenza vaccines for the 2024 - 2025 flu season.
The Ontario Ministry of Health has announced the first publicly funded universal program with Beyfortus® (nirsevimab) for all newborns and infants born in 2024 and through the 2024-2025 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season in the Northern Hemisphere.
Beyfortus single-dose administration can be timed to the start of the RSV season.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that often impacts children and can lead to lung infections such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
As of July 25, 2024, this new passive immunization program also includes some high-risk children up to 24 months old.
Beyfortus is administered directly to newborns and infants and offers rapid protection via an antibody without requiring immune system activation.
Delphine Lansac, General Manager, Vaccines, Sanofi Canada. commented in a press release on July 25, 2024, "Today's announcement by the Government of Ontario is a significant milestone. Providing universal access to Beyfortus® to help protect all infants in Ontario means that parents can focus on the joys of a new baby and worry less about experiencing a severe RSV infection."
"This new program builds on our 110-year heritage as a committed partner supporting public health in Canada. Our objective continues to be protecting the health of Canadians with innovative solutions and introducing Beyfortus® is a step forward to protect babies and make a positive difference for families and the healthcare system."
Health Canada issued a Notice of Compliance for Beyfortus in April 2023. Additionally, the single-dose, extended half-life monoclonal antibody was approved by the U.S. FDA in July 2023 and the European Union in October 2022.
According to media reports, access to Beyfortus is expected to meet demand in the United States during the second half of 2024.
AstraZeneca, responsible for Beyfortus manufacturing, confirmed regulatory applications for two additional filling lines have been submitted to health authorities to expand supply. This production expansion is anticipated to augment capacity compared to the one licensed line.
Bavarian Nordic A/S today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had recommended the approval of a type II variation for IMVANEX® (MVA-BN, JYNNEOS®) smallpox and mpox vaccine.
This EMA recommendation includes real-world effectiveness data from the use of the vaccine during the global 2022 mpox outbreak in the marketing authorization.
In real-world studies, vaccine effectiveness against mpox disease was demonstrated at least 14 days after vaccination, with adjusted vaccine effectiveness estimates ranging from 35% (95% CI, -2-59) to 89% (95% CI, 76-95) after one MVA-BN dose and from 66% (95% CI, 47-78) to 90% (95% CI, 86-92) after two MVA-BN doses.
Furthermore, in a surveillance study, MVA-BN reduced the risks of mpox-related hospitalization.
Compared with unvaccinated mpox patients, the odds of hospitalization were 0.27 (95% CI, 0.08-0.65) after one MVA-BN dose and 0.20 (95% CI, 0.01-0.90) after two MVA-BN doses. The estimated relative risk reduction was 73% after one MVA-BN dose and 80% after two MVA-BN doses.
“The 2022 global mpox outbreak provided an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of our vaccine in at-risk populations across different geographies, both before and after exposure to the mpox virus, and we are pleased to receive the recommendation to include real-life data in our marketing authorization in Europe, which confirm a high effectiveness of up to 90% after two doses of the vaccine as recommended by the authorities. It is furthermore encouraging that data show the vaccine to reduce the risk of hospitalizations significantly, thus confirming our vaccine as an important and versatile tool in the fight against mpox globally,” said Paul Chaplin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bavarian Nordic, in a press release on July 26, 2024.
As of July 2024, the JYNNEOS vaccine is commercially available in the United States.
About 10% of children in Gavi-supported countries do not receive a single dose of routine vaccines.
To reach these missing millions, Gavi announced on July 11, 2024, that the 5.0 Strategy intends to reduce the number of zero-dose children by 25% by 2025 and 50% by 2030.
The new strategy will focus on reaching the most marginalized by strengthening primary healthcare systems, building and sustaining community demand, addressing gender barriers, and using innovation to ensure immunization services reach these children.
Available data suggests the largest disruptions were concentrated in Q2 2020, with the majority of countries restoring routine immunization services in the second half of the year. Over 75% of under-immunised children are now zero-dose, heightening the risk of child deaths, disease outbreaks, and medical impoverishment.
In 2000, just 47% of children in lower-income countries received essential vaccines.
In Gavi-eligible countries, coverage of critical vaccines increased by three percentage points from 2015 to 2019, and the number of zero-dose children was reduced by 14%.
In 2019, coverage for the same countries reached 82% before sliding back to 78% due to the pandemic.
According to data published by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, in 2022, 20.5 million children in India missed out on one or more vaccines delivered through routine immunization services.
Gavi wrote, 'The importance of immunization reaching all children is paramount and ensures all children have an equal chance of being healthy and productive members of society.'
'Vaccination, because of its preventative nature, averts illness and provides particularly significant benefits to zero-dose communities which may lack access to affordable, quality curative care while being at higher risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.'
'Immunised children are also more likely to grow up healthy and enjoy their survival and development rights. Vaccinated children have higher cognitive abilities, miss school less and are in school for longer, and have better nutrition and education outcomes – all of which translates into better-earning potential and productivity as an adult.'
The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) today approved an adapted Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) targeting the JN.1 COVID-19 subvariant.
On July 24, 2024, the MHRA announced four forms of this adapted Comirnaty JN.1 vaccine have been approved by the MHRA under the International Recognition Procedure after they were found to meet the U.K. regulator’s safety, quality, and effectiveness standards.
The MHRA confirmed that the vaccine administration differs between adults and children from infancy, depending on their age at the time of vaccination.
These forms are as follows:
Comirnaty JN.1 30 micrograms/dose dispersion for injection and Comirnaty JN.1 30 micrograms/dose dispersion for injection in a pre-filled syringe for use in adults.
Comirnaty JN.1 10 micrograms/dose dispersion for injection, single-dose vial for use in children from 5 to 11 years of age.
Comirnaty JN.1 3 micrograms/dose concentrate for dispersion for injection, 3-dose vial for use in infants and children from 6 months to 4 years of age.
If a patient experiences any Comirnaty-related side effects, they should talk to their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. A full list of all side effects reported with this medicine is available in the patient information leaflet, which can be obtained from the pharmacy or the product information published on the MHRA website.
Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced full efficacy and safety results from its pivotal HIV-1 Phase 3 clinical trial.
Detailed data from the trial’s interim analysis announced in June 2024 showed that lenacapavir, the company’s twice-yearly injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor, demonstrated zero infections, 100% efficacy, and superiority to background HIV incidence for the investigational use of HIV prevention in cisgender women.
Lenacapavir also demonstrated superior prevention of HIV infections when compared with once-daily oral Truvada.
The new data provide details on the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of twice-yearly lenacapavir injections; drug adherence among trial participants, including poor levels of adherence to daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and high levels of adherence to lenacapavir; and demographic and behavioral characteristics of trial participants, including pregnant women and adolescents.
The data were published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.
“These stellar results show that twice-yearly lenacapavir for PrEP, if approved, could offer a highly effective, tolerable and discreet choice that could potentially improve PrEP uptake and persistence, helping us to reduce HIV in cisgender women globally,” said Linda-Gail Bekker, MBChB, DTM&H, DCH, FCP(SA), PhD, Director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Center at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and former President of the International AIDS Society, in a press release on July 24, 2024.
“PURPOSE 1 also sets a new standard for person-centered HIV prevention trials, demonstrating what can happen when a thoughtful scientific and community-focused trial design, a promising drug candidate, and an inclusive trial implementation plan come together.”
Gilead expects results in late 2024/early 2025 from the program’s other pivotal trial, PURPOSE 2, which is assessing twice-yearly lenacapavir for PrEP among men.
Currently, there are no cures for HIV or AIDS or preventive vaccines available.
