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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) updates
Updates from FDA in our ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last MCMi email update include:
Bookmark www.fda.gov/coronavirus for the latest.
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COVID-19 vaccine update
COMIRNATY approved for ages 12-15
FDA approved COMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) for active immunization to prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 12 through 15 years of age. The approval follows a rigorous analysis and evaluation of the safety and effectiveness data conducted by FDA. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has been, and will continue to be, authorized for emergency use in this age group since May 2021. COMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) has been approved for use in individuals 16 years of age and older since August 2021. (July 8, 2022)
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COVID-19 therapeutics update
FDA authorizes pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid with certain limitations
The FDA revised the EUA (PDF) for Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir), to authorize state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid to eligible patients, with certain limitations to ensure appropriate patient assessment and prescribing of Paxlovid.
“The FDA recognizes the important role pharmacists have played and continue to play in combatting this pandemic,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director for the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Since Paxlovid must be taken within five days after symptoms begin, authorizing state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid could expand access to timely treatment for some patients who are eligible to receive this drug for the treatment of COVID-19.”
When testing positive for COVID-19, patients should first consider seeking care from their regular health care provider or locating a Test-to-Treat site in their area. While this action allows state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid with certain limitations as described in the revised Paxlovid EUA fact sheet for health care providers (PDF), community pharmacies not already participating as a Test-to-Treat site can decide if or how they will offer this service to patients.
Also see: Frequently Asked Questions on the Emergency Use Authorization for Paxlovid for Treatment of COVID-19 (PDF). (July 6, 2022)
Join FDA's Medical Countermeasures Initiative (MCMi)
Job openings: Advanced manufacturing staff fellows
Apply to join the FDA Office of Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats (OCET) Advanced Manufacturing team, to help advance public health emergency preparedness and patient access to medical products through development of tools and approaches to enhance the evaluation of advanced manufacturing technologies and facilitate their adoption by regulated industries. Apply by August 1, 2022. For more information see the job announcements:
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Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) updates
New COVID-19 test EUAs
In vitro diagnostic (test) EUAs
As of July 12, 2022, 438 tests and sample collection devices are authorized by FDA under EUAs. These include 303 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 85 antibody and other immune response tests, 49 antigen tests, and 1 diagnostic breath test. There are 80 molecular authorizations and 1 antibody authorization that can be used with home-collected samples. There is 1 EUA for a molecular prescription at-home test, 2 EUAs for antigen prescription at-home tests, 17 EUAs for antigen over-the-counter (OTC) at-home tests, and 3 EUAs for molecular OTC at-home tests. FDA has authorized 27 antigen tests and 8 molecular tests for serial screening programs. The FDA has also authorized 1,029 revisions to test EUAs. Also see: COVID-19 Test Basics
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Events
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July 14, 2022: FDA Grand Rounds: One Health at FDA: From Concept to Application, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. ET, presented by CAPT Brianna Skinner, DVM, MPH, DACLAM, of FDA's Office of Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats (OCET) and Annamaria Castiglia, DVM, of FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
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July 27, 2022: Virtual Town Hall Series - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Test Development and Validation, 12:05 - 1:00 p.m. ET, hosted by FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). FDA will host the next event in this series on August 24, 2022.
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August 11, 2022: 2022 FDA CVM Advanced Manufacturing Public Meeting, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT - CVM will host a virtual public meeting on the FDA’s oversight of advanced manufacturing technologies for animal drugs. The meeting will be a listening session to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to share information and insight on this topic with CVM. Learn more: FDA Announces Virtual Public Meeting on Advanced Manufacturing for Animal Drugs
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August 30, 2022: Virtual public workshop - Drug Development Considerations for the Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections - FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are co-sponsoring this workshop to discuss topics including the current state of development of pathogen-directed products used to prevent healthcare-associated infections, and antimicrobial resistance threats as potential targets for decolonization and pathogen reduction. To attend, register by 12:00 p.m. EDT August 29, 2022. Requests to make oral presentations must be received by August 15, 2022.
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New! September 21-22, 2022: 2022 Public Meeting of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) (virtual) - FDA, in cooperation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, its partners in the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), opened registration for the 2022 Public Meeting of NARMS. The meeting is open to all stakeholders at no cost.
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Information for industry and health care providers
Reminder: Expiration date extensions
Did you know? You can find information about shelf-life extensions of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests on our web page: Expiration Dating Extension, under MCM Expiration Dating Extensions.
FDA is committed to providing timely recommendations, regulatory information, guidance, and technical assistance necessary to support rapid COVID-19 response efforts. FDA has issued more than 75 COVID-19-related guidances to date.
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In case you missed it
Resources to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19
Find out where to get a COVID-19 vaccine, test, or treatment in your community at COVID.gov. Call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) with questions. (Also available in Spanish and Simplified Chinese.)
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FDA seeking consumer representatives
FDA is requesting nominations for voting and/or nonvoting consumer representatives to serve on advisory committees as detailed in this notice, Submit your nomination materials by August 15, 2022.
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List of hand sanitizers consumers should not use
Some hand sanitizers have been recalled and there are more than 300 hand sanitizers the FDA recommends you stop using right away. Bookmark www.fda.gov/handsanitizerlist for the latest, and use our step-by-step search guide to find out if your product is on the list.
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FDA Medical Countermeasures Initiative (MCMi) News)
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