Rob Stein
Stories
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Health
Gene therapy for muscular dystrophy stirs hopes and controversy
The FDA is considering greenlighting the experimental treatment under its accelerated approvals program. Some critics point out the therapy isn't yet proven to work and may be costly.
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Health
The FDA may soon authorize a spring round of COVID-19 boosters for some people
The Food and Drug Administration appears poised to make available the COVID-19 vaccines that target omicron as a second booster for people with weak immune systems and those ages 65 and older.
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Health
This winter's U.S. Covid surge is fading fast, likely thanks to a 'wall' of immunity
The main reason the surge is ebbing now, pandemic experts suspect, is the significant immunity many people in the U.S. have acquired from prior infections and Covid vaccinations many received.
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Health
FDA moves to ease restrictions on blood donations for men who have sex with men
Long criticized as discriminatory, the policy has prevented many gay and bisexual men from donating blood. The Food and Drug Administration revealed a draft of its new approach on Friday.
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Health
The FDA considers a major shift in the nation's COVID vaccine strategy
The new approach would simplify vaccination guidance so that, every fall, people would get a new shot, updated to try to match whatever variant is dominant.
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Health
China's COVID surge prompts CDC to expand a hunt for new variants among air travelers
It would make more sense to screen a plane's wastewater to look for new variants than to screen individual passenger volunteers, some researchers say. Others say any information is helpful.
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National
Travelers from China must now test negative for COVID to enter the U.S.
The U.S. has started requiring all travelers from China to test negative for COVID, even though many experts think it won't help much.
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Health
Government agency examined how often long-COVID was cited as a cause of death
The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that cases of long-COVID have caused more the 3,000 deaths in the U.S., but this is undoubtedly an undercount.
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National
What to know about the fears of a "tripledemic" this holiday season
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association warn the surge in RSV, flu and COVID is threatening the upcoming holiday season.
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Health
Experts are concerned Thanksgiving gatherings could accelerate a 'tripledemic'
As the holiday approaches, infectious disease specialists are bracing for the possibility that big family get-togethers and travel will propel the spread of RSV, flu and COVID-19.