Sister brands MM+M and PRWeek have unveiled the 2020 Health Influencer 50. Find out who is making waves, touching lives and improving outcomes across the health marketing and PR spectrum. (MM+M)
Remdesivir has been approved as the first drug to treat COVID-19 by the Food and Drug Administration. The drug has been authorized to treat adults and pediatric patients aged 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds and who require hospitalization for the coronavirus. (The New York Times)
The World Health Organization will grant Wikipedia free use of its information, graphics and videos. The newly announced collaboration is intended to combat the spread of false information about COVID-19 and allows the materials to be reproduced or re-transalted anywhere without permission so long as WHO is noted as the source and a link to the material is included. (The New York Times)
Infusing hospitalized COVID-19 patients with blood plasma from people who recovered from the disease had no effect on whether patients got sicker or died, according to the first completed, randomized trial of these treatments, published in BMJ. An earlier study by the Mayo Clinic that had shown some benefit from blood plasma had prompted the FDA to permit emergency access to the therapy in August. (STAT)
Deaths among hospitalized COVID-19 patients have fallen this year, with the decline covering all patient groups, including older adults and people with underlying conditions, report two peer-reviewed studies by researchers at New York University and the Alan Turing Institute. Mortality rates among patients declined 18% percent between March and August and 20% between March and June, respectively. (WebMD)
