Scientists said the pandemic ‘immunity gap’ is probably behind the surge in RSV cases. “As long as we’ve had a record of RSV and other respiratory diseases in the United States, there have been these very regular patterns of outbreaks,” said Rachel Baker, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at Brown University. (CNN)
President Biden has another COVID-19 challenge: how to make the ongoing pandemic fight nonpolitical. The president’s vaccine campaign has been remarkably sluggish. His team wants it to become less a matter of politics. (Politico)
The Food and Drug Administration postponed a meeting to review over-the-counter birth control pills. HRA Pharma sought the designation last July for its Opill contraceptive. The scheduling of an advisory committee meeting for Nov. 18 was considered unusually fast for the agency. (Axios)
Monkeypox can be far more devastating for men with weak immune systems, according to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report presents the most comprehensive picture to date of the severe consequences of infection and who is most at risk for serious complications. (The Washington Post)
Time BioVentures features biotech’s newest odd couple: Tim Wright, a pharma insider, and D.A. Wallach, a music maven. Wallach met Wright in 2018 at a beachside restaurant in Del Mar, Calif., where they dissected the healthcare industry over seafood. (STAT News)
