Axios Vitals: The next generation of vaccines won't come as quickly

1 big thing: The next generation of vaccines won't come as quickly | Friday, April 23, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Blue Cross Blue Shield Association   Vitals By Caitlin Owens ·Apr 23, 2021 Good morning. Today's word count is 881, or a 3-minute read.     1 big thing: The next generation of vaccines won't come as quickly Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   A flood of cash from Operation Warp Speed helped coax a slew of biotech companies into the race for a coronavirus vaccine, but the incentives to keep working on new competitors won't be nearly as strong. Why it matters: That initial flood of cash worked — it delivered multiple, highly effective vaccines in record time. In other disease areas, though, second- and third-generation vaccines usually become the dominant products. And the first COVID-19 vaccines aren't necessarily a great fit for the whole world. The big picture: Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA vaccines are extremely effective. And in the U.S. and other wealthy countries, their cold-storage requirements and multiple doses are easily manageable. "The incentive to try to develop a vaccine that will try and take the place of a vaccine like that is not overwhelming," NIAID Director Anthony Fauci said. The American government doesn't have much reason to pour more billions of dollars into subsequent research, and the vaccine market is highly dependent on governments and non-governmental organizations. Yes, but: Each of the existing vaccines has some feature that makes it a less-than-perfect candidate for use in lower-income countries, and it's ultimately in rich countries' self-interest to vaccinate as much of the world as possible. Pfizer and Moderna are both two shots and require very cold storage. AstraZeneca is two shots and has been plagued by bad headlines and safety concerns from European regulators. Johnson & Johnson is one shot, but it's also suffering some reputational damage due to extremely rare side effects. The intrigue: Especially because so much of the remaining need will be in poorer countries, the traditional market incentives to develop a cheaper competing product don't really apply here. "If you're trying to get another vaccine developed at a lower price, that's probably not a good incentive" for drug companies, said Craig Garthwaite, a professor at Northwestern University. "We now have performance standards ... for efficacy, safety, cost, ease of use, speed to develop new generation for coverage of variants, and scalability of manufacturing," said Krishna Udayakumar, founding director of the Duke Global Health Innovation Center. "New vaccines probably need to be better in one or more of those domains for longer-term sustainability." Go deeper.     2. The bad news about the J&J pause Data: Harris Poll; Chart: Will Chase/Axios Publicity surrounding the Johnson & Johnson vaccine's link to blood clots has had a negative effect on overall public opinion on vaccines, according to new Harris polling. By the numbers: 54% of respondents said they wouldn't be willing to take the J&J vaccine in the future, even if its use is given the go-ahead by federal regulators. Among those who were already skeptical of the vaccines — or who said they will "wait awhile and see" before taking the vaccine — well over half said the pause makes them more hesitant about vaccine safety overall. The news also negatively impacted the opinions of people who said they won't take the vaccine. And despite the rarity of blood clots among those who got the J&J vaccine, 69% of respondents said they are very or somewhat concerned about the link. 80% of those who want to wait and see before getting the vaccine said the same. All of that said, 77% of respondents said they strongly or somewhat support the decision to pause use of the vaccine. What we're watching: An independent advisory committee will meet again today about whether to resume use of the vaccine. But only slightly more than half of respondents think use of the vaccine should be resumed if it's linked to rare blood clots.     3. Heavy cannabis use may harm babies Reproduced from Shi, et. al, 2021, "The associations between prenatal cannabis use disorder and neonatal outcomes"; Chart: Axios Visuals Marijuana products often don't provide adequate warnings about potential risks to pregnant women, according to a new study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The big picture: Preterm birth, low birth weight and mortality are all more likely in babies born to mothers who have been diagnosed with cannabis use disorders, Axios' Marisa Fernandez writes. By the numbers: Roughly 7 out of every 1,000 babies born in California in 2012, the most recent year of data in the study, was born to a mother diagnosed with prenatal cannabis use disorder. Infants born to women with a cannabis use disorder were 35% more likely to die within a year of birth. How it works: CUD is different from casual use. The diagnosis requires continued use "despite impairments in physical, psychological and social functioning." Where it stands: Recreational marijuana is legal in 17 states, and medical marijuana is legal in over 30, often as a treatment for nausea, vomiting and pain — which pregnancy can cause. However, researchers are concerned that the adverse health effects for babies may outweigh the therapeutic effects for mothers. Only California, Michigan and Colorado require warning labels that mention risks for pregnant women on cannabis products, according to the study.     A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Reducing racial disparities in maternal health     Women of color are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. See how Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies nationwide are working to reduce racial maternal health disparities by 50% in five years.     4. Catch up quick Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   More than a year into the coronavirus pandemic, some 3 in 10 health care professionals say they've considered leaving the profession, citing burnout and stress, a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll out Thursday indicates. Washington state has entered its fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced during a press conference on Thursday. A preliminary study found no evidence that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines pose safety risks to pregnant women, the NYT reports. COVID-19 knows no bounds, reaching the farthest ends of the Earth — including Mount Everest. As the spring climbing season kicks off, officials warn the world's highest peak could serve as a setting for a "superspreader event," Axios' Tina Reed reports.     5. Dog of the week Coco. Photo: Tina Reed Meet Coco! Coco is Tina's new dog — aka an honorary member of the Axios health care team. Tina is only a week into the job, but Coco already feels bold enough to demand she join Zoom meetings, where her presence is very much appreciated.     A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Connecting vulnerable seniors with vaccines     Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies nationwide are using data and local relationships to help vaccinate millions of at-risk seniors living in underserved and vulnerable communities where COVID-19 vaccinations are most inequitable. See how.     Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: