Iowa news
Co-founded by University of Iowa assistant professor Brett Faine, the Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Research Network establishes a network of researchers at 15 different centers nationwide to evaluate pharmacotherapy practices. Pharmacotherapy is the treatment of diseases, especially mental illness, with drugs. Faine, who is an assistant professor in the department of emergency medicine at the UI and a clinical pharmacy specialist, co-founded the network with Megan Rech, a clinical pharmacist at Loyola University. (The Daily Iowan)
COVID-19 vaccine demand surges again as Iowa opens eligibility to all 16 and over
Iowa entered the final stage of its COVID-19 vaccination schedule Monday, opening eligibility to all of the state’s more than 2.3 million residents who are 16 or older. With that expansion comes a new ratcheting up of demand against a still limited supply of vaccine doses. Available Hy-Vee appointments filled up within about an hour of opening across the state on Monday morning, company spokesperson Christina Gayman said. (Des Moines Register)
Iowa medical providers could no longer require women to obtain permission from their spouses in order to receive a hysterectomy under a bill that House Republicans are trying to advance for a second time this year. House lawmakers backing the bill say that some doctors in Iowa are still using the requirement, which appears to be uncommon. But they declined to identify any doctors that do. (Des Moines Register)
National news
Researchers are hatching a low-cost COVID-19 vaccine
A new vaccine for COVID-19 entering clinical trials in Brazil, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam could change how the world fights the pandemic. The vaccine, called NVD-HXP-S, is the first in clinical trials to use a new molecular design that is widely expected to create more potent antibodies than the current generation of vaccines. And the new vaccine could be far easier to make. (The New York Times)
FCC moves forward with $250M telehealth program with a focus on equitable distribution
The Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved a process for distributing nearly $250 million to help health care providers deliver telehealth services. For the second round of funding, the agency has established new application guidelines aimed at making disbursement more equitable. The funding will cover the costs of providers’ telecommunications services, information services and connected devices necessary to enable telehealth during the pandemic. The agency said it expects to begin accepting health care providers’ applications for the funds within 30 days. (Fierce Healthcare)
More than 3 million people are now receiving a COVID-19 vaccine in the US each day
For the first time, more than 3 million people, on average, are receiving COVID-19 vaccines each day in the US, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And on Saturday, the country reported more than 4 million doses in one day for the first time. The milestones reflect a steady increase in the capacity of states to deliver shots into arms. In early March, the nation surpassed an average of 2 million doses administered daily, up from around 800,000 doses a day in mid-January. Nearly a third of the US population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as more states expand eligibility and production ramps up. (The New York Times)