FDA issues Emergency Use Authorization to Thermo Fisher On Friday, the FDA issued the fourth COVID-19 diagnostic Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Thermo Fisher for its TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit. The FDA issued an EUA to Thermo Fisher for its diagnostic test within 24 hours of receiving the request. This is the second commercially distributed test to receive an EUA during … [Read more...]
Henry Schein offers outlook for product availability
March 16, 2020 Henry Schein Chairman and CEO Stanley Bergman told customers in a March 12 letter that the company is working to procure products from existing as well as alternate suppliers, but to expect some product shortages in the weeks ahead. The company is rationing shipments of product to existing customers only, he added. Bergman provided Henry Schein’s outlook … [Read more...]
Coronavirus News – March 13
Johnson & Johnson’s business continuity statement Johnson & Johnson today released a business continuity statement in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Johnson & Johnson is closely monitoring the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation and taking steps to help prevent the spread of the virus as well as exploring the potential for a vaccine,” the company wrote. “We … [Read more...]
FDA to providers: Be strategic, be safe in your use of surgical masks and gowns
No surprise here: The need for personal protective equipment (e.g., surgical masks, surgical and isolation gowns, and scrub suits) may outpace the supply available to healthcare providers during the COVID-19 outbreak. That word came from the FDA in a March 11 letter to providers. So what are providers to do? First of all, they should RESIST the temptation to toss out all the … [Read more...]
Coronavirus News – March 12
President Trump suspends travel from Europe for 30 days President Donald Trump has announced sweeping travel restrictions - suspending travel for 30 days -- on 26 European countries in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus. It includes countries within the Schengen Agreement, which abolished many of the European Union’s (EU) internal borders, enabling passport-free … [Read more...]
Coronavirus News – March 11
BREAKING: WHO Declares Coronavirus Outbreak a Pandemic The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic as it spreads in more than 100 countries around the world. The WHO said it was deeply concerned by the "alarming levels of inaction" about the coronavirus outbreak but described the term "pandemic" as both a "characterization" and a … [Read more...]
Coronavirus News – March 10
Trump administration says testing for virus would ramp up quickly as 700+ U.S. cases confirmed The Trump administration has said that testing for the coronavirus would ramp up quickly in the coming weeks. “There will be more cases,” said Vice President Mike Pence. “But we simply ask for the American people to engage in common sense practices.” President Donald Trump appeared … [Read more...]
Coronavirus News – March 9
U.S. healthcare conferences disrupted by coronavirus A growing number of conference organizers are cancelling, postponing or transitioning to virtual meetings as the coronavirus spreads across the globe and the U.S. This week’s HIMSS Conference (Orlando, FL) was canceled for the first time in its nearly 60-year history. President Donald Trump was scheduled to speak at … [Read more...]
Coronavirus News – March 6
CMS develops additional code for coronavirus lab tests CMS took additional actions to prepare to respond to COVID-19, developing a second Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code that can be used by laboratories to bill for certain COVID-19 diagnostic tests to help increase testing and track new cases. CMS has released new fact sheets that explain Medicare, … [Read more...]
Coronavirus News – March 5
Study to test safety of Moderna vaccine -WSJ Healthy Seattle area volunteers have been asked to participate in the first clinical trial of an experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by biotech company Modera (Cambridge, MA). Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (Seattle) aims to enroll 45 adults from the region to determine the safety of various doses of … [Read more...]