Published Data Show Why GSK Bailed on Its Maternal RSV Vaccine
GSK’s abandoned maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine protected infants from severe RSV, final results of a phase III trial indicated, but those positive outcomes came at the expense of an unexplained higher risk for preterm birth. For newborns up to 6 months of age, efficacy with the RSV prefusion F protein-based vaccine (RSVPreF3-Mat) during […]
COVID Vax in Pregnancy Protects Young Infants Against Omicron
Maternal COVID vaccination in pregnancy protected young infants against Omicron-associated hospitalization, but few women actually receive the vaccine during pregnancy, according to new data from the CDC. At least one maternal vaccine dose had an effectiveness of 54% (95% CI 32-68) against COVID-related hospitalization among infants younger than 3 months of age, and an effectiveness […]
Light or moderate alcohol consumption does not guard against diabetes, obesity: Study finds these associations are stronger in women
People who have just one or two drinks per day are not protected against endocrine conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Alcohol consumption is a significant public health concern because it is related to many medical conditions […]
COVID Vax Protects People of All Body Weights From Severe Outcomes
COVID-19 vaccines protected against severe disease and death in people with overweight or obesity, a large English study found. Compared with the unvaccinated, vaccinated individuals in each BMI group experienced significantly lower likelihood of COVID-related hospitalization starting at 2 weeks from their second dose, reported Carmen Piernas, PhD, of the University of Oxford, and colleagues: […]
What Doctors Want You To Know About Abortion Right Now
Since 1973, Roe v. Wade has protected the right of all Americans to access safe and legal abortions. But a leaked document published by Politico on Monday shows that the federal protections conferred by Roe may be struck down by the Supreme Court this summer. If Roe falls, the legality of abortion will be determined […]
Changing climate impacts biodiversity in protected areas globally: Research underscores importance of adopting climate-smart conservation strategies
Protected areas — such as nature reserves, national parks, and wilderness areas — are essential to conserving biodiversity. New research published in Environmental Research Letters provides insights for developing climate-smart conservation strategies. The study looked at the global network of protected areas, evaluated potential for shifts in where plants and animals occur due to climate […]
Scientists identify areas of high marine mammal diversity
Sightings of more than 1 million marine mammals in the federally protected Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument and sites along the Atlantic Coast have been used to identify areas of high marine mammal diversity. These findings underscore the importance of ocean conservation as these waters face increasing impacts from human activities. In a […]
Humans managed shellfish and their predators for millennia
Due to their protected status, sea otter populations have rebounded across the Pacific Northwest Coast following their near elimination during the historic maritime fur trade. But the recovery of these shellfish predators and the federal laws now protecting them challenge local Indigenous communities who hold constitutionally protected rights to harvest those same shellfish but who […]