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Today's Rundown

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine investigator leaves FDA advisory committee over conflict of interest
New study highlights COVID-19's disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities
FDA greenlights its first coronavirus antibody blood test for the point of care
Biopharma roundup: Merck could still make Warp Speed; New York to conduct vaccine reviews
Healthcare roundup: BCBSRI launches COVID-19 public health dashboard
Pharma's reputation gains persist through pandemic, bolstered by vaccine makers' pledge: Harris Poll
Ascension latest health system to report hits from COVID-19 as it posts $1B loss last year
Humana's CMO on how COVID-19 pushed the company to 'rethink our role' with MA members
Lumen bags U.S. grant for GI-focused COVID-19 antibody cocktail

Featured Story

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine investigator leaves FDA advisory committee over conflict of interest

By Ben Adams

The FDA’s advisory committee chair has stepped down from reviewing the upcoming pandemic vaccines given her prominent role in Moderna’s late-stage COVID-19 test.

New study highlights COVID-19's disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities

By Paige Minemyer

A new study from U.S. News & World Report and Aetna further highlights the direct link between social determinants of health and the pandemic.

FDA greenlights its first coronavirus antibody blood test for the point of care

By Conor Hale

The FDA has authorized its first COVID-19 antibody test designed to be used on-site at the point of care—such as within doctors' offices, urgent care centers and emergency rooms.

Biopharma roundup: Merck could still make Warp Speed; New York to conduct vaccine reviews

By Eric Sagonowsky, Angus Liu, Kyle Blankenship, Conor Hale, Fraiser Kansteiner

While it isn't a frontrunner, Merck's vaccine could still make the Operation Warp Speed program. In the end, Merck and fellow vaccine giant Sanofi could win significant market share even if they're not first to market. Meanwhile, political concerns about the FDA's regulatory process continued into Thursday as New York planned its own review.

Healthcare roundup: BCBSRI launches COVID-19 public health dashboard

By Healthcare Staff

Follow along with the latest COVID-19 news straight from the Fierce Healthcare team.

Pharma's reputation gains persist through pandemic, bolstered by vaccine makers' pledge: Harris Poll

By Beth Snyder Bulik

Americans love a good pledge. At least, that's the message the pharma industry and nine COVID-19 vaccine makers, who jointly pledged a safe and effective development and approval process, are getting. Just a couple weeks later, a poll has found that among people familiar with the pledge, 55% had a more positive perception of the vaccine companies involved.

Ascension latest health system to report hits from COVID-19 as it posts $1B loss last year

By Tina Reed

Catholic healthcare giant Ascension posted a $1 billion net loss last year, becoming the latest in a string of major health systems to report major financial hits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Humana's CMO on how COVID-19 pushed the company to 'rethink our role' with MA members

By Tina Reed

When it came to figuring out how to best help Humana's Medicare Advantage plans in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company had to "rethink our role," Humana Chief Medical Officer told Fierce Health Payer during a recent virtual event.

Lumen bags U.S. grant for GI-focused COVID-19 antibody cocktail

By Nick Paul Taylor

Lumen Bioscience has received a federal grant to develop a treatment for gastrointestinal infection in COVID-19 patients. The money will support work on a biologic drug cocktail that Lumen thinks can be a scalable, inexpensive fix for the gastrointestinal symptoms that affect many people with COVID-19.

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