The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a key advisory panel meeting on coronavirus booster shots on Sept. 17, a mere three days before the Biden administration plans to begin offering third shots for Americans. While the public session could add clarity to what some feel has been a confusing decision-making process, it also…  read on >  read on >

When people have knee arthritis, cartilage cushioning the joint progressively breaks down. Now an early study hints at a possible solution: replacing it with cartilage from the nose. Researchers tested the approach in just two patients with knee arthritis, and said much work lies ahead. But the initial findings, published Sept. 1 in Science Translational…  read on >  read on >

If you’re vaccinated against COVID-19, you may still get infected — but the odds you’ll need hospitalization are reduced by about two-thirds compared to unvaccinated people, a new study reveals. Vaccination also greatly increases the chances that COVID-19 infection will be asymptomatic and halves the risk of long-haul symptoms — those lasting 28 days or…  read on >  read on >

Two senior leaders in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine review office are stepping down, but their departures won’t slow efforts to combat the pandemic, the agency said Tuesday. “We are confident in the expertise and ability of our staff to continue our critical public health work, including evaluating COVID-19 vaccines,” FDA spokesperson Stephanie…  read on >  read on >

Nearly 14 million Americans got their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine in August, a steep rise from July, White House officials said Tuesday. The statistic is a sign that vaccine skepticism may be waning, as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to fuel case surges across the United States. “We’ve accelerated the pace of…  read on >  read on >