On the hook

Congress didn’t renew money for Covid vaccines and treatment. [Insert partisan comment of your choice here]. So guess who was left holding the bag syringe?

Pharmacist Peter Kreckel of Lemont Furnace, Pa., feels your pain, and he waxes frustradedly in “Pharmacy’s New “Dirty Little F-Word.”

The government has said that Covid-19 vaccines are free, and we as pharmacists are obligated to administer them at no charge. We community pharmacists have been—and still are—the heroes of the vaccine administration efforts.

Briefs of death

From Covid-19

At least 1,000,000 dead in the U.S. since late 2019 (probably more, but that’s the official number). Perspective: That’s more than three times the number of Americans killed in World War II.

From overdoses

More than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021 — that’s 15% higher than 2020, and a new record.

Nasal vaccines are on their way

More than a dozen trials of nasal-spray Covid vaccines are being run, although none involve mRNA vaccines (they’re too delicate to be delivered that way). Still, going through the nose has advantages when you’re dealing with a respiratory virus. As one medical director put it in a rather detailed metaphor:

“If you think of your body as a castle, an intramuscular vaccination is really protecting the inner areas of your castle so once invaders come in, that immunity protects against them taking the throne. But if you train your immune system to work at the gates of the castle, then the invaders not only have trouble getting in, but they may have trouble spreading inside.”

Oh, and in case you’re curious, the only nasal vaccine currently in use is Flumist.

Moderna CFO’s very abrupt day

So, how was your first day at work, Jorge?

“Well, I picked some prints for my office, had coffee with the staff, then got kicked out when they found out my old employer was investigating my bookkeeping practices.”

The new ad king

If you happen to see a lot of commercials for Dupixent (“Heal Your Skin From Within”) that’s because it’s the new king of pharma ads on television.

Next up are Stelera (“Move Toward Relief” — which is an immunology drug, not a laxative) and Jardiance* (“We’re On It” — which seems rather generic).

Why are we telling you this? Partly because it’s interesting to see what’s hot, and partly because we do like a little padding on a slow news day. Oh, and don’t forget the obligatory reminder that direct-to-consumer drug ads are only legal in the U.S. and New Zealand.

This is your heart on the flu

Old assumption: Influenza causes inflammation, and that can damage the heart.

New study: The flu virus infects heart cells directly, causing damage — specifically electrical malfunctions and the scary-sounding “heart scarring.”

Researchers at an Ohio State University figured this out with mice, but they don’t yet know much more. That’s where further research comes in.

“Now we need to figure out what direct infection does: Is it killing heart cells? Does it have long-term ramifications? Do repeated infections have heart complications that build up over time? There are a lot of questions now for us to answer.”

Add a grain of salt to those berries

Eating blueberries can cut your risk of dementia … according to a University of Cincinnati study funded by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

The Long Read: Addiction Blocker edition

How might you help people overcome drug addiction? The answer might be buprenorphine — but not a tablet or troche. Instead, a monthly extended-release injection could overcome a lot of obstacles … if there weren’t a whole lot of regulatory issues in the way.

Bonus: Includes our favorite phrase, “game changer”.