Research

FDA shows concern over emergency authorization of Covid-19 vaccines The ageny may be exploring the idea of using expanded access — a more limiting program — in the early days of Covid vaccine rollouts. Helen Branswell STAT

There are serious signs the Food and Drug Administration is getting cold feet over the notion of issuing emergency use authorizations to allow for the widespread early deployment of Covid-19 vaccines.

Blood plasma showed no benefit in Covid-19 patients in trial The findings, published in BMJ, could re-energize the debate over whether blood plasma is an effective treatment for the disease. Damian Garde STAT

Infusing hospitalized Covid-19 patients with blood plasma from people who recovered from the disease had no effect on whether patients got sicker or died, according to the first completed randomized trial of the treatments.