The 2022–23 influenza vaccine has provided reasonable protection against infection and hospitalization caused by infection, members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices heard on Wednesday. With influenza A/H3N2 predominating this season, estimated vaccine effectiveness was 54% in children and adults aged 6 months to 64 years, according to data from the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin reported by Stat. “Still, though this year’s flu shot performance is good relative to other years, the vaccine effectiveness estimates underwhelmed Sarah Long, one of the members of the ACIP,” reporter Helen Branswell wrote. “’This was the year that we thought there was a very good match,’ said Long, a professor of pediatrics at Drexel University College of Medicine. ‘It’s reassuring somewhat that it’s a higher effectiveness than last year, for instance, or the year before. But it still is, for all of us, disappointing after all of this time and annual immunization. And although we’re saving lives, and saving hospitalizations, we don’t want to lose track of that.’”
FDA announced yesterday it has filed money penalty (CMP) complaints against 4 tobacco product manufacturers for manufacturing and selling e-liquids without marketing authorization. The agency said this is the first time CMP complaints have been filed against tobacco product manufacturers to enforce the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act’s premarket review requirements for new tobacco products.