Articles related to ALERTS/WARNINGS/ADVISEMENT

The CDC has released updated guidelines for prescribing opioids. The newest guidelines focus on patient-centered decisions and reduce some limitations on prescribing that were put in place back in 2016. The updated guidance recognizes the ongoing increase in opioid-related deaths, but seeks to give physicians and patients more direction in managing individual therapy.

The two new studies in the Morbidity and Mortality Report compared data from July and August 2021 – when delta was dominant to the earlier period in the pandemic – and found that about 1.4 of every 100,000 children/adolescents were hospitalized for COVID-19, nearly 5x the weekly rate in late June and close to the peak in January. Also, the weekly rate of 1.9 per 100,000 children ages 0-4 years in mid-August was nearly 10 times that of late June.

The data was presented to the FDA, which reported 789 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis – predominantly in males – after receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, most commonly after the second dose. Symptoms included chest pain, elevated cardiac enzymes, ST or T wave changes, dyspnea, and abnormal echocardiography/imaging for those ages 30 years and younger.

Since April 2021, there have been reports of myocarditis and/or pericarditis after receipt of an m-RNA COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . Most cases have been among male adolescents and young adults ages 16 and older, typically occurring within several days after the second dose of m-RNA COVID-19 vaccine.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) stated goal for deploying a COVID-19 vaccine is “to decrease death and serious disease as much as possible.” According to José Romero, MD, Chair of the ACIP, the decision to vaccinate health care workers first is based on the actions that will help control the pandemic fastest.