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Today's Rundown

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BREAKING: Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 shot sails through FDA panel after staffers sing its praises

Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine is one step closer to an emergency nod after an expert panel voted in favor of its emergency use Thursday evening. The Vaccines and Related Biologics Products Advisory Committee voted 17-4, with one panel member abstaining, that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed its risks for use in people 16 and older.

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AstraZeneca, J&J COVID-19 shots must succeed to meet U.S. vaccination goal: Slaoui

COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna could be on the market soon, but they won't get the U.S. to its goal of vaccinating most people by summer. Operation Warp Speed co-leader Moncef Slaoui says shots from AstraZeneca and J&J could fill the gap, though some analysts are expressing doubts about AZ's chances of success.

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McConnell takes liability, state aid off table to get deal on COVID-19 relief package

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed removing state and local aid as well as liability protections from a COVID-19 relief package but Democratic leadership has endorsed a bipartisan package.

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Moderna doses adolescents in COVID-19 vaccine study, setting it up to target 2021-22 school year

Moderna has dosed the first adolescents in a phase 2/3 clinical trial designed to position its COVID-19 vaccine for use in children as young as 12 years old before the start of the 2021-22 school year.

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Hackers breach Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine data in cyberattack targeting EMA

Of all the cyberattacks that have targeted COVID-19 research, one is now known to have successfully snatched some data—from Pfizer and BioNTech's BNT162b2, the Western world’s first authorized coronavirus vaccine.

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HHS defends falling short of PPE goals on Strategic National Stockpile as some shortages linger

The Trump administration defended its stewardship of the Strategic National Stockpile after it missed a goal of having 300M N95 masks on hand.

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FDA authorizes first at-home COVID-19 test available without a prescription

No search for an open COVID-19 testing center. No waiting in line. No need to even venture outside the house, in fact. That's the promise of LabCorp's Pixel test, which has secured an FDA green light for home delivery without a prescription.

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Moody's: Outlook stable for health insurers in 2021 despite COVID-19, policy pressures

The credit outlook for health insurers is stable for next year, though several trends to watch in 2021 could have a notable financial impact, according to a new report from Moody's Investors Service.

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Biopharma roundup: AstraZeneca, J&J shots needed for U.S. vaccination goal

The U.S. needs shots from AstraZeneca and J&J, not just Pfizer and Moderna, to hit its summer vaccination goal, Warp Speed chief Moncef Slaoui said. The FDA authorized an at-home COVID test for use without a prescription. Plus, a CDC official says she was told to delete an email with evidence of political interference in CDC processes.

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Healthcare roundup: CVS aiming to boost access to flu vaccines

Follow along with the latest COVID-19 news straight from the Fierce Healthcare team.

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