Seven days in medicine: 25-31 August 2021
BMJ 2021; 374 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n2122 (Published 02 September 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;374:n2122
Covid-19
FDA approves Pfizer vaccine in record time
The US Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to the two dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against covid-19 for people aged 16 and above. President Joe Biden used the approval to urge hesitant Americans to get vaccinated and called on businesses and local leaders to require employees to do so. This vaccine has been used under emergency authorisation since December 2020, with Pfizer applying for full approval on 7 May 2021 and approval being granted in under four months, the fastest time in FDA history. (Full story doi:10.1136/bmj.n2096)
Pfizer side effects “clear quickly” in high risk teens
The side effects of Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine are likely to be mild to moderate and should clear up quickly in 12-15 year olds at high risk of complications from the infection because of certain coexisting conditions, concluded a small study in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.1 The authors wrote, “Numbers were small, but these data are especially important as they are representative of the children who are most likely to benefit from vaccination, and parents and clinicians may have concerns regarding an increased risk of unexpected events.”
Smoking and drinking surged in first lockdown
The number of 18-34 year olds who smoke increased by 25% in …
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