The CMV vaccine had been the company’s lead program prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Leadership had repeatedly said it could bring in between $2 billion and $5 billion in peak annual sales. Analysts polled by Visible Alpha forecast peak sales of $1.6 billion for the product.

“It’s obviously disappointing,” said Stephen Hoge, Moderna’s president, in an interview.

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…

RESIDENTS OF Cedar Valley in Sligoville, St Catherine, recently benefited from a community health fair that included health screening, wellness workshops and giveaways, courtesy of the event sponsors. The project was conceptualised by Dr Juwell...

Residents in St Lucy have demanded clear proof that their water is safe to drink, said a political hopeful on Tuesday, accusing the Barbados Water Authority of offering reassurance without delivering the transparency needed to rebuild public trust.

Wayne Griffith, United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for St Lucy, called for community-level testing — saying that people in the north continue to live in “a state of uncertainty and expense” over the quality of what flows from their taps.

He was responding to a BWA press conference in which BWA acting Chief Executive Officer Christopher Mapp sought to reassure the public that water being distributed from the Allendale Pumping Station is safe to drink. “All indications show that the water is potable,” Mapp said, adding, “Would I feel comfortable drinking it? Yes.”

But according to Griffth, such assurances have done little to ease concern. While the BWA’s tests at Allendale show safe results, “customers do not collect water directly from Allendale”, and so those results fail to reflect what people are actually experiencing at home, he said.

“The only consistent water source for many residents is the supermarket shelf,” he said, adding that households are spending hundreds of dollars each month buying bottled water on top of their regular water bills. “We urge the BWA to release test results from households in places like Hope Road, Maycocks, Pie Corner, or Checker Hall.”

Griffith also pointed to the age of the island’s water distribution system — with some mains over a century old being replaced at a cost of roughly one million dollars per kilometre — as a likely reason for the discoloured and foul-smelling water that many in the north continue to report. “These old pipes are prone to rust and corrosion. Until they’re replaced, we can’t accept the claim that the water is safe simply because the source tests clean.”

He stressed that residents’ expectations are simple: “Safe water must meet three fundamental criteria: colourless, odourless, and tasteless. Without these criteria being met, we remain unconvinced that our tap water is fit for human consumption.”

The UPP candidate insisted that residents have lost confidence in the system. “I can assure you that in St Lucy, we’re not consuming tap water that’s discoloured or foul-smelling,” he said firmly. “We are against paying the monthly garbage and sewage contribution levy, and the $32 monthly rebate.”

Griffith said that while science and testing are important, public trust must be earned through transparency and tangible results. “Regardless of the scientific assessment which the BWA presents, we will neither accept them as gospel nor be drinking the water until these critical quality issues are addressed at the point of consumption.” (LE)

The post St Lucy politico calls for proof tap water is safe appeared first on Barbados Today.

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Society of Infectious Diseases has urged the Ministry of Public Health to take immediate action following the detection of a cholera outbreak in Haiti. The organization called for reinforced epidemiological and environmental surveillance at border crossings and other high-risk areas to prevent the spread of the disease into Dominican territory.

The Society warned that the risk of cholera resurgence in the Dominican Republic has risen sharply due to the ongoing migration of Haitians, increased mobility in border regions, and current weather conditions marked by heavy rains and low water levels — factors that can facilitate the transmission of Vibrio cholerae through contaminated water.

Health authorities are advised to strengthen early detection, community education, and access to safe water, while ensuring rapid response to suspected cases. The organization reaffirmed its readiness to support national efforts through technical training, protocol updates, and public awareness initiatives in line with WHO and PAHO guidelines.

According to recent data, Haiti reported 112 suspected cholera cases in early October, including 10 confirmed, 43 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths — mostly in the Ouest department, home to Port-au-Prince. So far in 2025, the country has recorded 2,797 suspected cases, 114 confirmed infections, 2,023 hospitalizations, and 47 deaths, underscoring ongoing community transmission and resurgence in densely populated areas.

When anesthesiologists lead the preoperative process, patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures-one of the leading causes of hospitalization in older adults — get to the operating room (OR) faster and have fewer complications, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 annual meeting.

Due to unnecessary consultations and medical tests that can occur prior to getting patients to the OR, hip fracture patients often experience surgical delays of 24 hours or more. These delays can sharply raise the risk of complications, such as blood clots, infections and death. Additionally, because hip fracture patients are usually older, frail and have multiple health conditions, the traumatic nature of the injury and immobilization can cause a rapid deterioration in physical and mental well-being. The faster patients get to the OR to reverse the trauma and start recovery, the better their outcome, the authors note.

“Anesthesiologists are uniquely trained to quickly identify any conditions that must be addressed before surgery, as well as recognize those that can wait until after the procedure,” said Sabatino Leffe, D.O., senior author of the study and vice chairman of Northwell Southshore University Hospital, Bay Shore, New York. “After a hip fracture, every hour counts, and by avoiding unnecessary delays and focusing on what truly matters for safe surgery, we can help patients get to surgery and back on their feet faster.”

At most hospitals, hip fracture patients are seen by an emergency room or orthopedic physician who works with the internal medicine physician or hospitalist to admit the patient and schedule the surgery. The physician(s) may order various tests to rule out heart, neurological or other issues, even when patients don’t have active symptoms or the test results won’t change the immediate management of the patient. This can delay surgery for hours and sometimes days.

In the study, researchers developed an anesthesiologist-led process early in the admission process for hip fracture patients. Anesthesiologists assessed patients to ensure they were healthy to undergo anesthesia in order to reach the OR as soon as possible. They determined if the patient’s heart and lungs were stable, standard tests were normal and less urgent issues could be handled after surgery. If a serious problem was found — such as an uncontrolled heart rhythm or fluid in the lungs — the anesthesiologist consulted with the appropriate specialist and set clear treatment goals to get the patient stabilized and into surgery as quickly as possible.

To determine if the anesthesiologist-led system made a difference, researchers compared 130 patients treated with the traditional approach to 392 patients treated with the anesthesiologist-led approach. The average age of the patients in both groups was 79.

Those in the traditional process group were brought to the OR an average of 30.8 hours after admission, while those in the anesthesiologist-led group were brought to the OR an average of 25.7 hours after admission, about five hours faster. Patients in the anesthesiologist-led group had significantly fewer complications than those in the traditional group. For example, those in the anesthesiologist-led group had 59% fewer heart or lung complications and 75% fewer thromboembolic complications (such as blood clots) than those in the traditional group. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding length of stay, infection or death.

An aging population is driving a dramatic rise in the incidence of hip fractures, which are typically caused by a combination of having fragile bones (osteoporosis) and falling or other trauma, said Dr. Leffe. About 350,000 Americans fracture a hip annually, according to research. Many never regain their prior level of mobility and independence and/or suffer from long-term complications, including cognitive decline, chronic pain, pneumonia or bedsores.

“Our study demonstrates that a preoperative process primarily led by the anesthesiologist results in markedly improved time to surgery, with fewer complications and no increase in deaths or length of stay,” said Surya Indukuri, B.S., lead author of the study and a medical student at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University, Uniondale, New York. “We are confident this expedited care will reduce unnecessary testing and shorten hospital stays, which should result in significant cost savings.”

North Chicago: AbbVie has announced that it has completed its acquisition of Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals' lead investigational candidate, bretisilocin.

Bretisilocin is a novel, short-acting serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist and 5-HT releaser currently in Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder (MDD). This next-generation 5-HT2A receptor agonist is designed to help address current development challenges observed with classic psychedelic compounds.

"Recent clinical results have demonstrated the potential of bretisilocin to treat patients living with MDD," said Daniel Mikol, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, neuroscience development, AbbVie. "With the acquisition now complete, we look forward to accelerating the development of this next-generation compound, reinforcing AbbVie's commitment to delivering innovative, science-driven treatment options for people living with serious mental health conditions."

Read also: Abbvie gets USFDA approval for updated indication statement for Rinvoq for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

PAHO publishes guide for designing Artificial Intelligence instructions in public health

Cristina Mitchell

20 Oct 2025

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Public Health reported 126 maternal deaths through early October, representing a 10% reduction compared to the same period last year.

According to the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (Sinave), this figure reflects 14 fewer maternal deaths than in 2024, when 140 deaths were reported.

Although the trend is positive, the report notes that of the 126 maternal deaths, two occurred in epidemiological week (EW) 40, from September 28 to October 4, which remains a high figure and highlights challenges in equity in access to maternal health services, especially in rural and vulnerable areas of the country.

These results are below the five reported in the 2024 SE-40, indicating better weekly performance.

However, the recent section of the SE-37–40 also saw an improvement, with 14 deaths in 2025 compared to 18 in 2024, reinforcing a downward trend in the short term.

Improving maternal care: factors explaining the reduction

According to the Epidemiology Directorate’s bulletin, this decrease could be related to several key actions within the health system, such as increased prenatal care coverage, strengthening obstetric emergency care, ongoing training of health personnel, and increased availability of essential medical supplies.

These measures aim to significantly improve the quality and timeliness of care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, critical periods for maternal health.

Maternal deaths by nationality

The analysis by nationality reveals that 70 deaths among Dominican women were recorded as of October 4, compared to 75 in 2024, equivalent to a reduction of five cases. Among Haitian women, 56 cases were reported in 2025 and 65 in 2024.

These data highlight the need for specific actions for migrant populations, who often face additional barriers to accessing timely, quality medical care.

The areas with the lowest maternal death rates are Santo Domingo, San Cristobal, and San Pedro de Macorís. These are followed by the provinces of Valverde, Azua, and Duarte/Monte Cristi.

While some provinces, such as La Vega, La Altagracia, Samaná, and the National District, recorded increases.

This mix of decreases and increases suggests sustained improvements in large urban areas but risk hotspots in provinces with pronounced relative increases, which warrant case audits (delays, referrals, blood/uterotonic availability, management of sepsis and hypertensive disorders) and postpartum reinforcement.

What is maternal mortality, and why is it a key public health indicator?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), maternal death is defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days after the termination of pregnancy, due to causes related to the pregnancy, excluding accidental or incidental causes.

The WHO classifies maternal deaths into two types: direct, those caused by obstetric complications such as hemorrhage, eclampsia, sepsis, among others, and indirect, related to pre-existing or acquired diseases that worsen during pregnancy, such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), malaria, or heart disease.

Reducing maternal mortality at the regional and global levels

Globally, between 2000 and 2023, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) decreased by approximately 40%, from 328 to 197 deaths per 100,000 live births.

In the Americas, maternal mortality decreased by 19% between 2020 and 2023, representing nearly five fewer deaths per day across the region.

The reduction in the number of maternal deaths in the Dominican Republic is an encouraging sign, but it is not enough.

This is necessary to continue providing primary care, improve the quality of prenatal care, and expand access to health services in remote communities.

Maternal mortality is more than just a number: it is an essential indicator of the state of the health system, equity in health care, and women’s reproductive rights.