General Interest
Why is it so hard to investigate the rare side effects of COVID vaccines?
2 Apr, 2021 | 09:28h | UTCWhy is it so hard to investigate the rare side effects of COVID vaccines? – Nature
[Press release – not published yet] Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is 91% effective for at least 6 months
2 Apr, 2021 | 09:29h | UTCCommentaries: Ongoing trial shows Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine remains highly effective after six months – CNN AND Coronavirus: Pfizer jab ‘stopping 91% of cases in first six months’ – BBC AND Expert reaction to press release from Pfizer and BioNTech on efficacy and safety up to six months after second vaccine dose, including data from South Africa – Science Media Centre AND Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine effective after 6 months and works against problem variant – LiveScience
Opinion | Mask Mandates, On-Premises Dining, and COVID-19
2 Apr, 2021 | 09:24h | UTCMask Mandates, On-Premises Dining, and COVID-19 – JAMA
Therapeutics and COVID-19 | WHO guideline update advises Ivermectin should only be used to treat COVID-19 within clinical trials
1 Apr, 2021 | 04:02h | UTCSummary and Infographic: Drug treatments for covid-19: living systematic review and network meta-analysis – The BMJ
Original guideline: Therapeutics and COVID-19: living guideline – World Health Organization
News release: WHO advises that ivermectin only be used to treat COVID-19 within clinical trials – World Health Organization
Commentary: WHO joins Europe, Merck in recommending against ivermectin for COVID-19 – Reuters
Commentary on Twitter
https://twitter.com/ThomasAgoritsas/status/1377372928451301384
RCT: Reduced-sodium added-potassium salt substitute reduces blood pressure in hypertensive patients
1 Apr, 2021 | 03:32h | UTC
Commentaries on Twitter
https://twitter.com/Dr_WuJ/status/1376715405553590275
Salt substitution (70% sodium chloride/30% potassium chloride blend) is an effective, low-cost intervention for BP controlhttps://t.co/EemPEY9T2k pic.twitter.com/xVITnGLEip
— K Pavithran (@drkpavithran) March 31, 2021
Editorial | Vaccine certificates: does the end justify the means?
1 Apr, 2021 | 03:41h | UTCVaccine certificates: does the end justify the means? – The Lancet Microbe
Related: Covid-19 vaccine passports will harm sustainable development – The BMJ Opinion AND Covid-19 vaccine passports and vaccine hesitancy: freedom or control? – The BMJ Opinion AND “Vaccine Passport” Certification — Policy and Ethical Considerations – New England Journal of Medicine AND Interim position paper: considerations regarding proof of COVID-19 vaccination for international travellers – World Health Organization
[Press release – not published yet] Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine 100% effective against Covid-19 in adolescents
1 Apr, 2021 | 03:52h | UTCPress release: Pfizer-BioNTech Announce Positive Topline Results Of Pivotal Covid-19 Vaccine Study In Adolescents
Commentaries: The Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Is Said to Be Powerfully Protective in Adolescents – The New York Times AND Covid: Children ‘well protected by Pfizer vaccine’ – BBC AND Pfizer Says COVID-19 Vaccine Shows ‘100% Efficacy’ In Adolescents – NPR AND Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine protects younger teens – Associated Press AND Pfizer and BioNTech say vaccine prevents Covid-19 in adolescents – STAT
Commentaries on Twitter
https://twitter.com/hildabast/status/1377376427239075840
This is really terrific
In trial of 2260 adolescents 12-15 year of age, Pfizer vaccine highly effective at preventing infections
18 infections in placebo group
0 infections in vaccine group
Robust antibody response
No serious side-effects
Looking forward to @US_FDA review https://t.co/VymGXOVb5E
— Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) March 31, 2021
Bill Gates: 5 things you should know about variants
1 Apr, 2021 | 03:49h | UTC5 things you should know about variants – GatesNotes
Commentary on Twitter
Here are five things you should know if you want to understand how variants are (and aren’t) complicating the pandemic. https://t.co/rANiDcZynJ
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 31, 2021
Despite Chile’s Speedy Covid-19 Vaccination Drive, Cases Soar
1 Apr, 2021 | 03:46h | UTCDespite Chile’s Speedy Covid-19 Vaccination Drive, Cases Soar – The New York Times (free registration may be required)
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Hospital ICUs overwhelmed despite fast vaccinations—Chile 🇨🇱 made a critical mistake—its government eased restrictions on travel, business and schools much too early, creating a false sense of confidence that pandemic was over. This always been my fear. 🧵https://t.co/6McpZjekxT pic.twitter.com/NbmKPiOpLI
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) March 30, 2021
Opinion | “Vaccine Passport” Certification — Policy and Ethical Considerations
1 Apr, 2021 | 03:40h | UTCRelated: Covid-19 vaccine passports will harm sustainable development – The BMJ Opinion AND Covid-19 vaccine passports and vaccine hesitancy: freedom or control? – The BMJ Opinion AND Vaccine certificates: does the end justify the means? – The Lancet Microbe AND Interim position paper: considerations regarding proof of COVID-19 vaccination for international travellers – World Health Organization
Physical inactivity and non-communicable disease burden in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries
31 Mar, 2021 | 03:10h | UTCCommentaries: Physical inactivity is responsible for up to 8% of non-communicable diseases and deaths worldwide – British Medical Journal AND ‘Couch Potato’ Lifestyles Cause Up to 8% of Global Deaths: Study – HealthDay
Commentary on Twitter
The health implications of physical inactivity are truly a global issue with physical inactivity responsible for up to 8% of non-communicable diseases and deaths across the world, finds research published in @BJSM_BMJ https://t.co/hcHlmgW7C6
— BMJ Group (@bmj_company) March 30, 2021
Why indoor spaces are still prime COVID hotspots
31 Mar, 2021 | 03:35h | UTCWhy indoor spaces are still prime COVID hotspots – Nature
[Preprint] Single dose of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines shows 62% efficacy for preventing disease and reduces viral load/transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 in residents of Long-Term Care Facilities
31 Mar, 2021 | 03:38h | UTCCommentaries: Single dose of Pfizer and Oxford vaccines shows 60% efficacy in elderly care home residents – NewsMedical AND Care home residents gain 62% protection from single dose of COVID-19 vaccine – University College London
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1376512132318121990
What it will take to vaccinate the world against COVID-19
31 Mar, 2021 | 03:32h | UTCWhat it will take to vaccinate the world against COVID-19 – Nature
Opinion | Covid-19 vaccine passports will harm sustainable development
31 Mar, 2021 | 03:31h | UTCCovid-19 vaccine passports will harm sustainable development – The BMJ Opinion
“Where you are born can predict how freely you will be able to travel for opportunity, education, and leisure. Being a citizen of certain countries grants people access to nearly the entire globe, whereas others face challenges just to legally leave the borders of the country they live in”
Opinion | Covid-19 vaccine passports and vaccine hesitancy: freedom or control?
31 Mar, 2021 | 03:29h | UTCCovid-19 vaccine passports and vaccine hesitancy: freedom or control? – The BMJ Opinion
“Recent debates around “vaccine passports,” or formal/mandatory certification of vaccination, point towards a potential widening societal divide between those who are vaccinated and those who are not.”
WHO-convened global study of origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part
31 Mar, 2021 | 03:25h | UTCWHO-convened global study of origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part – World Health Organization
News release: WHO calls for further studies, data on origin of SARS-CoV-2 virus, reiterates that all hypotheses remain open
Commentaries: WHO report into COVID pandemic origins zeroes in on animal markets, not labs – Nature AND WHO Director-General’s remarks at the Member State Briefing on the report of the international team studying the origins of SARS-CoV-2 – World Health Organization
See also: WHO report: COVID likely 1st jumped into humans from animals
All the Covid-19 vaccines prevent death and severe disease, and that’s what matters, experts say
31 Mar, 2021 | 03:28h | UTC
Analysis of conflicts of interest among authors and researchers of European clinical guidelines in cardiovascular medicine
30 Mar, 2021 | 02:53h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
We've just published in @Clin_Med our analysis of financial conflicts of interest (CoIs) amongst the authors of 5 ESC Guidelines. What we found was quite surprising. We would love to know what you all think!https://t.co/U371ROXGAv
Let's start with a poll 👇🏽
— Benoy Shah MD (@dr_benoy_n_shah) March 28, 2021
WHO report: COVID likely 1st jumped into humans from animals
30 Mar, 2021 | 03:29h | UTCWHO report: COVID likely 1st jumped into humans from animals – Associated Press
Commentaries: WHO report: Jump from animals most likely COVID-19 source – CIDRAP AND WHO, China Report Suggests COVID-19 Passed From Bats to Humans Through Another Animal – ContagionLive
Point-Counterpoint | Should healthcare providers receive treatment priority during a pandemic?
30 Mar, 2021 | 03:23h | UTCIntroducing Point-Counterpoint Perspectives in the Journal of Hospital Medicine
Counterpoint: Prioritizing Healthcare Workers for Scarce Critical Care Resources Is Impractical and Unjust – Journal of Hospital Medicine
‘Real world’ study by CDC shows Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 90% effective
30 Mar, 2021 | 03:27h | UTC‘Real world’ study by CDC shows Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 90% effective – STAT
Commentary on Twitter (thread – Click for more)
https://twitter.com/hildabast/status/1376648088878608386
Cochrane Library Editorial: Contested effects and chaotic policies: the 2020 story of (hydroxy) chloroquine for treating COVID‐19
28 Mar, 2021 | 22:55h | UTCCommentary and Infographic: Is chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine useful in treating people with COVID-19, or in preventing infection in people who have been exposed to the virus? – Cochrane Library
Original review: Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for prevention and treatment of COVID‐19 – Cochrane Library
Commentary on Twitter
New #VisualAbstract for the @Cochrane_IDG systematic review on #Chloroquine or #hydroxychloroquine for prevention and treatment of #COVID19 https://t.co/U7TnMzQTil Many thanks to @tylerdau & @cg_coleman from @EmoryMedicine pic.twitter.com/tlFKKa31E8
— The Cochrane Library (@CochraneLibrary) March 25, 2021
Editorial | Remote by default general practice: must we, should we, dare we?
28 Mar, 2021 | 22:18h | UTC
https://twitter.com/trishgreenhalgh/status/1375408196303650818
Opinion | Understanding of research results, evidence summaries and their applicability—not critical appraisal—are core skills of medical curriculum
28 Mar, 2021 | 22:16h | UTC
Commentaries on Twitter
Excellent 2-pager on prioritising understanding of results over critical appraisal in EBM training. (Note: I want both, but understanding results should be first). @LoaiAlbarqouni @Tammy_Hoffmann have experimented with that. https://t.co/Fd88xaqgOu pic.twitter.com/0LYnmUmD4K
— Paul Glasziou (@PaulGlasziou) March 18, 2021
We argue (with Gordon Guyatt) that evidence based medicine educators should spend much more time & emphasis on understanding of magnitude of effect & applicability of results; less time & emphasis to risk of bias in primary studies. Open access at https://t.co/E7NjzJwFxP #EBM pic.twitter.com/nMXp8hVzHb
— Kari Tikkinen (@KariTikkinen) March 18, 2021
Just published, exhorting the #EBM community to wake up to the fact that our teaching should focus on helping clinicians understand research results, not on conducting critical appraisal. @KariTikkinen https://t.co/07Hm8aSnAI pic.twitter.com/m2RWrBvCVT
— Gordon H. Guyatt (@GuyattGH) March 22, 2021
Really interesting article in BMJ EBM. Are we prioritising the wrong things in critical appraisal training? "Understanding of research results, evidence summaries and their applicability—not critical appraisal—are core skills of medical curriculum" https://t.co/gXk1zLVUX8
— MPFT Library (@library_mpft) March 23, 2021
Junior doctors *usually* rely on guidelines/evidence summaries, NOT primary research studies.
"….notion that most clinicians emerging from professional training will regularly evaluate the risk of bias in methods and results of primary studies is deluded."
Seems fair enough… https://t.co/prv2ZuZ6Yp— David Henshall (@DavidHenshall_) March 22, 2021