Practice Management
Just as high flu activity has patients and providers on edge, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists(ASHP) is noting a drug shortage of some types of oseltamivir oral capsules and powders. Likewise, GoodRx data through January 20, 2026, shows a peak of oseltamivir fills in the last week of December 2025, followed by a more recent drop, possibly indicating that the medications could be in short supply and/or indicating fewer prescriptions overall. Federal agencies state …
Read More
Merck recently announced its intent to acquire Cidara Therapeutics in a deal with a total transaction value of approximately $9.2 billion. Cidara’s pipeline includes an experimental long-acting antiviral drug that has the potential to offer single-dose, universal prevention against influenza A and B. Known as “CD388,” the pipeline product is not a vaccine but a low molecular weight biologic. It is expected to offer seasonal protection for various populations, including immunocompromised individuals. The transaction is …
Read More
A meta-analysis published in the New England Journal of Medicine of 511 studies found peer-reviewed evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza during the 2025–2026 season. The COVID-19 vaccines for the XBB.1.5 variant had a pooled vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization of 46-50% among adults and 37% among adults with weakened immune systems, according to the analysis. For RSV, vaccines had pooled estimates of 68% for maternal …
Read More
The last influenza season (2024–2025) was categorized as high-severity with more cases and hospitalizations than the previous 14 years. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also showing 109 rare cases of pediatric influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE) occurred last year as well. Overall, 74% of IAE patients were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 19% died. Only 16% of vaccine-eligible IAE patients had received the 2024–2025 flu vaccine. Of the …
Read More
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is now recommending flu vaccination for all individuals aged 6 months and older for the 2025–2026 season, emphasizing that any age-appropriate vaccine should be delivered without preference for a certain product or formulation, as posted in a prepublication release in Pediatrics. Contrasting with recent federal moves, AAP is advising against avoiding or delaying vaccination in order to seek out specific thimerosal-free options. Although the Centers for Disease Control and …
Read More
According to the last weekly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the current influenza season in the United States has resulted in the highest number of pediatric deaths since the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009–2010. As of the week ending April 26, 2025, at least 216 influenza-associated pediatric deaths have been reported—well above the 207 deaths recorded during the last flu season and especially concerning given that the season isn’t quite …
Read More
The particularly harsh 2024-2025 flu season is now in its seventh week of declining cases, according to fresh Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updates. Even so, activity has remained high for 18 weeks and counting, and the season is expected to linger on for several more weeks, says CDC. Pediatric deaths now number 168 for the season. The percentage of outpatient visits has been highest among those aged 0 to 4 years, followed …
Read More
Patients with underlying medical conditions (UMCs) were more likely to be hospitalized for influenza than those without UMCs, according to a retrospective study across 4 flu seasons published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Among 1,403 patients hospitalized with influenza at least once within a season, flu-related hospitalization was highest for patients with congestive heart failure (adjusted rate ratio, 4.2, 95% confidence interval: 3.6–4.9), followed by those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Multiple UMCs …
Read More
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that 13% of U.S. children who died from the flu this season had influenza-associated encephalopathy or encephalitis (IAE). Among them, 4 had acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE), the most severe form, which can cause brain dysfunction and inflammation. As of February 8, CDC confirmed 68 pediatric flu deaths, including 9 with IAE. More than half of the children with fatal IAE had no underlying …
Read More
Flu activity surged in the United States during the final week of January with healthcare visits for respiratory virus symptoms reaching a notably high level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu test positivity rose to 31.6%, and outpatient visits for flu-like illness climbed to 7.8%, staying above the national baseline for the 10th consecutive week. Flu activity remains high or very high across most of the country. The CDC estimates …
Read More