Category Archives: Molecular Medicine

People with blood type A may be more at risk of serious forms of the coronavirus, new research has shown.

The study, by researchers in Germany and Norway but not yet published in a journal, is the latest to show that people with this particular blood type may be more susceptible to the disease.

The researchers found two points in the human genome which were associated with an increased risk of respiratory failure in patients with Covid-19. One of these points is the gene that determines blood type.

Having type A blood was linked to a 50 per cent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need oxygen or go on a ventilator, the researchers found.

However, Andre Franke, professor of molecular medicine at the University of Kiel and lead author of the study, said it was not certain whether it was the blood group that determined whether someone would become more seriously ill, or the genetic marker.

We cannot disentangle yet whether actually the blood group is the risk or some genetic variants that are linked to the blood groups. Using the blood groups as proxies, we estimate a 50 per cent higher protection for [blood type] O and a 50 per cent higher risk for A, said Prof Franke.

Researchers took blood samples from 1,610 patients in hospitals in Italy and Spain who needed oxygen or had to go on a ventilator. They extracted DNA and scanned it using a technique called genotyping.

They then compared these findings with 2,205 blood donors who did not have Covid-19.

They then looked at the DNA of the Covid-19 patients to determine if they shared any of the same genetic code.

Separate studies from China and the United States have also shown that people with blood type A are more susceptible to the disease than those with type O, the more common blood type.

And during the 2002 to 2003 epidemic of Sars - the coronavirus most closely linked to Covid-19 - researchers also found that those with type A blood were more likely to contract the disease.

See original here:
People with blood type A more likely to suffer severe coronavirus symptoms, research finds - Telegraph.co.uk

The world was gaslit by misreporting about George Floyds initial autopsy report. As concerned physicians, we write to deconstruct the misinformation and condemn the ways this weaponization of medical language reinforced white supremacy at the torment of Black Americans.

Gaslighting is a method of psychological manipulation employed to make a victim question their own sanity, particularly in scenarios where they are mistreated. The term comes from a 1938 play and, later, a popular film, wherein a predatory husband abuses his wife in a plot to have her committed to a mental institution. He dims the gas lights in their home; then, when she comments on the darkness, knowingly rejects her observation and uses it as evidence that shes gone insane. Its a torturous tactic employed to destroy a persons trust in their own perception of reality. Its a devastating distraction from oppression. Its insidious. And it happened recently when millions of people who had seen nine agonizing minutes of murder were told by an autopsy report that they hadnt.

In America, widespread anti-Black violence is often paired with structural gaslighting. Racism, after all, thrives when blame for its outcomes are misattributed. When Black families are refused loans in criminally discriminatory housing schemes, their credit is blamed. When youth of color are disproportionately stopped and frisked, they are told the process is random, and for their safety.

And when Black people are killed by police, their character and even their anatomy is turned into justification for their killers exoneration. Its a well-honed tactic. One analysis of the national database of state-level death certificate data found that fewer than half of law enforcementrelated deaths were reported. In addition to this undercounting, police actions were further minimized by the use of diagnostic codes that incorrectly labeled the cause of death as accidental or undetermined rather than police-related. For centuries, our systems have relied on this psychological torturea host of mental gymnasticsto deny the truth of what Black people have always known. The cause of death is racism.

On May 29, the country was told that the autopsy of George Floyd revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxiation, and that potential intoxicants and preexisting cardiovascular disease likely contributed to his death. This requires clarification. Importantly, these commonly quoted phrases did not come from a physician, but were taken from a charging document that utilized politicized interpretations of medical information. As doctors, we wish to highlight for the public that this framing of the circumstances surrounding Floyds death was at best, a misinterpretation, and at worst, a deliberate obfuscation.

A timeline of events illustrates how a series of omissions and commissions regarding Mr. Floyds initial autopsy results deceptively fractured the truth. On May 28, a statement released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiners office reported ongoing investigations and acknowledgement from the forensic pathologist that an autopsy must be interpreted in the context of the pertinent investigative information. As per standardized medical examination, Floyds underlying health conditions and toxicology screen were documented. These are ordinary findings that do not suggest causation of death, yet headlines and the May 29 charging document falsely overstated the role of Floyds coronary artery disease and hypertension, which increase the risk of stroke and heart attack over years, not minutes. Asphyxiasuffocationdoes not always demonstrate physical signs, as other physician groups have noted.

Without this important medical context, however, the public was left to reconcile manipulated medical language with the evidence they had personally witnessed. Ultimately,the initial report overstated and misrepresented the role of chronic medical conditions, inappropriately alluded to intoxicants, and failed to acknowledge the stark reality that but for the defendants knee on George Floyds neck, he would not be dead today.

By Monday, June 1, in the context of widespread political pressure,the public received two reports: the preliminary autopsy report commissioned by Floyds family by private doctors, andshortly thereaftera summary of the preliminary autopsy from the Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office. Both reports stated that the cause of Floyds death was homicide: death at the hands of another.

By inaccurately portraying the medical findings from the autopsy of George Floyd, the legal system and media emboldened white supremacy, all under the cloak of authoritative scientific rhetoric. They took standard components of a preliminary autopsy report to cast doubt, to sow uncertainty; to gaslight America into thinking we didnt see what we know we saw. In doing so, they perpetuated stereotypes about disease, risky behavior and intoxication in Black bodies to discredit a victim of murder. This state of affairs is not an outlierit is part of a patterned and tactical distortion of facts wherein autopsy reports are manipulated to bury police violence and uphold white supremacy. As Ida B. Wells said, Those who commit the murders write the reports. A similar conflict of interest between police departments and medical examiners offices continues today.

As physicians, we will not be complicit in the ongoing manipulation of medical expertise to erase government-sanctioned violence. Though we are relieved that two independent examinations invalidated the preliminary findings in the charging document and the headlines that deceitfully undermined Chauvins culpability in Floyds murder, our initial incense is not replaced by celebration.

For three days, Black Americans satand still sitwith the all-too-familiar pangs of being told that the truth is not true. Of fearing that the law would believe a physicians report over the reality they saw with their own eyes, and have lived with their own lives. It's a miscarriage of justice that deepens the cut; not only can Black people be killed with impunity; a physicians autopsy report can be twisted to replace the truth.

Medical science has long been used for the consolidation of power rather than for solidarity with the oppressed. We see how Black mothers are blamed for their own mortality in childbirth and how starkly high rates of COVID death in Black communities are preposterously misattributed to differences in hormone receptors or clotting factors; all the while letting racism off the hook.

We wish to remind fellow physicians that medical science has never been objective. It has never existed in a vacuum; there have and will always be social, political and legal ramifications of our work. Our assessments may be employed in criminal justice cases; our toxicology screens may have profound effects on the livelihood of patients; our diagnoses may perpetuate sexist and racist stereotypes. Our lack of ill intent cannot be our alibiwe must be accountable for not just our work but also how it is used, lest our medicine becomes the very weapon that harms. Medicine requires inclusion of the social context of disease in order to uphold its sacred oath of doing no harm. If we focus only on molecular pathways and neglect to articulate the role of structural inequitiesof racismin our country, our reports on the causes of death and injury in our patients will erase the roles of their oppressors.

We also write to remind our physician colleagues that the medical field is a place ripe for gaslighting. Bolstered by the perceived strength and legitimacy of a white coat and a stethoscope, our diagnoses and conclusionsabout physical or psychological abnormalities, about causes of illness and deathhave the power to eclipse reality, as weve seen in the case of George Floyd. Often, we stand by while other agents co-opt our frameworks, obscure our research and weaponize our language in the service of oppression.

The declarations, the truths, the realities of Black people in America are too often disregarded. Across the nation, Black people are suffocating under the weight of anti-Black hatred. They cannot breathe. And even as they gasp for air, structural gaslighting operates to deny the truths of the causes of their suffocation.

We write as physicians to denounce this psychological manipulation. We write to apologize for the discrimination our patients of color have received in the hospital under our watch, we write in gratitude for the tireless labor of Black activists, and we write to condemn how medicine has been weaponized in the service of white supremacy. We write to validate what Black people already knowhave always knownthat racism is a most pressing public health crisis. We pledge to fight this crisis as if our own breath depended on it.

Originally posted here:
George Floyd's Autopsy and the Structural Gaslighting of America - Scientific American

Lets take a closer look at how the molecular method can be used to discover the specific combinations of cannabis compounds beneficial in the treatment of certain medical indications such as inflammatory bowel disease, skin cancer, and colon cancer.

Over the last decade, cannabis as a medicine has become a more frequent topic of discussion. Many people initially thought it was all B.S., primarily because there were no legitimate, large-scale studies to on in the United States that one could refer to. However, in other parts of the world, namely Israel, cannabinoids have been an important research subject for the last 60 years.

And what have they discovered over in six decades, you may be asking? Well, as it turns out, cannabis is one of the most powerful medicinal plants on Earth one that can be used to treat everything from anxiety, to pain and nausea, to even certain types of cancer. What else are the scientists saying?

To give you a better idea of the depth at which cannabis is being studied, we included some experts from an interview with Professor Hinanit Koltai of Israels Volcani Research Institute, just outside of Tel Aviv. Volcani is a government funded institute focusing on agricultural research, innovation, and molecular plant science. This interview was conducted by Heli Dangur & Narkis Tessler from CannaCAST IL.

What combinations of cannabis compounds are the beneficial ones for the treatment of different medical indications (such as inflammation and cancer)? begins Prof. Kolati. For that, we combined deep chemical analysis in such a way that we could see each and every molecule present in cannabis extracts. We started to work on inflammatory bowel diseases, skin diseases, and even colon cancer and inflammation of colon polyps. We were able to identify and isolate the actual composition of molecules from cannabis which act, even synergistically, to treat those different medical indications.

We are looking first at the molecules on the plant, and looking at each and every molecule, she continued. But we do not stop there. Rather, we ask, what is happening in the human cells and human tissues once they have been treated by this certain API formulation from cannabis? What genes and pathways are activated or repressed by this treatment? And by that we are looking not just at the plant, but also at the human body, and human cells and tissues and we allocate a mode of action of these cannabis compounds.

Researcher from Volcani collaborate with numerous healthcare professionals including doctors/physicians, hospitals, pharmacists, and specialty practitioners. Who they collaborate with at any given time depends on the specific medical indication thats being studied.

Tetrahydrocannabinol, more simply known as THC, is the most dominant cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, and its also the one with psychoactive effects. Because of this, cannabis flower and products containing more than trace amounts of THC are federally prohibited. THC is much more complex than just a substance that gets you high though, it has a myriad of health benefits including pain relief, brain regeneration, sleep aid, and PTSD treatment that are hard to find in most other natural compounds.

To understand why THC works for such a seemingly random combination of medical conditions, you will have to look deep within the human body at the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The ECS is a network of receptors that can be found throughout the bodies of all mammals. Plant based cannabinoids, known as Phytocannabinoids, only work because our bodies already create natural cannabinoids, or Endocannabinoids, and the receptors that interact with them. The ESC is believe to have a prominent role in regulating many different processes in our bodies, as well as maintaining homeostasis.

So far, researchers have been able to identify two separate endocannabinoids: 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA), as well as two main receptors: CB1 and CB2. 2-AG is a full agonist of both the CB1 and CB2 receptors but it has a more direct association with the CB2 receptor. Because of this, 2-AG is thought to have a substantial influence over the immune system.

THC is the only major cannabinoid that directly activates both the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain even CBD (cannabidiol), which has become mainstream for its well-publicized medical benefits does not. Other compounds can actually interfere with the way THC impacts the CB receptors, which is precisely why dosing and ratios (THC:CBD) are incredibly pertinent when it comes to successfully using cannabis-based therapies.

Cannabidiol (CBD), is well known for being a full-on, therapeutic powerhouse. And its true, CBD can certainly be used on a wide range of conditions including epilepsy, anxiety, and inflammation. However, unlike THC, CBD only communicates indirectly with the CB receptors in our brains. CBD works by targeting numerous other systems. For example, CBDs connection with the serotonin system helps reduce anxiety, which CBDs activation of the TRPV1 receptor is the reason why it works for pain.

More recently discovered is a target called the G-protein Coupled Receptor 55, or GPR55. This is another receptor that cannabis compounds, including CBD, bind to. GPR55 appears to be a major factor in much of the pharmacology related to cannabis, including CBDs actions in preventing seizures and fighting tumors.

To summarize, the most frequently cited uses for CBD are: anxiety, pain, inflammation, seizure control, and addiction management. Motivational disorders like addiction and anxiety are incredibly complicated and hard to understand as they impact quite a few receptor systems and neural pathways all at once. Over the coming years, we can expect that researchers will continue to further study these complexities to discover the full scope of CBDs therapeutic effects within the body.

Throughout the world, most peoples lives have been affected by cancer in some way, whether they had it or they know someone who does or did. In the United States alone, roughly 1.8 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year. The most common diagnosis is breast cancer, which affects close to 277,000 women each ear. Cancer is also the most common cause of death in Canada, accounting for nearly 30% of the overall death rate. Treatment options include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery all of which carry some potentially dangerous and long-lasting side effects.

It seems like a stretch at first, but more research is coming to the surface describing cannabis compounds ability to fight cancerous tumors. Take the most recent study on this topic, published March 31, 2020 in the Oncotarget medical journal, where they found that numerous cannabinoids CBD and THC, as well as CBC (cannabichromene) and CBN (cannabinol) can cause cell death in certain tumors.

As per the study, Treatment with the synergistic combination of the active fractions led to apoptotic cell death in My-La and HuT-78 cell lines. Moreover, the synergistic treatment also led to apoptosis in SPBL, which was significantly selective to the malignant enriched cell population within the SPBL, further implicating possible therapeutic use. Indeed, a prevalent effect of cannabinoids on cancer cells is the induction of death by apoptosis and the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation [21]. For example, THC was previously demonstrated to induce the apoptotic death of cancerous glioma cells via CB1 and CB2 receptors.

Additionally, a cannabis-based treatment for cancer might actually be within reach, thanks to the ongoing work of medical cannabis pioneer, Professor Raphael Mechoulam. Mechoulam, who is currently head of the Cannabinoids Research Multidisciplinary Center at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, is leading a research team aimed at developing cannabis-based treatments for three aggressive forms of cancer: melanoma (skin cancer), neuroblastoma (cancer originating in the surrounding and mostly neural system in children), and glaublastoma (brain cancer).

As usual, Im once again amazed at the sheer magnitude of this plants healing abilities. Not only can it be used in the treatment of so many different medical indications, its also safe, non-addictive, and generally speaking, has very minimal side effects. Once the science here in the U.S. begins to catch up, we can anticipate the introduction of new and innovative cannabis-based therapies.

Thank you for choosing CBD Testers for your cannabis-related information. Make sure to subscribe to the CBD Testers Weekly Newsletter for more articles like this one.

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Creating API Cannabinoid Therapies Using Molecular Methods - CBD Testers

As the world prepares for future waves of COVID-19, the ability to predict mutations in the novel coronavirus even before they emerge will be essential to stopping future outbreaks.

Dr. Natalie Strynadka

UBC faculty of medicines Dr. Robert Brunham and Dr. Natalie Strynadka, together with the faculty of sciences Steven Plotkinalong with a team of commercial and academic collaboratorsare one step closer to achieving this thanks to a $1.8 million grant from the Digital Technology Supercluster COVID-19 Program, which aims to find solutions to urgent health care needs across Canada arising from COVID-19.

The project, Predicting the Evolution of COVID-19, brings together experts in artificial intelligence, computer modelling and structural biology to predict changes to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The findings will inform the early design of effective tests, therapies and vaccines, allowing public health systems globally to prepare and ideally prevent future pandemics caused by evolving strains of the virus.

For the first six-month phase of the project, Dr. Strynadkas lab is working to generate atomic resolution experimental datausing a cutting edge biophysical toolbox including x-ray crystallography and single particle cryo-electron microscopythat will in turn help train the computational algorithms to optimally predict future mutations of the virus

We are incredibly excited about this project, and grateful to the Digital Technology Supercluster for supporting our work, says Dr. Strynadka, a professor in the faculty of medicines department of biochemistry and molecular biology. Our goal is to harness powerful computational methods to predict mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We are working to create algorithms that will hopefully keep us a step ahead of the virus and give us the ability to know where future mutations might arise.

Our goal is to harness powerful computational methods to predict mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We are working to create algorithms that will hopefully keep us a step ahead of the virus and give us the ability to know where future mutations might arise. Dr. Natalie Strynadka

Dr. Brunham, a professor in the faculty of medicines division of infectious diseases and head of the Vaccine Research Laboratory at the BC Centre for Disease Control who was involved in responding to the SARS outbreak in 2003, is lending his expertise in vaccine development.

Dr. Robert Brunham

We believe the coronavirus spike protein may very well be the basis for a vaccine for this virus, says Brunham. This work will be tremendously important in anticipating whether the virus will mutate to escape immunity generated by the vaccine.

As part of the project, Plotkins lab is designing a universal antibody therapy that the virus cant easily evade through mutation.

Given past outbreaks such as SARS and MERS, which were also caused by coronaviruses, there is no reason to assume that another pandemic wouldnt happen again, says Plotkin, a professor in the department of physics and astronomy and has held a Canada Research Chair in Theoretical Molecular Biophysics. This is a problem that is not going to go away on its own, so we have to be forward-thinking in finding solutions for it.

The Predicting the Evolution of COVID-19 project is led by Terramera, a Vancouver-based company that fuses science, nature and artificial intelligence to transform how food is grown and the economics of agriculture. Collaborating partners include D-Wave, Menten AI, Microsoft, and ProMIS Neurosciences.

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Predicting the evolution of COVID-19 to help manage future outbreaks - UBC Faculty of Medicine

Treadmill tests have long been considered the gold standard for measuring a person's fitness level.

But a simple blood test may provide a more nuanced assessment, according to Stanford Medicine researchers who have been studying the body's molecular response to exercise.

Such a test eventually could be used as a complement to the treadmill assessment, which measures a person's aerobic fitness levels. That belief stems from a study the researchers conducted, collecting hundreds of thousands of molecular measurements from 36 people between ages 40-75 before and after exercise.

"Everybody knows exercise is good for you, but we really don't know what drives that at a molecular level," Michael Snyder, chair of genetics at Stanford said in a statement. "Our goal at the outset was to conduct a highly comprehensive analysis of what's happening in the body just after exercising."

Study participants had their blood drawn before completing a treadmill test, which requires people to run while wearing an oxygen-measuring masks until reaching peak oxygen consumption. They then had blood taken 2 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 60 minutes after the exercise.

The researchers tracked molecular markers for various biological processes, including metabolism, immunity, oxidative stress and cardiovascular function. Those markers, found in blood and other bodily fluids and tissues, can be used to evaluate a person's health.

The study participants who were the most physically fit had similar molecular signatures in their blood samples taken before they exercised, researchers found. That led them to believe a blood test could be developed to measure fitness.

"Aerobic fitness is one of the best measures of longevity, so a simple blood test that can provide that information would be valuable to personal health monitoring," saidKvin Contrepois, the genetics department's director of metabolomics and lipidomics.

Most participants' molecular markers of inflammation, tissue healing and oxidative stress spiked as their bodies started to recover from the exercise, Snyder said. Two minutes after exercise, their blood samples showed that their bodies were metabolizing certain amino acids for energy, but they switched to metabolizing glucose by the 15-minute mark.

The researchers also found that participants who had a form of diabetes or pre-diabetes and were insulin-resistant had a dampened immune response after exercise.

While there appears to be a strong correlation between certain molecular markers of immunity, metabolism and muscle activity and a person's aerobic fitness, Snyder said more research is needed to fully understand the connection.

His team also is working to narrow the number of biomarkers needing to be measured to best predict a person's fitness level. The researchers have a created a proof-of-principle test based on their preliminary data and filed a patent application.

The blood test is not available to the public, but they hope to eventually offer an inexpensive and faster way to measure aerobic fitness. The study was published inCell.

Read more:
A simple blood test may be able to measure your fitness level - PhillyVoice.com

Global Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology Market Size, Status and Forecast 2020-2027

The data presented in the global Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology market report is a compilation of data identified and collected from various sources. The scope of growth of the Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology market during the forecast period is identified after analyzing different data sources. The report is a valuable guidance tool that can be used to increase the market share or to develop new products that can revolutionize the market growth. The analysis of the collected data also helps in providing an overview of the Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology industry which further helps people make an informed choice. Latent growth factors that can manifest themselves during the forecast period are identified as they are key to the Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology market growth. The Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology report presents the data from the year 2020 to the year 2027 during the base period while forecasting the same during the forecast period for the year 2020 to the year 2027.

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Top Key players: Toshiba, GE Healthcare, Segami Corporation, Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare.

Our new sample is updated which correspond in new report showing impact of COVID-19 on Industry

The report scrutinizes different business approaches and frameworks that pave the way for success in businesses. The report used Porters five techniques for analyzing the Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology Market; it also offers the examination of the global market. To make the report more potent and easy to understand, it consists of info graphics and diagrams. Furthermore, it has different policies and development plans which are presented in summary. It analyzes the technical barriers, other issues, and cost-effectiveness affecting the market.

Global Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology Market Research Report 2020 carries in-depth case studies on the various countries which are involved in the Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology market. The report is segmented according to usage wherever applicable and the report offers all this information for all major countries and associations. It offers an analysis of the technical barriers, other issues, and cost-effectiveness affecting the market. Important contents analyzed and discussed in the report include market size, operation situation, and current & future development trends of the market, market segments, business development, and consumption tendencies. Moreover, the report includes the list of major companies/competitors and their competition data that helps the user to determine their current position in the market and take corrective measures to maintain or increase their share holds.

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TABLE OF CONTENT:

Chapter 1: Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology Market Overview

Chapter 2: Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3: Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4: Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5: Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6: Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7: Global Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8: Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11: Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12: Global Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology Market Forecast to 2027

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COVID-19 Impact on Nuclear Medicine Molecular Imaging Technology Market Forecast to 2027 Toshiba, GE Healthcare, Segami Corporation, Philips...

The federal governments Operation Warp Speed vaccine program, with its emphasis on quick production and testing of experimental coronavirus vaccines, is fueling fears already stirred up by vaccine skeptics, two experts said Friday.

The approach itself is not unreasonable, said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. But the way its being communicated is scaring people, he told CNN.

The way the message is coming out of Operation Warp Speed creates a lot of chaos and confusion. And it is enabling the anti-vaccine movement, Hotez said.

A White House coronavirus task force source told CNN earlier this week that the Trump Administrations Warp Speed program had chosen five companies mostly likely to produce a Covid-19 vaccine whittled down from 14 last month when Operation Warp Speed was launched.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says he expects up to 100,000 doses of one vaccine, made by biotech company Moderna, to be available by the end of the year, ready to be rolled out if it is shown to work safely to protect people against coronavirus infection in clinical trials that are now under way.

He has said one of the candidates could be ready as early as January. That is a highly accelerated schedule, as vaccines typically take years to produce.

We think we are going to have a vaccine in the pretty near future, and if we do, we are going to really be a big step ahead, Trump said last month.

The way they are messaging it is a little frightening because they make a point of saying how quickly it is being done, said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. It makes people think there are steps being skipped.

Hotez and Offit should know. They have both spent years fighting an organized anti-vaccination effort, and trying to educate people who have doubts and fears about vaccines. Both have written books about vaccine safety. Hotez wrote Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachels Autism, about his daughter, and Offit has written several books, including Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All.

What does the anti-vaccine lobby allege? Hotez asked. They say we rush vaccines, that we dont adequately test them for safety, and that there is this conspiratorial relationship between Big Pharma and the government.

And then vaccine makers send out news releases trumpeting incremental successes. Last month, Moderna, the US biotech company heavily promoted by the White House and the National Institutes of Health, announced promising early results, sending its share price up 30%. At the same time, two top executives sold $30 million worth of shares.

Lorence Kim, Modernas chief financial officer, exercised 241,000 options for $3 million, filings show. He then immediately sold them for $19.8 million, creating a profit of $16.8 million.

The next day, Tal Zaks, Modernas chief medical officer, spent $1.5 million to exercise options. He immediately sold the shares for $9.77 million, triggering a profit of $8.2 million.

It was all legal, but looked bad, Hotez said.

They are shooting themselves in the foot, he said.

On Thursday, National Institutes of Health director Dr. Francis Collins said he feared vaccine skepticism would make people unwilling to get the coronavirus vaccine. He also said the messaging would be important.

Offit worries that companies and the federal government may actually be tempted to skip safety steps in the rush to protect people from coronavirus. That wouldnt make the vaccine skeptics right, but it could be dangerous and further erode credibility.

You have a president who said hydroxychloroquine was going to work. He said, I heard really good things about it and how could it hurt, Offit said. None of that was right. First, it didnt work, and second, it did hurt. It has cardiac toxicity.

Offit worries something even more damaging could happen with a vaccine. Currently the federal government is helping develop both vaccines and drugs to fight coronavirus.

Do I think this administration has the capacity to perturb the process? asked Offit. Yes, I do.

So far, Offit sees nothing that has gone wrong with any of the vaccines in development. He doesnt see any indication that safety is being sacrificed.

But its clear to him why the administration would choose five vaccines to focus on.

Its because they are the fastest to make, Offit said. All use biotechnology approaches to make vaccines using genetic sequences, as opposed to the tried-and true but slow approach of using a whole virus that has been either weakened or killed.

As long as the phase 3 trials are done and respected, I think the speed we are witnessing will be fine, Offit said. But the phase 3 trials, one of which is penciled in to be done in 30,000 volunteers later this year, must be taken to the end to ensure that any rare side effects from vaccination will become visible.

That is the part that cannot be skipped, Offit said.

Continue reading here:
'Operation Warp Speed' is fueling vaccine fears, two top experts worry - KEYT

Molecular Microbiology Market

Los Angeles, United State, June 7th, 2020, The global Molecular Microbiology market is carefully researched in the report while largely concentrating on top players and their business tactics, geographical expansion, market segments, competitive landscape, manufacturing, and pricing and cost structures. Each section of the research study is specially prepared to explore key aspects of the global Molecular Microbiology market. For instance, the market dynamics section digs deep into the drivers, restraints, trends, and opportunities of the global Molecular Microbiology Market. With qualitative and quantitative analysis, we help you with thorough and comprehensive research on the global Molecular Microbiology market. We have also focused on SWOT, PESTLE, and Porters Five Forces analyses of the global Molecular Microbiology market.

Some of the important Key Player operating in the Report Are: Roche, Qiagen, Illumina, Abbott, Hologic, BioMerieux, Danaher (Cepheid), Myriad Genetics, DAAN Gene, Agilent, Genomic Health, BD, Foundation Medicine

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Segmental Analysis

The report has classified the global Molecular Microbiology industry into segments including product type and application. Every segment is evaluated based on growth rate and share. Besides, the analysts have studied the potential regions that may prove rewarding for the Molecular Microbiology manufacturers in the coming years. The regional analysis includes reliable predictions on value and volume, thereby helping market players to gain deep insights into the overall Molecular Microbiology industry.

Segmentation by Type:

Quantitative PCR Detection Diagnostic Kits, Pathogenic Microorganisms Diagnostic Kits

Segmentation by application:

Human, Veterinary

Competitive Landscape

It is important for every market participant to be familiar with the competitive scenario in the global Molecular Microbiology industry. In order to fulfil the requirements, the industry analysts have evaluated the strategic activities of the competitors to help the key players strengthen their foothold in the market and increase their competitiveness.

Key companies operating in the global Molecular Microbiology market include: Roche, Qiagen, Illumina, Abbott, Hologic, BioMerieux, Danaher (Cepheid), Myriad Genetics, DAAN Gene, Agilent, Genomic Health, BD, Foundation Medicine

Regions Covered in the Global Molecular Microbiology Market:

Key questions answered in the report:

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Table of Contents 1 Molecular Microbiology Market Overview1.1 Molecular Microbiology Product Overview1.2 Molecular Microbiology Market Segment by Type1.2.1 Quantitative PCR Detection Diagnostic Kits1.2.2 Pathogenic Microorganisms Diagnostic Kits1.3 Global Molecular Microbiology Market Size by Type1.3.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales and Growth by Type1.3.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales and Market Share by Type (2014-2019)1.3.3 Global Molecular Microbiology Revenue and Market Share by Type (2014-2019)1.3.4 Global Molecular Microbiology Price by Type (2014-2019) 2 Global Molecular Microbiology Market Competition by Company2.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales and Market Share by Company (2014-2019)2.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Revenue and Share by Company (2014-2019)2.3 Global Molecular Microbiology Price by Company (2014-2019)2.4 Global Top Players Molecular Microbiology Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types2.5 Molecular Microbiology Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Molecular Microbiology Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Market Share of Top 5 and Top 10 Players2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion 3 Molecular Microbiology Company Profiles and Sales Data3.1 Roche3.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.1.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.1.3 Roche Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.1.4 Main Business Overview3.2 Qiagen3.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.2.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.2.3 Qiagen Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.2.4 Main Business Overview3.3 Illumina3.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.3.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.3.3 Illumina Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.3.4 Main Business Overview3.4 Abbott3.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.4.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.4.3 Abbott Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.4.4 Main Business Overview3.5 Hologic3.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.5.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.5.3 Hologic Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.5.4 Main Business Overview3.6 BioMerieux3.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.6.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.6.3 BioMerieux Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.6.4 Main Business Overview3.7 Danaher (Cepheid)3.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.7.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.7.3 Danaher (Cepheid) Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.7.4 Main Business Overview3.8 Myriad Genetics3.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.8.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.8.3 Myriad Genetics Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.8.4 Main Business Overview3.9 DAAN Gene3.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.9.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.9.3 DAAN Gene Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.9.4 Main Business Overview3.10 Agilent3.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors3.10.2 Molecular Microbiology Product Category, Application and Specification3.10.3 Agilent Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin(2014-2019)3.10.4 Main Business Overview3.11 Genomic Health3.12 BD3.13 Foundation Medicine 4 Molecular Microbiology Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1 Global Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Market Size and CAGR by Regions4.1.2 North America4.1.3 Asia-Pacific4.1.4 Europe4.1.5 South America4.1.6 Middle East and Africa4.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales and Revenue by Regions4.2.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales and Market Share by Regions (2014-2019)4.2.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2014-2019)4.2.3 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)4.3 North America Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin4.3.1 United States4.3.2 Canada4.3.3 Mexico4.4 Europe Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin4.4.1 Germany4.4.2 UK4.4.3 France4.4.4 Italy4.4.5 Russia4.4.6 Turkey4.5 Asia-Pacific Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin4.5.1 China4.5.2 Japan4.5.3 Korea4.5.4 Southeast Asia4.5.4.1 Indonesia4.5.4.2 Thailand4.5.4.3 Malaysia4.5.4.4 Philippines4.5.4.5 Vietnam4.5.5 India4.5.6 Australia4.6 South America Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin4.6.1 Brazil4.7 Middle East and Africa Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin4.7.1 Egypt4.7.2 GCC Countries 5 Molecular Microbiology Application/End Users5.1 Molecular Microbiology Segment by Application5.1.1 Human5.1.2 Veterinary5.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Product Segment by Application5.2.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales by Application5.2.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales and Market Share by Application (2014-2019) 6 Global Molecular Microbiology Market Forecast6.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales, Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)6.1.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales and Growth Rate Forecast (2019-2025)6.1.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Revenue and Growth Rate Forecast (2019-2025)6.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Forecast by Regions6.2.1 North America Molecular Microbiology Sales and Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)6.2.2 Europe Molecular Microbiology Sales and Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)6.2.3 Asia-Pacific Molecular Microbiology Sales and Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)6.2.3.1 China6.2.3.2 Japan6.2.3.3 Korea6.2.3.4 Southeast Asia6.2.3.5 India6.2.3.6 Australia6.2.4 South America Molecular Microbiology Sales and Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)6.2.5 Middle East and Africa Molecular Microbiology Sales and Revenue Forecast (2019-2025)6.2.5.1 Egypt6.2.5.2 GCC Countries6.3 Molecular Microbiology Forecast by Type6.3.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales and Revenue Forecast by Type (2019-2025)6.3.2 Quantitative PCR Detection Diagnostic Kits Gowth Forecast6.3.3 Pathogenic Microorganisms Diagnostic Kits Gowth Forecast6.4 Molecular Microbiology Forecast by Application6.4.1 Global Molecular Microbiology Sales Forecast by Application (2019-2025)6.4.2 Global Molecular Microbiology Forecast in Human6.4.3 Global Molecular Microbiology Forecast in Veterinary 7 Molecular Microbiology Upstream Raw Materials7.1 Molecular Microbiology Key Raw Materials7.1.1 Key Raw Materials7.1.2 Key Raw Materials Price7.1.3 Raw Materials Key Suppliers7.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure7.2.1 Raw Materials7.2.2 Labor Cost7.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses7.3 Molecular Microbiology Industrial Chain Analysis 8 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors8.1 Marketing Channel8.1.1 Direct Marketing8.1.2 Indirect Marketing8.1.3 Marketing Channel Development Trend8.2 Distributors8.3 Downstream Customers 9 Research Findings and Conclusion AppendixMethodology/Research ApproachResearch Programs/DesignMarket Size EstimationMarket Breakdown and Data TriangulationData SourceSecondary SourcesPrimary SourcesDisclaimer

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Molecular Microbiology Market Statistics, Facts and Figures, Investment Trends, Key Players and Forecast by 2026 - Weekly Wall

Precision medicine (PM) is an approach to patient care that allows doctors to select treatments that are most likely to help patients based on a genetic understanding of their disease. Personalized nanomedicine involving individualized drug selection and dosage profiling in combination with clinical and molecular biomarkers can ensure the maximal efficacy and safety of the treatment. The major hindrance toward the development of such therapies is the handling of the Big Data, to keep the databases updated. Robust automated data mining tools are being developed to extract information regarding genes, variations, and their association with diseases. Phenotyping, an integral part of PM, is aimed at translating the data generated at cellular and molecular levels into clinically relevant information.Precision Medicine Moves Care from Population-Based Protocols to Truly Individualized Medicine as President of the US announced the Precision Medicine Initiative in his 2015 State of the Union address. Under the initiative, medical care would transition from a one-size-fits-all approach to an individualized approach, in which data on each patients genomic makeup, environment, and lifestyle (the exposome) helps medical professionals tailor treatment and prevention strategies. To achieve the Precision Medicine Initiative mission statement, to enable a new era of medicine through research, technology, and policies that empower patients, researchers, and providers to work together toward development of individualized care, researchers and clinicians need vast and varied amounts of data and the technology to ensure that data is widely accessible and usable.

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Based on technology type, the market is fragmented into big data analytics, bioinformatics, gene sequencing, drug discovery, companion diagnostics, and others.Recent technological and analytical advances in genomics, have now made it possible to rapidly identify and interpret the genetic variation underlying a single patients disease, thereby providing a window into patient-specific mechanisms that cause or contribute to disease, which could ultimately enable the precise targeting of these mechanisms

Based on the market segment by application type, the market is segmented into oncology, respiratory diseases, central nervous system disorders, immunology, genetic diseases and others. With the advent of precision medicine, cancer treatment is moving from a paradigm in which treatment decision isprimarily based on tumor location and histology followed by molecular information to a new paradigm whereby treatment decisions will be primarily based on molecular information followed by histology and tumor location

Based on the market segment by end-user, the market is fragmented into hospitals & clinics, pharmaceuticals, diagnostic companies, Healthcare-IT firms and others. The precision medicine suppliers that understand technology and the goals of value-based healthcare can create value in the precision medicine value-chain by offering value-based solutions and platforms to interpret and connect data points. There are a number of technology companies who work in the field of precision medicine and more will be founded in the years to come

For better understanding on the market dynamics of Precision Medicine market, detailed analysis was conducted for different countries in the region including North America (United States, Canada, Mexico and Rest of North America), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Australia, India and Rest of APAC), and Rest of World

Some of the major players operating in the market includeHoffmann-La Roche, Medtronic, Qiagen, Illumina, Abbott Laboratories, GE Healthcare, NanoString Technologies, bioMrieux SA, Danaher Corporation, and AstraZeneca

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Precision Medicine Market Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2020-2026 - 3rd Watch News

Infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm talks about our lack of national plan and when we will have testing available. USA TODAY

The nations slow, fumbling response to the pandemic spawned a new mandate: Get tests to the public as quickly as possible.

Lack of testing for COVID-19 in February and March left the nation unprepared for a virus that raced ahead of the ability to detect it. The Trump administration sought to accelerate testing by relaxing bureaucratic red tape and spending billions to bolster labs, drive-thru clinics, retail testing sites and rapid point-of-care testing at doctor's offices.

With public and private labs now performing more than 400,000 tests most days a figure the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services projects will more than double by late summersome question whether accelerated testing comes at a cost.A strategy built on the quantity of tests does not account for nuances and limitations, lacks coordination and wastes limited testing supplies.

I get concerned that in the rush to get testing out, were compromising quality, said Dr. Eric Blank, chief program officer of the Association of Public Health Laboratories. Youve got to have quality in order to make informed decisions.

Testsinform governors and public health officials on when it's safe to resumedaily activities such as going to restaurants, social gatherings or sporting events. School boards must decide when and how students can return to classrooms. Employers want to safely reopen offices.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted the U.S. as the worlds testing leader, setting a goal of 40 to 50 million tests each month by September. However, the Trump administration wants states to develop their own testing strategies to slow the COVID-19 pandemic, which has so far infectednearly 1.9million U.S. residents and killed more than 108,000.

Test accuracy varies and can give individuals who falsely test negative for the virus an unwarrantedsense of security. Labs are operating around the clock to keep up with demand from the expectation that any person, at any time, can get a test. And with three types of tests from dozens of test-kit makers, doctors and patients are confused by when and what type of test they might need.

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acknowledged Thursday that better testing involves more than increasing the number of tests.

"I dont want to get into the number of tests because I dont think thats thereal issue," Redfield told a Congressional committee Thursday. "Its how testing is used and whats the consequence."

Others say its not the numbers of tests that are important. Rather, its how tests are deployed and coordinated to gather meaningful information about the pandemic.

Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said the nation needs a smarter testing system. CIDRAP,a public health and infectious disease research group, has asked HHSSecretary Alex Azar to appoint a panel of national experts to address testing objectives.

Michael T. Osterholm is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.(Photo: Tim Rummelhoff, CIDRAP, University of Minnesota)

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has stressed states need to implement their owntesting strategies. On April 27, the administration released a testing blueprint, and reiterated states' testing responsibilities in aMay 24 report to Congress called the COVID-19 Strategic Testing Plan.

The administration set a goal of states testing 2% of their population, but the report showed statetesting rates varied widely.

More: Antibody tests were supposed to help guide reopening plans. They've brought more confusion than clarity.

More: COVID-19 expert: Coronavirus will rage 'until it infects everybody it possibly can'

More: '50 states and 50 different approaches:' States scramble to hire COVID-19 contact tracers

Osterholm said focusing on the quantity of tests might not yield the best results. For example, a drive-thru clinic might test several hundred individuals with no signs of the virus, while people with symptoms cant access testing.

Far too many states that have focused on, 'Just how many can I get tested today?' said Osterholm, an infectious-disease doctor.

The key is to develop a system that gets the right test to the right person atthe right time, he said.

If two states have the same population, one state might test 5,000 per day, the other 10,000 people per day, and the state at 5,000 per day might be doing a much better job, he said. Its all about how smart they are testing.

Infectious disease doctors say testing iscritical because the virus will continue to spread until an effective vaccine is available. Without a vaccine, the virus might spread beyond 5% now infected to60% to 70%of the population needed to reach herd immunity,Osterholm said.

"So with all the pain, suffering, death andeconomic disruption thats occurred, weve got a long ways to go yet," he said.

Until then, public health labs that provide surveillance testing will play a vitalrole in tracking the virus and slowing its spread.

In February, the CDC sought to establish a tracking system in six cities to track whether the virus had spread beyond initial travelers returning from China. The effort stalled, leaving a patchwork system tracking spread in communities.

Private labs are testing. Large retailers such as Walmart and CVS are making it convenient. And doctors and individuals get the results.

But theres no centralized effort to collect information in uniform way, said Dr. Farzad Mostashari, CEO of Aledade Inc. and a former senior official with HHS.

The most obvious failure is we dont have any consistent testing of a consistent population that we can track over time in different places, said Mostashari, also a former assistant commissioner of the New York City Department of Public Health.

Such uniform data could answer key questions: What is the average time to diagnose a patient from the time symptoms appear?How can contact tracers get timely information needed to slow the spread?

We are doing mass testing at Walmart and were celebrating how great it is, said Mostashari. Even though we are doing magnitudes more tests, we are not getting meaning. We are not getting answers.

Accurate, public health data would allow decision-makers to react quickly as states and cities reopen. Contact tracers can inform infected individuals to isolate and quickly notifytheir contacts to monitor for symptoms.

What you really want to know is who has it now and is capable of giving to someone else today, said Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the University of California, San Francisco Department of Medicine.

UCSF is testing thousands of patients, even those without symptoms, to get a snapshot of the pathogen's community spread. The academic hospital is conducting surveillance testing in two San Francisco communities: Mission District, a neighborhood with a large Latino community and a higher prevalence of COVID-19, and Bayview Hunters-Point, which has a large African American population.

In the absence of a federal testing strategy, the hospital is trying to build data and learn more about how the virus is spreading. Suchinformation will help discern when the virus is heating up and allow local leaders to adapt.

That is kind of the super power of this virus you might have it and be capable of transmitting it and you feel fine, Wachter said.

There are three types of coronavirus tests molecular, antigen and serology each with varying degrees of accuracy.

The molecular and antigen tests detect whether a person has an active case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS CoV-2 virus.The serology tests detect whether a person has been previously infected with thevirus and has developed antibodies to fend it off.

Given that there are three types of tests with varying degrees of accuracy, consumers and even some doctors might be confused, experts say.

People look at a test as a test, like turning a light switch on and off, Osterholm said. Its not that simple.

One measure of test accuracy is sensitivity: how often a test correctly identifies a person has the virus that causes COVID-19. Another measure is specificity: whetherthe test accurately shows when the person does not have the virus.

Doctors need to evaluate characteristics of each test and apply reasoning when interpreting results, Wachter said.For example, a doctor should consider a patient's clinical symptoms and community trends of the virus.

Each test has different flaws, said Wachter.

Molecular PCR tests, which require a mucus sample from the nose or throat, typically have low levels of false positives. So when a molecular test for the virus is positive, its a safe assumption the test is right. However, when a person tests negative for the virus, that does not mean they are disease-free.

Timing is critical. A person might not immediately develop symptoms, so they dont get tested. There is a limited window of five to seven days when the test will detect a person has coronavirus. Or an inadequate sample might fail to pick up enough genetic material to identify the virus.

The test doesnt get it wrong that often when the test is positive, Wachter said. Whereas it does get it wrong reasonably often, when the result is negative.

Antibody tests are blood tests that detect whether someone was previously infected. Public health officials raised concerns about test accuracy after the Food and Drug Administration allowed test makers to validate their own data before marketing to consumers. Following complaints, the FDA moved to tighten oversight of these tests.

By September,as many as 25 million tests will be rapid "point of care" tests at clinics, doctor's offices, nursing homes and urgent care centers that deliver immediate results, according to theCOVID-19 Strategic Testing Plan.

An example of this type of test is the Abbott ID Now testthat can deliver results within 15 minutes. The FDAissued an alert about "early data that suggest potential inaccurate results" from the toaster-sized device following a small study from New York University.

But Abbott questioned the NYU study and released its own data from an interim study that found the test identified the virus 94.7% of the time.Test results depend on factors such aspatient selection,specimen collection, handling, storage and transport, Abbott said.

Wachter said the accuracy of the Abbott ID Now test, used by the White House, is an example of decision employers and doctors must consider when evaluating a test. The White House usesthe tests to decide who can come into contact with Trump, who choose not to wear a mask.

Its important to get correct test results so infected individuals can self-isolate and not pass the virus to others. And public health officials can contact those who were potentially exposed to the infected individual.

Still, the push to get rapid testing to the public might compromise quality, Blank said.

"If you want something rapid, if you want something quick, if you want something accessible, you are going to have to give something up," he said. "But the question I have is how much quality can you afford to give up?

Blank, of APHL, said public health laboratories are struggling to keep up with testing demands of the pandemic.

State and local public health laboratories are accustomed to running full tilt for two to three weeks to respond to local or regional outbreaks. With coronavirus, public health labs have been running extra shifts seven days a week since February.

We have heard consistently that they are holding upbut barely, Blank said.

Large commercial labs are accustomed to running round-the-clock shifts with testing platforms that can quickly process samples. Public health labs dont have the staffing and equipment to sustain those levels.

Redfield said Thursday he's "personally saddened" only a handful of state labs have "the capability to do what needs to be done." He praised New York's Wadsworth Center lab for developing rapid testing on a "high-throughputplatform," not the "slow platform we have for flu."

The CDC sent $10.25 billionto states to invest in public health response. Each state must submit detailed testingplans and benchmarks to the CDC the first report was due May 31, and a second report is dueJune 15.

State labs also needsustained funding to hire trained labs workers to replenish an aging and stressed workforce.

Theyve never come out and said we are at the breaking point, Blank said. I never expect them to say that. But I have been a lab director and I suspect they are close to the breaking point.

Follow the reporter on Twitter@kalltucker or email him at alltuck@usatoday.com

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COVID testing: More isn't necessarily better, 'its all about how smart they are testing' - USA TODAY