16 thoughts on “C-19 Chat Post – July 1 2022”

  1. GoForSnow made several interesting points on the Supreme Court’s decisions this week, particularly in relation to Roe v. Wade. I can understand the position taken on this matter. I remain concerned about extreme variation in access from state to state, and governors signing into law outright bans, which the populations of the states in question often do not agree with.

    In neutering the EPA on carbon emissions the SC set a dangerous precedent, in my humble opinion. Agencies such as EPA, but also FDA, CDC, OSHA, and others were established by Congress (and are appropriated funds by Congress on an annual basis). Not only do they have expertise Congress does not have. They also have a mandate to be decision- and rulemakers, We can indeed agree or disagree on the rules they establish. But, taking that authority away from them effectively makes these agencies null and void. I want Medicare, for example, to enforce community rating of premiums (not allow for discrimination among enrollees). I want Medicare to set rules for insurers to abide by. I want FDA to establish nationwide rules on what drugs are safe and effective.

    1. Did you mean you can or cannot understand the decision on roe?

      I’m afraid both it and the epa is very deliberately opening a can of worms. Mac was always frustrated working with the epa …as I’ve said he and our company were key players in regs for Askarels (PCBs). Red tape and processes were convoluted. But he absolutely supported the agency and its purpose.

      The impact on regulation in all agencies, as you said, could be catastrophic.

  2. BA.275 is the latest sub-variant of concern – some are calling it an altogether new variant – to be found (in India, among other places). It not only has a transmissibility advantage over every other variant and sub-variant it is also immune-evasive to a greater degree than all previously identified variants and sub-variants, and it is pathogenically distinct (worse). Keep in mind, throughout the pandemic some of these new kids on the block which looked bad fizzled out. Let’s hope this one does. But, it must be monitored.

  3. Former Governor Christine Whitman says it best regarding the SC decision yesterday to limit agencies’ ability to pursue rulemaking: https://twitter.com/GovCTW/status/1542655502856904704

    I met her on an Amtrak train in the late 90s. I was doing work in Philadelphia. She was traveling down to DC. We had a wide-ranging conversation, mostly about the U.S. healthcare system. I respected her then, as I do now. They don’t make Republicans like her any more, at least not the new crop of Republicans. I would vote for her over any of the Democrats that may vie for the presidency in 2024; Biden, Buttigieg, Harris, etc … I would vote for Charlie Baker, Governor Phil Scott, Governor Hogan, all Republican – but not in the good graces of Trump.

  4. To Gov Whitman’s point …..the decisions made are no longer in the hands of scientists….

    Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) applauded the ruling, saying it limited the power of “unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats.”

    1. During my time at Tufts – 18 years; from 1999 to 2017 – I worked with, interviewed, and interacted at conferences with numerous FDA and CMS (Medicare and Medicaid) officials. They were lifers, if you will, dedicated to their jobs to preserve a safe and effective supply of medicines, as well as insurance programs for the elderly, disabled, and poor that maintained principles of universality and offered essential benefits to all. I guess McConnell would call the people I worked with “bureaucrats.” I think it’s pejorative and it’s usually coming from an anti-government sentiment. McConnell probably wouldn’t call office workers at corporations “bureaucrats” or even acknowledge that there is such a thing as corporate bureaucracy. One thing I will say is the FDA and CMS folks I worked with were true experts: Objective, careful, honest, scrupulous to a fault. I’d much rather trust these folks on matters related to my health than, say, Pfizer’s CEO Bourla. Bourla is not a bad guy. But, he’s got dollar signs for eyes. It’s all about commercialization. If we gut our government agencies the world will be even more dominated by the Bourla’s of the world. I don’t want that. Do you?

  5. France’s BA.5 curve is on an exponential rise. Hospitalization curve is nearly parallel. This really sucks. https://twitter.com/nicolasberrod/status/1542921213814636544

    At this stage, the vast majority of folks have some immunity. And most of us will be fine if we get coronavirus. But, clearly the virus is still picking off those it can, almost like a lion looks for the vulnerable zebra and kills it. This is very sad, to see so many vulnerable folks impacted.

    1. I don’t know if this has already been mentioned here, but I heard late last night over the radio that the FDA is requesting that Pfizer and/or Moderna produce a vaccine specifically for the BA.5 Omicron variant for the upcoming fall season.

  6. Well that was fast but a great light show and a few window rattling booms butwith very little wind and rain

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