Skip to main content
Premium Trial:

Request an Annual Quote

Taking Stock of the Stockpile

As the number of monkeypox cases increases, countries in Europe and the US are evaluating their stockpiles of smallpox vaccines, the Washington Post reports. It notes, though, that US, European, and World Health Organization officials say mass immunizations are not currently needed.

Monkeypox has been detected in about a dozen countries where the virus is not endemic, including the US. This, the Post notes, has prompted health officials to assess their stores of smallpox vaccines, which also provide protection against monkeypox. In the US, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say the US has a stockpile of 100 million doses of an older smallpox vaccine and about 1,000 doses of a newer vaccine. The government, it adds, has ordered additional doses of the newer vaccine, as the older one is associated with significant side effects.

The Post notes that routine smallpox immunizations were phased out in the 1970s in many countries as the disease was eradicated. While general immunizations are not needed now, it adds that vaccinations may be offered to healthcare workers —  which the UK is already doing — or the close contacts of confirmed cases, especially if they are immunocompromised.

The Scan

Positive Framing of Genetic Studies Can Spark Mistrust Among Underrepresented Groups

Researchers in Human Genetics and Genomics Advances report that how researchers describe genomic studies may alienate potential participants.

Small Study of Gene Editing to Treat Sickle Cell Disease

In a Novartis-sponsored study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment targeting promoters of genes encoding fetal hemoglobin could reduce disease symptoms.

Gut Microbiome Changes Appear in Infants Before They Develop Eczema, Study Finds

Researchers report in mSystems that infants experienced an enrichment in Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Finegoldia and a depletion of Bacteroides before developing eczema.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Specificity Enhanced With Stem Cell Editing

A study in Nature suggests epitope editing in donor stem cells prior to bone marrow transplants can stave off toxicity when targeting acute myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy.