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Today's Rundown

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine linked to rare blood clots, EMA official says, but benefits still outweigh risks
Verizon jumps into virtual care market with BlueJeans Telehealth
Teva joins pharma's help-the-helpers trend with campaign for Canada's COVID caregivers
Mastercard makes healthcare move with digital ID solution patients can use on their smartphones
AstraZeneca, MGH test virtual health platform to keep prescribing up—even when in-person doc visits are down
In California, Blue Shield's vaccination takeover fixes what wasn't broken
COVID-19 tracker: EMA to reveal AZ vaccine blood clot findings; Pharma R&D budgets soared in 2020
Novavax adds blinded crossover arms to COVID-19 vaccine trials

Featured Story

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine linked to rare blood clots, EMA official says, but benefits still outweigh risks

By Eric Sagonowsky

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout has spurred concerns over blood clots in Europe, but after an urgent review, the bloc's top drug regulator offered fresh backing last month. Now, a European Medicines Agency official says the vaccine is linked to rare blood clots, but that the benefits of vaccination still outweigh the risks.

Verizon jumps into virtual care market with BlueJeans Telehealth

By Heather Landi

Following its acquisition of video conferencing platform BlueJeans last year, Verizon has built out a telehealth platform for providers. With the launch of BlueJeans Telehealth, the telecommunications giant is looking to get a slice of the rapidly growing virtual care technology market.

Teva joins pharma's help-the-helpers trend with campaign for Canada's COVID caregivers

By Beth Snyder Bulik

Teva Canada wants to lessen COVID caregiver stress, and today launches a raft of new resources and programs to support their mental health. The effort includes virtual life coaching sessions and free access to a caregiver support app, along with caregivers' stories and advice.

Mastercard makes healthcare move with digital ID solution patients can use on their smartphones

By Heather Landi

In its first major move into healthcare, Mastercard is teaming up with b.well Connected Health to launch a digital solution for patient identification that works on smartphones. The digital ID verification service uses smart biometrics and other technology to give patients a simpler and more secure way to prove their identity when accessing their health records.

AstraZeneca, MGH test virtual health platform to keep prescribing up—even when in-person doc visits are down

By Conor Hale

The goal is to establish and validate the Big Pharma’s recently launched digital health platform designed around patients with chronic illnesses, to help them manage their conditions without stepping foot into the academic medical center’s clinic.

In California, Blue Shield's vaccination takeover fixes what wasn't broken

By Rachel Bluth, Kaiser Health News

What’s happening in California’s Mendocino County echoes the frustrations, successes and stumbles felt by counties and clinics across the state during this turbulent transition.

COVID-19 tracker: EMA to reveal AZ vaccine blood clot findings; Pharma R&D budgets soared in 2020

By Kevin Dunleavy,Fraiser Kansteiner,Eric Sagonowsky

The European Medicines Agency will report its findings on rare cases of blood clots in AstraZeneca vaccine recipients. A look at Pharma's top 10 R&D spenders revealed that investment soared in response to the pandemic. Teva Canada has launched a program to help caregivers deal with the stress brought on by the pandemic. Ortho will increase production of its COVID tests by more than threefold. And more headlines.

Novavax adds blinded crossover arms to COVID-19 vaccine trials

By Nick Paul Taylor

Novavax has added crossover arms to late-phase clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine. The action will enable participants in the placebo cohorts of the original trials to get vaccinated without unblinding the studies.

COVID-19 Tracker