What We’re Reading: Comparing New, Original COVID-19 Boosters; CDC Updates Opioid Prescription Guidelines; Health Care Cybersecurity Report

New COVID-19 Booster Performs Better Than Original, Study Shows

Pfizer and BioNTech said new research suggests their updated COVID-19 booster released in September is nearly 4 times better at boosting antibodies against Omicron in older adults compared with the previous version of the vaccine, The New York Times reported. According to the study, participants 55 years or older who received the new booster had antibody levels 3.8 times higher after 1 month compared with participants who received the original booster. However, the study only included a total of 76 participants. Results of a similar clinical trial conducted by Moderna are expected to be published soon.

CDC Releases More Flexible Opioid Prescription Guidelines

The CDC released updated, more flexible guidelines for clinicians to prescribe opioids for both short– and long-term pain, The Washington Post reported. The new guidelines got rid of limits on the number of doses and length of treatment for patients with chronic pain that were suggested in the 2016 version of the CDC opioid guidelines, which aimed to curb liberal prescribing of the drugs and control the opioid epidemic. Misinterpretations of the 2016 guidelines resulted in patients having their medications tapered off or abruptly ended and in insurers and pharmacies setting rigid prescription limits. The updated recommendations are for doctors, nurse practitioners, and others authorized to prescribe opioids, and emphasize the importance of patients’ and caregivers’ decisions on treatment.

Senator Releases Health Care Cybersecurity Report

Senator Mark Warner, D-Virginia, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released a report outlining cybersecurity threats to the health care sector, calling it “uniquely vulnerable” to attacks and calling transitions in cybersecurity improvements “painfully slow and inadequate,” The Hill reported. Warner’s report is divided into 3 sections suggesting the US federal government enhance cybersecurity leadership in the health care sector, help the private sector reduce cyber threats, and assist health care providers in responding and recovering from these attacks. The report also recommended establishing a cyber disaster relief program for those affected by cyberattacks, as well as a federal reinsurance program to help insurance companies cover some costs related to cyberattacks.