This week it's all COVID related news; There's new CDC guidance for those who are vaccinated; A first over the counter test that doesn't require a prescription; Nasopharyngeal povidone iodine and the combo of Bamlanivimab-Etesevimab is assessed; And there's reports of vaccine local reactions.

This week we have news of an indication for the cancer treatment, Keytruda, being withdrawn; Janssen's single dose vaccine gains Emergency Authorization; There's findings on the effectiveness of Ivermectin as a therapy for mild COVID-19; And devices to treat migraine and prevention of sub-concussive head impacts are authorized for marketing.

An FDA warning over pharma company's promo material; Entresto's approval is expanded, There's approvals in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy; And a migraine device for OK'd for teens.

This week's stories include a caution about remdesivir; New and updated Emergency Use Authorizations; And new approvals in sleep apnea and for Botox.

This week we take a look at the remaining prospective COVID vaccines, that includes AstraZeneca, J&J and Novovax; There's also drug approvals for analgesia and influenza.

On this week's pod: The Moderna vaccine and what we know about its effectiveness against emerging variants; Merck ends it's development of two vaccines; Two separate treatment combos show promise in reducing hospitalizations and preventing COVID, respectivel; And the FDA approve a new treatment for lupus nephritis.

On this week's MPR pod we take a look at the current status of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine candidate; Considerations in assessing blood donors during the pandemic; A newly approved drug to treat heart failure; Promising results for a potential Alzheimer treatment; And changes declared for vinca alkaloid labeling.

This week we have news of the neutralizing response of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to the new COVID-19 variant; A trial investigated ravulizumab in adults with severe COVID is halted; A rapid blood test for concussions gets the all clear; A novel treatment for chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes; and the drug manufacturer Fresenius Kabi announces a voluntary recall of one lot of an NSAID treatment.

On the first MPR pod of 2021 we cover the latest COVID-19 news including admin. scheduling and production news; A diagnostics test that is giving false negative results; Bristol Myers Squibb withdraw an indication for Opdivo; And experts vote on the best diets for 2021.

Its been a long year, but the monumental efforts to achieve a COVID-19 vaccine are bearing some fruits, we about that, and also a fully at home diagnostic COVID test, as well as new findings related to glucosamine supplements and a novel treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis.