ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF HEALTH-SYSTEM PHARMACISTS
Kim Young, PharmD AAHP President
In the last issue, I mentioned that AAHP is offering monthly LIVE ACPE accredited CE to its members through mid-day live webinars. In August Kate Callaway, PharmD Candidate (UAMS P4 Student), presented a CE titled Giving COVID our Best SHOT. The information presented was very informative and extremely timely in our current practice setting. I have asked her to share highlights from the presentation.
Giving COVID Our Best Shot
C
OVID-19 has taken the world by surprise during 2020. Devastation and confusion have swept across our country. There have been more than 289,000 deaths in America alone as of December 9th and over 15 million confirmed cases. This virus has had significant economic, public health, and political impacts as well as influences on the way we live our daily lives. Treatment options for this unique disease are limited and sporadic, changing rapidly with ongoing research.
are also in development. As of the beginning of September, there were nine phase three, fourteen phase II, twenty-four phase 1, and ninety-one pre-clinical candidate vaccines in development worldwide. Some are reported to be available as soon as October and many are projected to be large-scale manufactured by January of 2021, a goal of Operation Warp Speed funded by the US Congress and the CARES Act. The phase III vaccine AZD1222, developed by AstraZeneca, is an adenovirus vaccine expected to be ready for manufacturing by October of this year. In this vaccine, a COVID spike protein has been attached to a weakened version of the The search for a cure related to COVID-19 is consistent with the historic approach to pandemics. In the past, vaccines common cold in order to elicit an immune response upon have played an integral role in combatting virulent diseases. subsequent exposure. Ad5-nCOV developed by CanSino The consequences of polio, measles, and the influenza Biologics is another DNA vaccine that works similarly; its have been largely mitigated over time due to vaccination data is suggestive of a single dose with a booster shot for the development. There have been elderly population. Safety profiles no US-originated polio cases for the phase III vaccinations have Recommendations regarding since 1979, and measles was been relatively benign, mostly declared eradicated in the US in including local reactions and mild COVID-19 are constantly changing 2000 (although a resurgence has systemic effects such as fever, due to research developments. headache and malaise. Recent occurred due to the anti-vaccination information suggests that many movement). Although there have been many of the vaccinations will have coldsporadic suggestions for this unique Vaccine types can be broadly storage requirements. broken down into live-attenuated, virus, vaccines remain a staple in inactivated, and recombinant. Recommendations regarding healthcare for prevention efforts. Technological advancement has COVID-19 are constantly changing led to the investigation of nucleic due to research developments. acid vaccines. Currently, there are Although there have been many no FDA-approved vaccinations of this type. However, there sporadic suggestions for this unique virus, vaccines remain are several candidates in trial for various disease states, a staple in healthcare for prevention efforts. The search including SARS-CoV, Zika virus, and COVID-19. Specifically, continues for a safe and effective option for COVID-19. ยง mRNA and DNA vaccines integrate genetic information from the pathogen of interest into either a plasmid or mRNA strand RAPS 2020; COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker CDC 2018; Vaccines & Preventable Diseases to replicate; once delivered into the body, host cells produce CDC 2019; Global Immunization proteins that mimic a viral infection, creating an immune CDC 2018; Measles (Rubeola) response. WHO 2015; Measles Glob Pediatr Health 2019; doi: 1177/2333794X19862949 Nucleic acid vaccines are prominent among the search Nat Rev Genet 2015; 9(10): 776-788 for a COVID-19 vaccine. The types being investigated are diverse including recombinant, inactivated, and protein, NIH 2019; Vaccine Types plant and measles based. Oral and intranasal dosage forms
24
AR-Rx_4th Qtr 2020.indd 24
ARโ ขRx
|
THE ARKANSAS PHARMACIST
12/28/20 7:23 PM
