AAHP: Giving COVID Our Best Shot

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

COVID-19 has taken the world by surprise during 2020. are also in development. As of the beginning of September, Devastation and confusion have swept across our there were nine phase three, fourteen phase II, twenty-four country. There have been more than 289,000 deaths in phase 1, and ninety-one pre-clinical candidate vaccines in America alone as of December 9th and over 15 million development worldwide. Some are reported to be available confirmed cases. This virus has had significant economic, as soon as October and many are projected to be large-scale public health, and political impacts as well as influences on manufactured by January of 2021, a goal of Operation Warp the way we live our daily lives. Treatment options for this Speed funded by the US Congress and the CARES Act. unique disease are limited and sporadic, changing rapidly The phase III vaccine AZD1222, developed by AstraZeneca, is with ongoing research. an adenovirus vaccine expected to be ready for manufacturing mRNA and DNA vaccines integrate genetic information from plant and measles based. Oral and intranasal dosage forms by October of this year. In this vaccine, a COVID spike The search for a cure related to COVID-19 is consistent with protein has been attached to a weakened version of the 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 since 1979, and measles was Recommendations regarding been relatively benign, mostly declared eradicated in the US in COVID-19 are constantly changing including local reactions and mild 2000 (although a resurgence has systemic effects such as fever, occurred due to the anti-vaccination due to research developments. headache and malaise. Recent movement). Although there have been many information suggests that many Vaccine types can be broadly sporadic suggestions for this unique storage requirements. broken down into live-attenuated, virus, vaccines remain a staple in inactivated, and recombinant. Recommendations regarding Technological advancement has healthcare for prevention efforts. 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. § the pathogen of interest into either a plasmid or mRNA strand RAPS 2020; COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker to replicate; once delivered into the body, host cells produce CDC 2018; Vaccines & Preventable Diseases proteins that mimic a viral infection, creating an immune CDC 2019; Global Immunization response. CDC 2018; Measles (Rubeola) Nucleic acid vaccines are prominent among the search Glob Pediatr Health 2019; doi: 1177/2333794X19862949 for a COVID-19 vaccine. The types being investigated are Nat Rev Genet 2015; 9(10): 776-788 diverse including recombinant, inactivated, and protein, NIH 2019; Vaccine Types of the vaccinations will have coldWHO 2015; Measles