News & Updates

Vaccination reduces risks of long-COVID and death

COVID-19 vaccination can reduce the risk of long COVID if given before SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Findings suggest that vaccination before infection confers only partial protection in the post-acute phase of the disease. Hence, reliance on vaccination as a sole mitigation strategy may not optimally reduce long-term health consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Case study: Lessons on managing invasive mould disease in the ICU

In conjunction with the 42nd International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (ISICEM), Pfizer sponsored a symposium addressing the complex challenges of managing invasive mould disease (IMD) in the intensive care unit (ICU), emphasizing the importance of a proactive mindset among intensivists. Using a real-life patient case study, Dr Paula Ramirez from La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital, Valencia, Spain highlighted the significance of early suspicion, swift diagnosis, and timely treatment in critically ill patients with IMD. Professor Gennaro De Pascale from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy discussed effective management strategies and the clinical evidence for various antifungals in treating IMD in critically ill patients.

Waning immunity against COVID-19 reinfections: Lessons from Singapore cohort study

A retrospective national cohort study in Singapore assessed hybrid immunity from previous infection and monovalent vaccination against medically attended symptomatic BA.4, BA.5, and XBB reinfections.

Novel antibiotics in the management of multidrug-resistant organisms: Real-world evidence

Antimicrobial resistance is a global crisis. In 2019, antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens directly caused 1.27 million deaths worldwide. [Lancet 2022;399:629-655] In particular, carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii cause infections that are particularly difficult to treat. This was the main focus of the Pfizer-organized Meet-the-expert session with Professor Yehuda Carmeli, Professor of Medicine at Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, and Founder and Head of Israeli National Institute for Antibiotic Resistance and Infection Control, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel. Dr Lee Tau Hong, infectious disease physician at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore, chaired the session.

Benefits of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for Omicron outweigh risks regardless of age, sex, or comorbidities

The benefits of mRNA vaccines are much larger than the risks, for both the primary series and the booster doses, across all ages, sexes, and the presence or absence of comorbidities, even considering the reduced disease severity of the Omicron variant.

COVID-19 a leading cause of death among children and young people

COVID-19 caused substantially more deaths annually in children and young people than any vaccine-preventable disease historically in the recent period before vaccines became available.

Managing MDR gram-negative bacterial infections: Key lessons from 5 years of using ceftazidime-avibactam

The rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens is a major and persistent global healthcare problem. In a Pfizer-sponsored symposium held during the 33rd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), experts shared lessons drawn from over half a decade of using ceftazidime-avibactam in the management of MDR gram-negative bacterial infections. Prof David Paterson from the National University of Singapore and Dr Maddalena Giannella from Bologna University, Italy chaired the session. 

Among the highlights were real-world evidence (RWE) with ceftazidime-avibactam and how it has shaped the anti-infective therapeutic landscape, the importance of early, appropriate treatment and its place in antimicrobial stewardship strategies, and the roles of microbiology and diagnostics in optimizing treatment strategies.

COVID-19 vaccine-induced immunity PROTECTS BETTER than natural immunity from previous infection

Vaccination against COVID-19 provides superior protection against all-cause health events as shown in a recent study in the US. Vaccinated individuals had significantly lower all-cause mortality, hospitalization, and emergency department visits than those who were previously infected but were unvaccinated.

This suggests that strong natural immunity acquired from a previous COVID-19 infection does not appear to fully compensate for the detrimental effects of an initial infection.

Efficacy of Bivalent Boosters Against Severe Omicron

Bivalent boosters provide substantial additional protection against severe COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant. On August 31, 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for use as a single booster dose.

SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Everything you need to know

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve with the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants. The variants of concern have the potential to impact the transmissibility, virulence, and clinical presentation of the disease, affecting the epidemiology, public health measures, and diagnostic and therapeutic options. Mutations in the spike protein of the virus have increased its ability to infect humans and evade neutralization by natural or immunisation-induced antibodies. The highly mutated Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has multiple sublineages with varying transmissibility and immune evasion potential. Pre-exposure prophylaxis plays a crucial role in protecting the immunocompromised populations against severe disease; however, the rapidly changing landscape of the variants poses a major challenge to the current and future effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylactic monoclonal antibodies.