Buzz Newsletter 10/9/25

CDC Officially Adopts ACIP Recommendations

As the headline says, the CDC has formally adopted the recommendations of ACIP in regards to COVID-19 vaccinations, and updated its guidelines for vaccine administration. The recommendations are based on what they are calling "informed consent," which is a way of saying "talk to your health care partners before deciding." It is not restricted by age or pre-existing condition. 

For Georgia pharmacists, that means the administration of COVID-19 can be done by pharmacists under the concept of "shared clinical decision making." Patients can consult with their health care provider before deciding to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC defines a health care provider as "anyone who provides or administers vaccines: primary care physicians, specialists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and pharmacists."

In addition, the CDC now recommends that the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine be given separately from the MMR vaccine to children under the age of four, due to the risk of febrile seizures from the combined MMRV vaccine. 

Scientists Studying Immune System Win Nobel 

The Nobel Prize Committee announced the winners of the Nobel Prize in medicine this week, and it went to a team of three scientists working to better understand the immune system. Mary E. Brunkow, PhD, Fred Ramsdell, PhD, and Shimon Sakaguchi, MD, PhD, won the award for their work around peripheral immune tolerance. 

One scientist, Dr. Brunkow, ignored the calls from Sweden thinking they were spam, and didn't discover she had won until a photographer showed up. Dr. Ramsdell was on a "digital detox" hiking trip with his wife and could not be reached. 

Costco Sells GLP-1s at Costco Prices 

Everyone's favorite place to buy cases of soda and 400 rolls of toilet paper at a time is now selling Wegovy at a discount. Costco reached a deal with Novo Nordisk to sell the medication for $499 for a month's supply, the same price as through the manufacturer's cash program. 

Members still need a valid prescription for the medication before it can be dispensed, and the $499 price is for patients paying out-of-pocket. The price will vary for those using insurance. 

Last Rite Aid Stores Close 

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year, Rite Aid has closed the last of its drugstores. Most of the pharmacy assets were transitioned (i.e., sold) to other retail and grocery pharmacies, including Kroger, CVS, and Walgreens. 

Measles Outbreaks Grow Across Americas  

The measles cases keep coming, and have now grown across both North and South America, and the region is in jeopardy of losing its measles-free status thanks to continuing cases in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. 

A premature baby died last week in Alberta, after the mother went into premature labor after contracting the measles. Alberta's number of reported cases is close to 2,000 now. As of September 30, the CDC has reported 1,544 cases of measles in the United States. 
 

Scientists Find Cause of Long-COVID Fog  

Using advanced PET scans, researchers in Japan have discovered what's behind the brain fog that comes in some cases of Long COVID -- excessive AMPA receptor activity. 

Brain fog impacts more than 80% of patients living with Long COVID, and the underlying cause has remained, well, foggy. The Japanese team hypothesized a disruption in AMPA receptors, which are key to learning and memory. Turns out they were correct, and an excess of AMPARs found in Long COVID patients correlated with their degree of cognitive impairment. 

Insurers Scale Back Medicare Plans 

Three of the country's biggest health insurers -- Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and Humana -- have announced a reduction in the number of states and counties they will service with Medicare Advantage plans in 2026. 

It could lead to a lot of confusion for seniors as we enter open enrollment season, but might also allow smaller carriers to compete for a market share.