Moderna vaccine becomes third COVID-19 vaccine approved by UK regulator

  

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna has today been given regulatory approval for supply by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This follows a thorough and rigorous assessment by the MHRA’s teams of scientists, including advice from the independent Commission on Human Medicines, which reviewed in depth all the data to ensure this vaccine meets the required standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

This is the third COVID-19 vaccine to be approved for use by the MHRA and is the second mRNA vaccine (the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine approved in December 2020 is also an mRNA vaccine).

MHRA Chief Executive Dr June Raine said:

“Today’s approval brings more encouraging news to the public and the healthcare sector. Having a third COVID-19 vaccine approved for supply following a robust and thorough assessment of all the available data is an important goal to have achieved and I am proud that the agency has helped to make this a reality.

“The progress we are now making for vaccines on the regulatory front, whilst not cutting any corners, is helping in our global fight against this disease and ultimately helping to save lives. I want to echo that our goal is always to put the protection of the public first.

“Once in use, all COVID-19 vaccines are continually monitored by the MHRA. This ensures that the benefits in protecting people against COVID-19 continue to far outweigh any potential side-effects.

“Meantime, even if you have had a vaccine it is vital that everyone follows the national lockdown restrictions and remembers ‘stay alert, protect the NHS and save lives’ at all times.”

Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, Chair of the Expert Working Group of the Independent Commission on Human Medicines said:

“We are delighted to be able to give a positive recommendation for the Moderna vaccine which will help in the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

“As with all the COVID-19 vaccine data we have seen to date, we have ensured a robust and thorough safety assessment has been carried out with the independent experts that sit on this group.”

Vaccine Background

This Moderna vaccine works by injecting a small part of the COVID-19 virus’ genetic code, which triggers an immune response and creates antibodies in the human body able to fight the virus. The dosage for this specific vaccine requires two doses to be given. It is recommended to administer the second dose 28 days after the first. It is approved for use in people 18 years and over, and it can be used by pregnant and breastfeeding women following a discussion with their healthcare provider on the benefits and risks. It can be stored at -20°C for up to six months.

The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, part of the agency, is carrying out independent batch release on all of the approved vaccines, to ensure that every batch meets quality standards, and it will do so for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.

In line with the other COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved, the Moderna vaccine should only be considered for use in pregnancy when the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks for the mother and baby. Women should discuss the benefits and risks of having the vaccine with their healthcare professional and reach a joint decision based on individual circumstances. Women who are breastfeeding can also be given the vaccine after a discussion with their healthcare professional.

Anyone with a previous history of allergic reactions to the ingredients of the vaccine should not receive it, but those with any other allergies such as a food allergy can have the vaccine.

  

Independent living service helps to ease NHS ‘humanitarian crisis’

  

Independent living provider Welbeing has stepped in to help people home from hospital as the NHS struggles to keep up with winter demand.

Welbeing provides well-known red pendants for elderly and vulnerable people which are monitored round-the-clock and automatically raise an alarm if help is required, for example in the event of a fall.

The organisation is working with the British Red Cross which is helping to transport patients from hospital back to their homes in Shropshire, freeing up much-needed hospital beds.

Steve Smith, Welbeing’s CEO, said: “Our staff have been assisting the British Red Cross and ambulances service in making people are secure and safe when they are taken home after a stay in hospital.

“Hospitals, and emergency departments in particular, are under extreme pressure at this time so we are doing what we can to ease the strain on NHS services.”

This comes after Mike Adamson, chief executive of the British Road Cross, said last week that hospitals and ambulance services across the country were facing a ‘humanitarian crisis’.

Mr Smith continued: “Health and social care are experiencing very real challenges as budgets have been cut to unrealistically low levels. It is imperative that more money is invested, particularly into care services for the elderly and disabled, so that local authorities can properly fund social care services.”

Welbeing supports over 70,000 people living in private and public sector homes across the country through a wide range of telecare services. These allow the person to continue living independently in their own home without the need for a carer, friend or family member to be present all the time.

Cosmetic surgery insights and trends from 2016 revealed with predictions for the year ahead

Less is more as ‘mini facelifts’ look set to be biggest trend for 2017, with enquiries up 589% in past three months

  

• Breast implants top the list of 2016’s most popular surgical procedures
• Enquiries into Liposuction up 64% and Tummy tucks up 56% in 2016
• Mini facelifts set to be the procedure of 2017 with 589% increase in enquiries in the last 3 months of 2016
• Dimple creation enquiries up 82% in 2016
     
  
  
  Most popular cosmetic surgery procedures of 2016:
  
  
  Breast implants remain the cosmetic procedure of choice in the UK despite a slight decrease of 9% in enquiries compared to the previous year. Yet the numbers seeking this cosmetic enhancement surgery almost doubled those of the second most popular procedure, eyelid surgery. At number two on the top ten list, is eyelid surgery, with an 8% increase in enquiries, and an average cost of £2,691, in the UK. 
  
  
  Fat reducing surgeries also featured on the list, showing double digit growth in enquiries during 2016. Liposuction saw a 64% increase in enquiries and jumped to third place on the most popular procedures list. Enquiries for gynecomastia, or male breast reduction surgery, saw a 58% increase on 2015 figures and costs £3,567 on average. Despite its higher average price tag of £5,168 in the UK, tummy tucks have also seen a huge increase in enquiries in 2016, up 56% in the past 12 months.
  
  
  Dr Foued Hamza, Cosmetic Surgeon, Queen Anne Street Medical Centre, London said, “More and more patients are seeking less aggressive and less invasive procedures, in particular ones that have faster recovery times. Patients are seeking ‘lunchtime procedures’ which means they are in and out quickly and get more subtle treatments.”
  
  
  Mini facelifts are the fastest growing trend of 2016, with enquiries up by 135% over the past 12 months. The youth-enhancing procedure is set to continue its domination as a key trend for 2017 since figures from WhatClinic.com show a massive 589% increase in those seeking mini facelifts during the last three months of the year.

2016's top 10 most popular cosmetic surgery procedures based on volume of traffic to WhatClinic.com
Procedure	Change in enquiries over the last year	Average price UK
1. Breast Implants	-9%	£4,118
2. Eyelid surgery	8%	£2,691
3. Liposuction	64%	£2,954
4. Rhinoplasty	21%	£3,772
5. Tummy Tuck	56%	£5,168
6. Fat Transfer	-23%	£2,921
7. Gynecomastia	58%	£3,567
8. Breast Reduction	11%	£5,089
9. Facelift	-5%	£5,585
10. Breast Lift	-14%	£4,800

Fastest growing cosmetic surgery treatments in 2016

Topping the list of 2016’s fastest growing cosmetic surgery trends was the mini facelift, which costs £4,745 on average in the UK. Coming in at number two was dimple creation surgery, which was up by 82% in 2016. Liposuction at number three, and also featured as one of the most popular treatments, remains a very common cosmetic surgery enhancement, while abdominal etching, which contours and shapes abdominal fat to give patients a flatter stomach, increased by 57% in 2016. Alarplasty, a procedure to pins back the ears, and cheekbone reduction both saw a 47% increase in enquiries in 2016.

2016's top 10 fastest-growing cosmetic surgery procedures (by increase in enquiries)
Procedure	Change in enquiries over the last year	Average price UK
1. Mini Facelift	135%	£4,745
2. Dimple Creation	82%	£1,200
3. Liposuction	64%	£2,954
4. Gynecomastia	58%	£3,567
5. Abdominal Etching	57%	£2,283
6. Tummy Tuck	56%	£5,168
7. Alarplasty	47%	£3,098
8. Cheekbone Reduction	47%	n/a
9. FFS - Facial Feminization Surgery	30%	£3,823
10. Butt Lift	22%	£4,203

Trends to look out for in 2017

Data from the past three months suggests that mini facelifts will continue to increase in popularity in 2017, as will vaginoplasty, a process of strengthening the muscles and tissues of the vaginal canal and removing excess or damaged tissue. Vaginoplasty, in the number two position on 2017’s predicted top trends, saw a 130% increase in enquiries in the last three months of 2016. Celebrity favourite, nose jobs (rhinoplasty), has long been one of the most popular cosmetic procedures but saw an uptick at the end of 2016, with enquires up 71% in the past three months, indicating that it could be even more in demand in 2017. Chloe Madley and Charlotte Crosby both admitted to having the procedure done in 2016.

2017's new trends
Procedure	Change in enquiries in the past 3 months	Average price UK
1. Mini Facelift	589%	£4,745
2. Vaginoplasty	130%	£4,068
3. Rhinoplasty	71%	£3,772
4. Cheek Implants	67%	£1,887
5. Facelift	59%	£5,585

Commenting on the data trends, Philip Boyle, Head of Consumer Matters for WhatClinic, said:

 “The cosmetic surgery industry continues to thrive in the UK and 2016 saw an increase in enquiries for some procedures, with mini facelifts clearly the stand out procedure this year.”

“This is an industry that moves quickly and demand is high, but in some cases, so is the risk. That’s why it’s so important for patients to have realistic expectations, and to not be swayed by offers or deals. Sometimes it’s better to wait for the ’latest’ thing to become tried and tested before you sign on the dotted line. Nothing is risk free, so start by researching the treatment, and read reviews to make sure you pick the right clinic for you. ”

Ideagen to help mental health and community trust meet paperless NHS targets and reduce reliance on off-site storage suppliers‏

Software firm Ideagen is to work with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to reduce the volume of paper patient records in line with the NHS’s £4bn drive for paperless health services.

The Trust will implement a series of Opex scanners to be used alongside Ideagen’s document scanning solution, dartQScan, and its accompanying document management software, dartKW.

dartPortal, Ideagen’s web-based clinical content viewer, will also be launched, allowing staff at the Trust to instantly access scans through an electronic interface.

The project will help South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust not only meet the paperless target, but reduce its reliance on off-site storage suppliers and the costs involved in retrieving paper records and other documentation.

Nikki Cooper, Head of Information Services at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This project is a significant one in that it will help us work towards achieving the NHS’ paperless requirements and also reduce the need to store and retrieve documentation off site.

“Through dartQScan, paper records will be scanned and saved on our system, allowing anyone with the correct permissions to access these electronic documents straight away or whenever needed. There should be no need to send documentation to be stored off site, and then wait to retrieve records again once required.

“Meanwhile, the dartKW software will allow us to complete our quality assurance checks on a particular document while dartPortal provides a web interface to a patient’s clinical information.”

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is a community, mental health, learning disability and forensic Trust that covers over one million people in the Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield areas of Yorkshire in the UK.

The project with Ideagen will see the Trust focus on legacy records initially, with a plan to replicate efforts with more current documentation at a later date.

Nikki added: “The project will see any documentation that would have been sent to offsite storage now staying on premise and being scanned into our system instead. This means that eventually all patient records will be in electronic form and able to be retrieved as and when required, rather than waiting for the document to be retrieved from storage at another site.”

Ideagen provides software and services to help over 400 global Healthcare organisations, including 75% of the UK NHS, to manage quality, safety and compliance while improving patient care outcomes and clinical e?ciency.

Reputation Institute’s RepTrak® identifies the most reputable pharmaceutical companies among the UK general public

AbbVie, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk top the RepTrak® ranking of the most reputable pharmaceutical companies in the UK, Reputation Institute announced today, based on more than 1,600 ratings collected in the first quarter of 2016 from members of the UK general public.

Sentiment towards the pharmaceutical industry is significantly more favourable in the UK compared to nearly all other global markets, including all key European countries, and it is considered to be the third most reputable industry in the UK. 

WINNERS

The top 10 companies in the 2016 UK Pharma RepTrak®, which are all perceived as having strong reputations, are:

1.       AbbVie

2.       Sanofi

3.       Novo Nordisk

4.       Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)

5.       Abbott Laboratories

6.       Allergan

7.       Bayer

8.       Astellas

9.       Bristol-Myers Squibb

10.   Shire

The RepTrak® system measures a company’s ability to deliver on stakeholder expectations on the seven key rational dimensions of reputation: products and services, innovation, workplace, governance, citizenship, leadership, and performance.

Companies are ranked on a score from 0-100 based on their overall reputation, and are grouped as Excellent (80+), Strong (70-79), Average (60-69), Weak (40-59) or Poor (Below 40):

·         AbbVie, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk lead the pharmaceutical category, with MSD and Sanofi showing major improvements on last year, and AbbVie taking the lead in its first year of measurement.

·         Giants Roche, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer are sitting at the bottom of the pack this year, with perceptions of GSK declining from ‘strong’ to ‘average’ over the last three years.

Interestingly, companies within the pharmaceutical industry have a better reputation in the UK than elsewhere in the world. Pharmaceutical companies in the UK have an average RepTrak® score of 72.8, while the average score globally is only 67.6; the US comes in at a close second with a score of 72.7.

The sector also ranks favorably compared to others in the UK. The sector has the third best reputation, beating eight others including technology and hospitality, and coming in just behind the consumer and retail industries, due to strength across all seven rational dimensions of reputation.

WHO YOU ARE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT YOU PRODUCE

The RepTrak® study reveals that corporate narrative is more important than products, for a pharma company’s reputation. The UK general public’s willingness to recommend a pharma company, speak about it positively and buy its products is predominantly driven by perceptions of the company (61%), vs. the products themselves (39%). Despite the importance the UK general public places on pharma companies’ governance, citizenship and leadership, only 50% are actually aware of what businesses are doing in these areas.

Kasper Ulf Nielsen, Executive Partner at Reputation Institute, comments: “With perceptions of who you are as a company being such a huge driver of reputation, and the lack of understanding in the general public about what the individual companies stand for, the message is clear. The pharmaceutical companies should focus on engaging and telling their corporate story to put a human face on the companies behind the drugs.”

Nielsen continues, “The results in the UK demonstrate that pharmaceutical companies should not be afraid to tell their story. The levels of trust, admiration, and respect for who they are is strong among the general public, and they want to know more.”

CSR MATTERS

Novo Nordisk, who came third in the UK Pharma RepTrak® rankings, with a score of 77.6 has the best CSR score in the UK and has benefitted from sticking to its Triple Bottom Line business principle.

The success of Novo Nordisk’s Triple Bottom Line business principle is evidenced by the fact that the company is the highest scorer in five of the seven dimensions of reputation, including citizenship and governance.

GlaxoSmithKline, has also invested heavily in a CSR campaign but is sitting down in fifteenth position with an ‘average’ score of 66.8. The GSK program has been focused around 23 forward-looking commitments across four areas of their responsible business approach, including health for all, behaviour in terms of improving access to healthcare for all, and providing a positive workplace. Kasper Ulf Nielsen comments, “The focus GSK has placed on improving its CSR perception is clearly yet to resonate with UK consumers. We see that more than 50% of the UK general public are uncertain as to whether they believe that GSK is as a good corporate citizen, that treats its employees well, and who is open and transparent about the way it does business.”

WHY REPUTATION MATTERS

Reputation Institute’s research reveals that reputation drives business results. The better the reputation, the more support a company gets. For pharmaceutical companies with an average reputation, only 20% would definitely recommend the company; this climbs to 31% if the reputation is strong, but increases to 79% if the reputation is excellent. “The impact of reputation on the business is massive, which is why the leading companies in the world are managing this asset in a systematic way,” says Nielsen.

In the UK, consumers must consider companies’ reputations “Excellent” in order to have more than 50% of those surveyed claim that they would say something positive about a company, recommend it, trust it to do the right thing, welcome it into the local community, and work for or invest in it.

Download the 2016 UK Pharma RepTrak® report at https://www.reputationinstitute.com/uk-pharma

About Reputation Institute

Reputation Institute (RI) is the world’s leading consulting and advisory firm for reputation. RI enables many of the world’s leading companies to make more confident business decisions that build and protect reputation capital, analyze risk and sustainability topics, and drive competitive advantage. RI’s most prominent management tool is the RepTrak® model for analyzing the reputations of companies and institutions — best known via the Global RepTrak® 100, the world’s largest and most comprehensive study of corporate reputations, as well as Country RepTrak® and City RepTrak® studies that look at reputation across organizations within a given geography.