Health News Roundup: U.S. allows emergency use of first COVID-19 antibody drug; Pfizer vaccine trial success signals breakthrough in pandemic battle and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Brazil suspends Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine trial due to adverse event

Brazil's health regulator has suspended a clinical trial for China's Sinovac coronavirus vaccine citing a severe adverse event, surprising the trial organisers who countered there had been a death but it was unrelated to the vaccine. The health regulator, Anvisa, said on Monday the event took place on Oct. 29 but did not specify if the incident took place in Brazil or in another country. It also did not give an indication of how long the suspension of the large late-stage trial might last.

Indonesia's Bio Farma says trials of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine "going smoothly"

Indonesia's state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma said on Tuesday that its clinical trials of China's Sinovac coronavirus vaccine were "going smoothly", after Brazil suspended trials due to a "severe adverse effect." Edwin G. Pringadi, a spokesman for Bio Farma, said there were no plans to cancel the clinical trials, involving about 1,600 people in the Indonesian province of West Java.

Biden hails progress on COVID-19 vaccine, White House seeks credit

President-elect Joe Biden hailed Pfizer Inc's progress toward a COVID-19 vaccine on Monday but urged Americans to wear masks because it may not be widely available for many months, as President Donald Trump's administration tried to claim credit. Pfizer said its experimental COVID-19 vaccine was more than 90% effective https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccines-pfizer/great-day-for-humanity-pfizer-says-covid-19-vaccine-over-90-effective-idUSKBN27P1CT as it disclosed the first successful interim data from a large-scale clinical test. That was major progress in the quest for a vaccine to combat a pandemic that has killed more than 237,000 Americans, thrown millions more out of work and contributed to Trump's defeat in last Tuesday's election.

Fauci: U.S. could begin distributing COVID vaccine by end of year

Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on Monday greeted news about the vaccine against the deadly coronavirus that Pfizer Inc is developing as "a big deal" and said the United States could have vaccine doses ready to administer to people before the end of the year. In an interview with CNN, Fauci said he believes he will stay in his current role for the time being and he has no intention of leaving. President Donald Trump, who is attempting to contest his apparent loss in last week's presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden in the courts, has publicly criticized Fauci and has not spoken to the country's leader on fighting infectious diseases since early October, according to Fauci.

Pfizer vaccine trial success signals breakthrough in pandemic battle

Pfizer Inc's experimental COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective based on initial trial results, the drugmaker said on Monday, a major victory in the war against a virus that has killed over a million people and battered the world's economy. Scientists, public health officials and investors welcomed the first successful interim data from a large-scale clinical test as a watershed moment that could help turn the tide of the pandemic if the full trial results pan out. However, mass roll-outs, which needs regulatory approval, will not happen this year and several vaccines are seen as necessary to meet massive global needs.

Australia may open borders to Asia as it records third day without local COVID-19 case

Australia is considering opening its borders to Asian countries, including parts of China, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday, as Canberra seeks to revive an economy ravaged by COVID-19. Australia in March shut its borders to all non-citizens and permanent residents, though in October Canberra allowed New Zealand residents to enter. Internal travel is limited, although those restrictions are scheduled to be removed by the end of the year.

U.S. allows emergency use of first COVID-19 antibody drug

U.S. regulators on Monday authorized emergency use of the first experimental antibody drug for COVID-19 in patients who are not hospitalized but are at risk of serious illness because of their age or other conditions. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to Eli Lilly & Co's bamlanivimab based on trial data showing that a one-time infusion of the treatment reduced the need for hospitalization or emergency room visits in high-risk COVID-19 patients.

Pfizer, BioNTech initial vaccine results impress, but scientists remain cautious

Scientists on Monday said initial trial results for Pfizer Inc and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine far outpaced their expectations for protection against a completely new disease, but that many questions remain unanswered. The drugmakers said their vaccine was more than 90 percent effective at preventing COVID-19, based on data from the first 94 people in the trial to become infected with the coronavirus.

U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations surge to record of just over 59,000 patients: Reuters tally

There were just over 59,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the United States on Monday, the country's highest number ever of in-patients being treated for the disease, as new infections at record levels for the sixth consecutive day. The harsh statistics tallied by Reuters cemented the United States' position as the nation worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic, even as drugmaker Pfizer Inc provided some hope with successful late-stage tests of its vaccine.

New York governor expects rising coronavirus rates into winter

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday he expected the rate of positive tests for the novel coronavirus to continue rising in the state into winter. Both the state and New York City have seen positive test rates creep above 2% again in recent days in what Cuomo called a "new phase" of the coronavirus's spread.

(With inputs from agencies.)