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Living & Wellbeing
From Basic Health to Herd Immunity: What is the Purpose of Vaccines?
In our increasingly interconnected world, where illness can spread quickly from person to person, and even country to country, vaccines can offer protection. In fact, the World Health Organization refers to immunization as “one of modern medicine’s greatest success stories” for its ability to prevent and control infectious diseases, such as polio, influenza, and measles.1 Vincenza Snow, MD, who is Pfizer’s U.S. Medical Affairs Policy Lead for Vaccines, agrees with that assessment. “Vaccines...
Purpose & Ideals
Pfizer’s Institute of Translational Equitable Medicine Addresses Equity in Health Research
When it comes to healthcare, the terms “equitable” and "access" often go hand-in-hand. In order to prevent, treat, and identify diseases that disproportionately impact underserved and minority populations, Pfizer believes that research must be directed to the root causes of healthcare disparities. The recently-launched Institute of Translational Equitable Medicine (ITEM) is intended to do just that: work toward a more equitable future of health care. For Aida Habtezion, M.D., who is Pfizer’s...
Programs & Initiatives
Shot of a Lifetime: How Two Pfizer Manufacturing Plants Upscaled to Produce the COVID-19 Vaccine in Record Time
After Pfizer and BioNtech signed a letter of intent in March 2020 to work together on a vaccine, two Pfizer facilities were swiftly selected for developing the processes and manufacturing the product at an industrial scale. Located in Puurs, Belgium, and Kalamazoo, Michigan, both plants had the space, the know-how, the people, and the equipment to get to work right away. Their locations in the U.S. and Europe positioned them well for global distribution. But even with all the right components...
Science & Innovation
Retrospect and Context: One Scientist's Thoughts on Comparing COVID-19 to the 1918 Flu Pandemic
A little over 100 years ago, about 500 million people, or one-third of the global population at the time, fell ill. At least 50 million died, with 675,000 deaths occurring in the U.S.1 Today, the COVID-19 pandemic is frequently compared with the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919. The destruction caused by that pandemic a century ago may sound familiar. Yet, direct comparisons of the 1918 flu pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic may not be completely fair, according to one scientist. While we...
Programs & Initiatives
Shot of a Lifetime: How Pfizer Developed its Own Raw Materials to Ensure a Steady Supply for the COVID-19 Vaccine
It was December 15, 2020 when Melissa French got the message: Pfizer needed large quantities of something called a cationic lipid that was critical to the COVID-19 vaccine. “This isn’t an everyday lipid that's readily available,” says French, who is a Project Manager with Pfizer Global Supply, and handles lipid production at a facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was being asked to lead a team in producing large amounts of this important raw material. The call wasn’t a complete surprise. A...
Programs & Initiatives
Shot of a Lifetime: How Pfizer is Partnering with CMOs to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Production and Reach More People
On a Sunday afternoon in May of 2020, Amy Genest’s phone rang. She recognized the number immediately and excused herself from her young daughters and her husband to take the work call. On the line, a colleague at Pfizer told her she needed help in securing contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) to assist with vaccine production, when—and if—Pfizer and BioNTech were authorized to manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine. “That task was nothing new for Genest, who at the time served as New Products...
Programs & Initiatives
Shot of a Lifetime: How Pfizer and BioNTech Developed and Manufactured a COVID-19 Vaccine in Record Time
On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic1. Just six days later, on March 17, Pfizer signed a letter of intent with BioNTech to co-develop a potential COVID-19 vaccine2. In those early days, it was unclear how this new virus was transmitted, or how long it would last. But as deaths around the world mounted and life as we knew it drastically changed, one thing became apparent: the virus was spreading rapidly, and the race for a vaccine was underway3. BioNTech...
Living & Wellbeing
The Truth About COVID-19 and Black Fungus
The novel coronavirus has recently been linked to two serious fungal infections: COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) and COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM).1 The resurgence of these rare fungal infections has medical personnel concerned. A 2021 study found that more than 47,000 cases of CAM were reported in just three months in India. And with the Delta variant spreading worldwide, reports suggest that the number of cases is likely much higher.2 Aspergillosis and...
Managing Your Mental Health During a Pandemic
The World Health Organization recently declared a pandemic in the wake of a global outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). And while the majority of people affected by the disease will recover without any long-lasting consequences, there are many others who will suffer the short-term and long-term health effects of stress, anxiety and other mental health complications. We all respond differently to stress and anxiety. Our response is often based on our family upbringing...
Understanding COVID-19 Testing Methods
With COVID-19 cases on the rise around the country, and the holiday season here, many people are considering whether to get a coronavirus test. Diagnostic testing is a critical tool in helping to understand and control the spread of the virus. And for indviduals, test results help to guide their medical treatment and whether they need to self-isolate. While testing is an important tool, making sense of the testing landscape has been complex and confusing for many, says Renee Yura, who...
How Do Viruses Mutate and What it Means for a Vaccine?
As SARS-CoV-2 spreads around the globe, it is mutating, in other words it is acquiring genetic changes. While the idea of “viral mutation” may sound concerning, it’s important to understand that many of these mutations are minor, and don’t have an overall impact on how fast a virus spreads or potentially how severe a viral infection might be. In fact, some mutations could make the virus less infectious. Much of our knowledge of how viruses change to escape natural or vaccine-elicited...
Living & Wellbeing
Chronic Stress and How to Manage It
Everyone seems stressed these days. From the current pandemic to economic pressures, racial unrest, political tensions and natural disasters, the start of the new decade has seemed to throw one stressor after another. At some point, that stress may become something you can’t simply shake off: Experiencing stress over an extended period may indicate that stress is chronic. Chronic stress can take a toll on your mind and body. Fortunately, there are things you can do to back on the path to mental...
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