ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, AUGUST 27-28, 2021 SCIENCE 11 Health EPA bans pesticide Earlier ‘diabetes’ tests urged for obese adults NEW YORK, Aug 26, (AP): Overweight and obese Ameri- cans should start getting screened for diabetes earlier, at age 35 instead of 40, according to updated national guidelines pub- lished earlier this week. The new advice stems from rising rates of both obesity and Type 2 diabetes, and research showing health benefi ts of pre- vention methods and early treatment. Three out of four US adults is overweight or obese, which increases their chances for developing diabetes. Among adults aged 18 and older, 14% already have diag- nosed diabetes, and 33% have prediabetes. Screening is rec- ommended up to age 70. The guidance from the US Preventive Services Task Force, an advisory group to the US government, was published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It updates the task force’s 2015 recommenda- tions, and says even earlier screening should be considered for overweight or obese American Indians, Black people, Hispanics and other groups with dis- proportionately high diabetes rates. The American Diabetes Association says overweight or obese adults of any age should be screened. Screening means blood tests to measure sugar levels and sometimes involves drinking a sugary liquid fi rst. The new guidance suggests that peo- Biden ple whose tests are normal could be screened every three years. Type 2 diabetes impairs the body’s ability to use insulin to In this June 30, 2021, file photo, a health worker prepare a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Sumida ward of Tokyo. Japan’s health ministry said Aug 26, regulate blood sugar, leading to high levels that can cause heart that it is suspending use of about 1.63 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by Moderna Inc after contamination was found in portions of unused vials, rais- problems, organ damage and blindness. Prediabetes means ing concern of a supply shortage as the country desperately tries to accelerate vaccinations amid the surge of infections. (AP) higher than normal blood sugar levels that can lead to full- blown diabetes. Type 2 diabetes incidence has increased in recent years along with obesity rates. A 2001-17 report in the same jour- nal shows the rate nearly doubled in kids aged 10-19, jumping Coronavirus from 34 cases per 100,000 kids to 67 per 100,000. Evidence The task force’s guidance says evidence shows diet and physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes in adults with Contamination reported from multiple vaccination sites prediabetes. The diabetes drug metformin has been shown to do the same but has not been approved for that use, the task force notes. The drug is not risk-free and some doctors oppose Japan suspends 1.63m Moderna doses using it that way, noting that two-thirds of people with predia- betes never develop the disease. A JAMA editorial says evidence shows that few US adults TOKYO, Aug 26, (AP): Japan sus- with prediabetes are referred to diabetes prevention or weight pended use of about 1.63 million doses loss programs that could help them avoid diabetes and its com- of Moderna vaccine Thursday after Pfizer seeking FDA approval for plications. It calls for a broader range of effective prevention contamination was found in unused vi- programs that are covered by insurance and accessible to peo- als, raising concern of a supply short- ple who need them most. age as the country tries to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine booster dose Meanwhile, US regulators took action recently that will vaccinations amid a COVID-19 surge. make it easier to get a cheaper, near-copy of a brand-name The health ministry said contamina- NEW YORK, Aug 26, (AP): Pfizer tries are not getting enough vaccine insulin at the drugstore. tion was reported from multiple vac- is seeking US approval of a booster for their initial rounds of shots. Doctors now have to specifi cally prescribe what’s called a cination sites. Some doses might have dose of its two-shot COVID-19 vac- Pfizer’s vaccine, jointly devel- biosimilar or OK substituting it for a more expensive brand- In this March 2021 photo provided by been administered, but no adverse cine. oped with Germany’s BioNTech, name insulin. Pfizer, vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech health effects have been reported so The drugmaker said Wednes- received full FDA approval earlier The move by the Food and Drug Administration will COVID-19 vaccine are prepared for far, offi cials said. day that it has started the applica- this week, also for those ages 16 allow pharmacists to automatically substitute the cheaper packaging at the company’s facility in Takeda Pharmaceutical Co, a Japa- tion process for a third dose of its and older. It had been given to that version, just as they do with generic pills for other kinds Puurs, Belgium. On Aug 25, the com- nese drugmaker in charge of sales and vaccine for everyone ages 16 and age group under an emergency of drugs. pany said it started the application pro- distribution of the vaccine in Japan, older. The company said it will com- use authorization, which is still the cess for US approval of a booster dose said it decided to suspend use of doses plete the application with the Food case for those ages 12 to 15. It’s the FDA’s first approval of an “interchangeable” and Drug Administration by the end More than 200 million doses of biosimilar, a near-copy of an injected biologic medicine of its two-shot COVID-19 vaccine for manufactured in the same production people ages 16 and older. (AP) of this week. the Pfizer vaccine have been ad- that’s manufactured inside living cells. It could save dia- line as a safety precaution. The FDA earlier this month said ministered in the US — and hun- betics and health plans millions of dollars annually and en- It asked Moderna to conduct an transplant recipients or others with dreds of millions more worldwide courage other drugmakers to create more biosimilar medi- emergency investigation and told med- weakened immune systems can — since it got the green light in cines. Health data firm IQVIA projects US savings from ical institutions and organizers to stop get an extra dose of Pfizer or Mod- December. increasing use of biosimilars from 2020 through 2024 will using the vaccine produced in Spain erna vaccines. Then last week, US The three vaccines used in the top $100 billion. and shared the production numbers health officials announced plans to US made by Pfizer, Moderna and The FDA agreed that Viatris Inc’s Semglee was inter- that may be affected. give COVID-19 booster shots to all Johnson & Johnson are still pre- changeable with widely used Lantus, a long-acting insulin. The health ministry and Takeda did Americans to shore up their protec- venting hospitalizations and deaths Approval of a second such interchangeable biosimilar of a not give details on the type of contami- tion amid the surging delta variant from COVID-19. But the vac- fast-acting insulin appears imminent from the same develop- nation or if the doses in question may of the coronavirus. cines don’t appear quite as strong ers, Pittsburgh-based generic giant Viatris and its partner, In- have been distributed outside Japan. That plan drew criticism from sci- against the highly contagious delta dia’s Biocon. The Moderna vaccine problem came entists at the World Health Organi- variant as they were against earlier Mylan N.V., one of two companies that merged to create Vi- just as Japan struggles with surging in- zation, who noted that poor coun- versions of the virus. atris last December, launched Semglee in the US last summer. fections, with daily new cases hitting Red tape, lengthy patents and pushback from brand-name Rose Zapata new highs in many parts of the country drugmakers have limited US sales of biosimilars to far below and severely straining the health care isolating at home or waiting for hos- tions diseases, experts say. levels in Europe. system. pital vacancies, and is staffed by three The Tokyo metropolitan govern- “These products are highly similar but much more afford- Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu doctors and 25 nurses. ment plans to add 110 more beds with able,” said Sean McGowan, head of biosimilars at Ameri- Discovery Kato told reporters the government The idea is to temporarily treat mild oxygen at prefectural-run hospitals by sourceBergen, a top drug wholesaler. and Takeda are discussing ways to cases with supplementary oxygen the end of August, while also prepar- ❑ ❑ ❑ minimize the impact on Japan’s vac- amid growing concerns that people ing to set up a makeshift hospitals that Judge nixes backup site: A Spanish cination progress. may get sicker — and possibly start can provide antibody cocktail infu- Children: The Biden administration said Wednesday it was judge in a decision cheered by environ- dying at home — in the absence of sions for those in the early stages of banning use of chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide long tar- mentalists has put a halt to backup plans Progress medical attention. infection, offi cials said. geted by environmentalists, on food crops because it poses for the construction of a giant telescope in “We will do utmost in order to avoid Tokyo has been under emergency But experts say oxygen only pro- risks to children and farm workers. the Canary Islands — eliminating at least any impact on vaccination progress, measures for the majority of the year, vides temporary relief and that the The Environmental Protection Agency acted after a for now the primary alternative location to most recently since July 12.