Buzz Newsletter 9/18/25

ACIP Meets Today In Atlanta

 The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is meeting this morning at 10:00am here in Atlanta at the CDC Headquarters. You can watch the meetings live on the CDC's website here. Per the published agenda, the ACIP meeting is set to cover COVID-19 vaccines, as well as recommendations for Hepatitis B, MMRV, and RSV vaccines. 

GPhA Fall Immunization Training Scheduled  

We're offering a weekend of immunization training for technicians and pharmacists! Register today and reserve your spot on Saturday, October 4 (technicians) or Sunday, October 5 (pharmacists). 

These trainings are open to both GPhA members and non-members, so please feel free to share with any pharmacists or technicians who may be interested. 
 

FOR TECHNICIANS: 

Immunization Training for the Pharmacy Technician
Saturday, October 4, 2025
9:00 am – 1:00 pm EDT
GPhA Headquarters
6065 Barfield Rd NE Suite 100 | Sandy Springs, GA 30328

GPhA Members: $199
Non-GPhA Members: $235*

FOR PHARMACISTS:

APhA’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery: A Certificate Program for Pharmacists
Sunday, October 5, 2025
8:00 am – 5:00 pm EDT
GPhA Headquarters
6065 Barfield Rd NE Suite 100 | Sandy Springs, GA 30328

GPhA Members: $349
Non-GPhA Members: $499*
 

*Non-member rate includes a full GPhA Membership through December 31, 2026 for all attendees residing or licensed in the state of Georgia. That's $100 of the regular membership price. See a full list of member benefits here.

Shot Designed for Seniors Might Work in Children Too 

Capvaxive, Merck's pneumococcal vaccine designed especially for seniors, might also be effective in children and teens, according to phase 3 study results. 

The vaccine was approved 15 months ago for use in adults but showed better results than other vaccines in children ages 2-17 with one or more chronic medical conditions. Capvaxive covers serotypes not included in the traditional pediatric pneumococcal vaccines. 

AbbVie Says No to Generic Rinvoq 

Chicago-based pharmaceutical giant AbbVie settled a lawsuit with prospective manufacturers of generic equivalents for Rinvoq, securing exclusivity of the drug in the US market until 2037. 

AbbVie originally sued a multitude of pharmaceutical companies back in 2023, saying they had gone around patent law and created generic equivalents of Rinvoq, a JAK inhibitor that is creating more than $2 billion in revenue for AbbVie. 

New Eye Drops Could Replace Reading Glasses

At a certain age, one finds reading the fine print on anything a little more difficult than before. The next thing you know, there are reading glasses in every room of the house. 

However, a study presented at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons congress found that using eye drops containing pilocarpine and diclofenac helped patients with their presbyopia, or the gradual loss of the ability to focus on nearby objects. The drops were administered in the morning and again six hours later 
 

New Drug Could Change Fatty Liver Disease Treatment 

A study out of UC San Diego found a medication that could treat a fatty liver disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). 

The drug, ION224, blocks an enzyme that is a big player in how the liver stores fat, and by blocking the enzyme DGAT2, the medication reduces inflammation and fat build up in the liver. 

MASH is common in patients with obesity and/or Type 2 diabetes, and goes for years without treatment because of a lack of early symptoms. Researchers hope that ION224 can halt or reverse MASH before the patient gets cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer. 

 

Koalas Get A New Jab  

It would be hard to find an animal as cuddly-looking and sweet-faced as the koala bear.* Their adorable numbers are in decline for a few reasons -- deforestation in their native Australian habitat and a preponderance of chlamydia infections. A university in Queensland has developed a one-time administered vaccine for koala chlamydia, decreasing mortality among breeding-aged koalas by 65% in studies. 

While it sounds a bit like a joke to say that koalas suffer from this disease, it's actually a widespread infection among populations, and there are only around 100,000 wild koalas left in Australia. And treatment with antibiotics interrupts their digestive system, leading to starvation. 

*They are neither a bear nor are they sweet. They are marsupials with some pretty nasty claws and teeth. They seem sleepy and adorable because their primary diet is eucalyptus.