FDA orders release of COVID shot study on the human body
A federal judge in Texas has ordered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make public the data it relied on to license COVID-19 vaccines at an accelerated rate, requiring all documents to be made public by mid-2025 rather than, as the FDA wanted, over the course of about 23.5 years. In a May 9th decision hailed as a win for transparency by the lawyer representing the plaintiffs (the parents of a child injured by a COVID-19 vaccine) in a lawsuit against the FDA, the agency was ordered to produce the data on Moderna’s vaccine for adults and Pfizer’s for children about 10 times faster than the agency wanted. “Democracy dies behind closed doors,” is how U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman opened his order, which requires the FDA to produce the data on Moderna’s and Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines at an average rate of at least 180,000 pages per month. Aaron Siri of Siri & Glimstad, who represents the plaintiffs in this legal action, called the decision “another blow for transparency and accountability” that builds on an earlier court order targeting Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine data for those aged 16 and older. The FDA had argued it would be “impractical” to release the estimated 4.8 million pages at more than between 1,000 and 16,000 pages per month, which would have taken at least 23.5 years. The new order forced the FDA to produce all its data for those aged 16 and older at a rate of 55,000 pages per month, much faster than the 75 years the agency had sought. The latest order requires the FDA to produce all of its data on Pfizer’s COVID-19 for 12- to 15-year-olds (and Moderna’s product for adults) by June 31, 2025.
SNBC NEWS UPDATE: NC Congress overrides Governor’s veto to approve abortion law
SNBC NEWS FOR LIFE has an important update of Governor Roy Cooper’s veto last week of the Care for Women, Children and Families Act. The North Carolina House has followed the State Senate and voted to override Governor Cooper’s veto of this legislation banning abortions after 12 weeks except in cases of rape, incest, and medical emergencies. This pro-woman legislation has $160 million in funding to help pregnant mothers, including $75 million for childcare, $59 million for foster care, kinship care and children’s homes, $16 million to reduce infant and maternal mortality, and $3 million to help mothers’ complete college. After over an hour of debate the Senate passed the override with a 30-20 vote and the House by 72-48 to override this veto. Previously, the state banned abortion after 20 weeks. The new law is scheduled to take effect July 1st.
Nation of Israel agrees to ceasefire with terrorist group
The nation of Israel has agreed to a tentative ceasefire in the most recent conflict with Palestinian terrorists. The terrorist group, Islamic Jihad, reportedly fired over one thousand rockets into Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces countered, shooting down almost 90 percent of the rockets fired into that nation. The two sides have now agreed to a ceasefire. The agreement was made just days before the nation officially celebrated its 75th anniversary as a modern nation. The event was ignored by the United Nations. The international governing body instead, chose to host a Remembrance Day for Palestinians. The nation of Israel has experienced various issues due to a rise in growing conflict in the nation. The government has experienced protests and demonstrations over attempts to reform the judicial branch of that nation. The nation has also experienced continued criticism and boycotts from pro-Palestinian groups, as well as attacks by terrorists’ groups in the Gaza Strip also known as the West Bank.
SNBC Health Report: Excessive Screen Time Promotes Myopia
Have you ever looked at your child after hours of watching a computer screen or cell phone and notice that “glazed over” look? According to recent research, excessive staring at electronic screens is to blame, as reported by CBC News. “Eye health experts say research now links overuse of computer and smartphone screens to several progressive and often irreversible eye disorders, such as dry eye disease and myopia, at rates not seen before. Over time, staring too long at screens can change the structure of the eyeball and lead to atrophy of the glands that keep it moist. These eye conditions are becoming more common and affect more young people. While myopia or nearsightedness typically has a genetic component, it has been shown to progress faster in people who overuse screens. When the eye is forced to stare at something too close, the brain and eye adjust or ‘accommodate’ to increase close-up vision. And, over time, the squeezing of muscles can change the shape of or elongate the eyeball. This can cause dramatic changes in eye function, especially in a child's eye that's not fully developed.
Dr. Vivian Hill, a Calgary-based pediatric ophthalmologist and surgeon who chairs the Council on Advocacy of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society said the pandemic was the ‘worst’ thing for myopia, as rates spiked worldwide. She also said she's seeing more cases of crossed eyes and double vision.”
A University of Calgary study found that a child's rapidly developing brain and thirst to learn new things come to a halt when he or she is stuck in front of a digital screen, performing repetitive tasks day after day. Researchers found that those with increased screen times showed poorer performances on developmental testing. Hill suggests that children between the ages of 5 and 17 keep their screen time below two hours a day. But it's not enough to cut down on children’s screen time. Replace it with learning opportunities like reading a book, teaching a new skill, or even showing them how to serve in their community. And then, there’s fresh air and sunshine. Spending time outdoors is protective for your children. It means a lot to a child's growth to spend face-to-face time with parents.