AstraZeneca’s (LON: AZN) Covid-19 vaccine was seen as key to fighting the pandemic globally, given its low cost and easy distribution, but its roll-out and uptake haven’t exactly been smooth. The shot was recently suspended from use in multiple countries including Germany, Denmark, Norway, and France due to cases of severe blood clotting following vaccinations. Separately, the shot’s lower reported efficacy figures, limited efficacy against some newer strains, and the company’s missteps during phase 3 trials have also hurt perception surrounding the vaccine. Although the AstraZeneca vaccine is likely to continue to play a role in vaccinating populations globally, the recent problems will give rival vaccines an edge. We think Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and German partner BioNTech’s vaccine could be a key beneficiary of AstraZeneca’s current setbacks for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the Pfizer shot is among the most effective Covid-19 vaccines (roughly 95% effective against original strain) Secondly, supply is scaling up nicely. The two companies intend to produce about two billion doses of their vaccine this year and have noted that they should have the capacity to produce as many as three billion doses in 2022, subject to demand. Moreover, Pfizer’s shot now appears to be a bit easier to store and distribute than before, with the FDA allowing it to be stored at more standard freezing temperatures, unlike the ultra-cold temperatures that were required at the time of U.S. approval. Now, unlike AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson who have pledged to not profit from their vaccines through the current pandemic, Pfizer’s shot is expected to have a positive EPS impact and this could help Pfizer stock if sales ramp-up further.
See our indicative theme on Covid-19 Vaccine stocks for more details on the performance of key U.S.-based companies working on Covid-19 vaccines.
[Updated 2/22/2021] Pfizer Vaccine Updates
Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and its German partner BioNTech have indicated that they should have the capacity to produce as many as three billion doses of their Covid-19 vaccine in 2022, subject to demand. For perspective, Pfizer intends to produce about 2 billion doses of its shot this year and is projecting about $15 billion in Covid-19 vaccine revenues. That said, we don’t think there will be sufficient uptake for the additional capacity next year for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, the market for Covid-19 shots is becoming much more crowded. Besides Moderna and AstraZeneca who have been ramping up production of their shots, Johnson & Johnson recently received FDA clearance for its single-dose Covid-19 shot and the company is looking to produce as many as one billion doses this year. Vaccine specialist Novavax
NVAX
also appears to have a highly effective shot based on U.K. trials and is looking to produce about two billion doses annually. Even China’s Sinovac Biotech is looking to reach an annual capacity of 2 billion doses by June. Considering the strong planned supply of shots, there’s a good chance that a meaningful percentage of the global population will be inoculated against Covid-19 by the end of this year. In the U.S. for example, at the current rate that vaccines are being administered (2.15 million doses per day over the last week, per the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker), all adults who want a vaccine are likely to get one by the summer. Demand over 2022 could come from emerging markets, where pricing could be lower. Moreover, Pfizer’s vaccine, which needs to be stored at colder temperatures compared to rivals, could be less suitable for these markets. The Pfizer shot needs to be stored at freezing temperatures of -25 to -15 degrees Celsius, compared to the J&J
JNJ
shot which can be stored at a refrigerated temperature of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.
See our indicative theme on Covid-19 Vaccine stocks for more details on the performance of key U.S.-based companies working on Covid-19 vaccines.
[Updated 2/22/2021] Pfizer Vaccine Updates
Last week, there were two positive developments relating to Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and its German partner BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine, and one possible negative development. Firstly, Pfizer says based on internal testing that its vaccine can tolerate warmer temperatures than initially specified, possibly making it easier to handle and distribute. Under current protocol, the vaccine is being stored and transported at ultra-cold temperatures of -80 to -60 degrees Celsius until five days before use, calling for specialized equipment and a longer thawing period. However, the company is now asking the FDA to allow the shot to be stored for up to two weeks at -25 to -15 degrees Celsius, enabling the use of more standard freezers. This could make the shot more accessible in rural areas and emerging markets that don’t have special freezers. That said, rival Moderna’s shot is still easier to handle, as it can be stored at standard freezer temperatures for as long as six months and remain refrigerated for up to 30 days.
Secondly, per a study conducted on 9,000 medical staff in Israel, a single dose of the Pfizer shot alone was about 85% effective in preventing Covid-19 infection between two and four weeks after inoculation. This is not far off from the roughly 95% efficacy showed under the two-dose regimen. This could effectively help to vaccinate more people quickly if the second dose of the shot can potentially be delayed or perhaps even avoided altogether. For perspective, Pfizer is looking to produce as many as 2 billion doses of the shot this year.
Separately, based on a lab study, Pfizer says that the South African strain of the novel coronavirus could cut the protective antibodies produced by its vaccine by two-thirds. Although this doesn’t necessarily mean that the shot will not be effective against the new strain, it is concerning. Considering this, the company is exploring developing an updated version of its shot or a booster shot.
See our indicative theme on Covid-19 Vaccine stocks for more details on the performance of key U.S.-based companies working on Covid-19 vaccines.
[Updated 12/3/2020] Emergency Use in the United Kingdom
Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in the United Kingdom, with initial shots likely to be given as soon as next week. The U.K is the first western country to ratify the shot and the country is expected to be allotted between four million to five million doses of the vaccine this year. For a perspective, Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech intend to manufacture up to 50 million doses this year. The U.K. rollout will be a crucial test of the logistics and distribution of the vaccine – which needs to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures using custom-made vaccine freezer boxes – and should give a sense of how effectively the company can scale up deployment globally. Pfizer has applied for emergency use authorization with the U.S FDA, which is likely to conduct its review on December 10th, with the vaccine likely to be available in limited quantities post that.
See our indicative theme on Covid-19 Vaccine stocks for more details on the performance of key U.S.-based companies working on Covid-19 vaccines.
As we’ve noted previously, the Covid vaccine is unlikely to meaningfully move the needle for Pfizer stock (see our update below). However, Pfizer stock still looks attractive at current levels. The availability of Pfizer & other Covid vaccines could mark the beginning of the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has reduced doctors’ visits for other ailments and delayed patients from seeking care. As vaccines are deployed and the recovery gathers pace, it should help Pfizer’s Biopharma segment, which includes oncology drugs, such as Ibrance, vaccines, such as Prevnar, and Pfizer’s newly approved biosimilars for some of the blockbuster drugs, including Humira and Avastin, aiding the stock. Our dashboard ‘Buy Or Sell Pfizer Stock’ provides the key numbers behind our thinking. Also, see our analysis Here’s Why Pfizer Stock Looks Inviting At $39 Levels
[Updated 11/10/2020] Why Pfizer’s Vaccine Won’t Move The Needle For The Stock
Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and its German partner BioNTech indicated that their Coronavirus vaccine, dubbed BNT162b2, was over 90% effective at preventing Covid-19 infections among volunteers, based on early data from phase 3 trials. The results are surprisingly strong, considering that the U.S. FDA had set a baseline efficacy of just 50% for the approval for Covid-19 vaccines. While there is a possibility that the efficacy rate of Pfizer’s vaccine could change as more data comes in, the numbers are no doubt encouraging. The companies are on track to file an emergency use application with the U.S. FDA later this month if pending data indicate that the vaccine is safe. [1] The companies intend to manufacture up to 50 million doses this year, and as much as 1.3 billion doses in 2021. Two shots of the vaccine will be required per person.
While Pfizer stock was up by almost 8% following the news, we think it’s unlikely that the vaccine will meaningfully move the needle for the company for multiple reasons. (Related: Are Covid Vaccine Stocks Worth Investing In?) For perspective, Pfizer has agreed to supply the U.S. government with the vaccine at about $19.50 per dose, and it’s possible that average prices could be well below this, considering that pricing might be lower in emerging markets. Also, vaccines traditionally have lower profitability versus prescription drugs. Combined with the large public interest in facilitating vaccine access, these margins may face even more downward pressure. Considering that the vaccine is co-developed with BioNTech, any profits will likely be shared.
Competition is also likely to mount as there are likely to be several more successful vaccine candidates from other companies in the coming quarters. For example, clinical-stage biotech Moderna (NASDAQ
NDAQ
: MRNA), which also uses an mRNA-based technology like the Pfizer vaccine, is slated to report efficacy data in the coming weeks. (related: How Will The Covid-19 Vaccine Impact Moderna’s EPS?) Pfizer’s vaccine could also face logistical issues, considering that the vaccine needs to be stored at a temperature of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other hand, vaccines being developed by the likes of Oxford- AstraZeneca, Novavax, and others can be held at regular refrigerated temperatures. This could potentially limit the use of Pfizer’s vaccine to clinics and hospitals that have the appropriate storage facilities.
See our indicative theme of Covid-19 Vaccine stocks – which includes U.S.-listed pharma and biotech companies. The theme is up by about 630% year-to-date versus about 12% for the S&P 500.
[Updated 11/4/2020] Covid-19 Vaccine stocks
Our indicative theme of Covid-19 Vaccine stocks – which includes a diverse set of U.S.-based pharma and biotech companies developing Covid vaccines – is up by about 560% year-to-date, on an equally weighted basis, compared to the S&P 500 which has gained just about 4% over the same period. While most vaccine stocks declined last week, amid a broader sell-off in the markets, they are likely to come back into the spotlight as efficacy data from late-stage trials is expected from frontrunners Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) in the coming weeks. Below is a bit more on the companies in our theme of Coronavirus Vaccine stocks and their relative performance.
Novavax, a vaccine development company, began late-stage trials of its Covid vaccine in the U.K in September, and large-scale phase 3 trials are due to begin in the U.S. and Mexico this month. While the company doesn’t have any other products on the market yet, its flu vaccine NanoFlu could be ready for potential FDA approval. The company has received about $1.6 billion in funding from the Federal government. The stock has soared 2,000% year-to-date.
NVAX
Moderna , a clinical-stage biotech company, is carrying out phase 3 trials of its Covid-19 vaccine, completing enrollment of 30,000 participants. The company is likely to have data on whether its vaccine works or not by this month, and has noted that it would seek emergency approval from the FDA if the vaccine is at least 70% effective. The stock is up 253% this year.
Johnson & Johnson: Unlike most other vaccine candidates, which are likely to require two shots, J&J is targeting a single-dose vaccine. While the company had to pause trials in mid-October after an illness was reported in a volunteer, the company is now preparing to resume trials. The stock is down by -5.1% this year.
Pfizer is working with German partner BioNTech on a Covid-19 vaccine. The company is likely to have efficacy data from late-stage trials available shortly. The company could supply about 40 million doses in the United States in 2020 if the data is positive and regulators approve the vaccine. The stock is down by about -7.6% this year.
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Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting
Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.
In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.
“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.
There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.
Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.
Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.
In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.
Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.
New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.
The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.
Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.
Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.
“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”
McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.
But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.
The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.
He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.
“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.
“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.
McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”
McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.
He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.
“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.
