FDA granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first machine learning–based COVID-19 nondiagnostic screening device. The Tiger Tech COVID Plus Monitor identifies certain biomarkers that may be indicative of SARS-CoV-2 infection. It can also detect hypercoagulable conditions, such as sepsis or cancer, or hyper-inflammatory states in asymptomatic individuals over the age of 5 years.

An FDA advisory panel recommended Thursday, in a vote of 19-1, against approving Pfizer's experimental drug for the treatment of mild to moderate knee and hip pain.

Good news from Arkansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, and New Mexico: CMS has approved their proposed state Medicaid plan amendments (SPAs) to recognize pharmacists and some pharmacy professionals as “other licensed practitioners,” or OLPs, who are eligible to be paid for COVID-19 services. There’s a catch—the changes are temporary and will disappear when the federal government retracts its declaration of a public health emergency (PHE). They do, however, present opportunities to make pharmacists’ OLP designations permanent.

U.K. drugmaker AstraZeneca is preparing to seek FDA authorization in the coming weeks for its COVID-19 vaccine, which late-stage U.S. trials found to be 79% effective in preventing symptomatic disease. Researchers determined it was 100% effective against severe disease and hospitalizations.

The race is on to achieve universal COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in the United States by the May 1 deadline set by President Biden.