Medical News & Updates

FDA Grand Rounds – FDA webinar on "Facial Coverings During the COVID-19 Pandemic: How well do they flatten the curve?"

FDA Resources for Patients – Resources to help patients and caregivers cope with the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 Educational Resources – Videos, toolkits, podcasts, consumer articles, and more from FDA

FDA Voices –  FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health’s unprecedented efforts in the COVID-19 response

Hand Sanitizers and COVID-19 – Answers from FDA on common questions about hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap 

Hand Sanitizer and Safety – FDA information regarding use of hand sanitizer and hygiene for consumers 

Face Masks – CDC's comprehensive guide to different types of masks and who should wear them

Cloth Face Masks – CDC information regarding use of cloth face masks to slow the spread of COVID-19

How to Protect Yourself – Tips on how to protect yourself and what to do if you're sick   

Know the Symptoms  – List of symptoms and a self-checker 

Patients & Caregivers Guide to Expanded Access – Detailed guide to help patients and caregivers understand the process of accessing investigational drugs when a clinical trial is not an option

CDC's COVID-19 Parental Resources Kit – CDC's parental guidance for serving children and young people's mental health challenges and well-being

UV Lights and Lamps: Ultraviolet-C Radiation, Disinfection, and Coronavirus –  FDA provides answers to consumers’ questions about the use of UV lamps for disinfection during the COVID-19 pandemic

Actemra (tocilizumab) EUA – FDA Authorizes the drug Actemra (tocilizumab) for Treatment of COVID-19

Antiviral drug Veklury (remdesivir) – FDA Approves First Treatment for COVID-19

Blood Purification Device Authorized – FDA authorizes blood purification system to treat patients 18 and older with COVID-19

Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine –  FDA revokes Emergency Use Authorization for Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine

Convalescent Plasma  –  FDA issues guidance for industry on use and collection of convalescent plasma

Convalescent Plasma EUA –  FDA issues Emergency Use Authorization for Convalescent Plasma as Potential Promising COVID-19 treatment

Convalescent Plasma EUA Revision – FDA updates Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma to reflect new data

Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP) – Special emergency program created by FDA to expedite the availability of potentially safe and effective life-saving treatments

COVID-19 Communication Toolkits - Materials and messages from the FDA about COVID-19 to communicate with patients, the public, and health care professionals

Emergency Use Authorizations (devices) – Lists current and terminated EUAs that make available diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices to diagnose and respond to public health emergencies

Emergency Use Authorization (all) – Lists all current EUAs, including drugs and biologics

Expanded Access Navigator Guide for Healthcare Providers – Detailed guide to help physicians and healthcare providers request and manage access to  investigational treatments outside of a clinical trial

Guidance for IRBs and Clinical Investigators –  Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review of individual patient expanded access requests for investigational drugs and biological products during the COVID-19 public health emergency

Guidance for Industry –  FDA offers guidance to enhance diversity in clinical trials, encourage inclusivity in medical product development

Guidance for Industry, Investigators, and Institutional Review Boards – FDA guidance on conduct of clinical trials of medical products during COVID-19 public health emergency

Hospital Beds, Stretchers, and Mattresses – FDA FAQs to address questions related to design, evaluation, labeling, and marketing 

Laboratory Safety – Guidance on workflow safety concerns of laboratory personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic

Management of Healthcare Workers Exposed to COVID-19 –  CDC's guidance for Public Health Management of Healthcare Workers Exposed to or with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19: non-U.S. Healthcare Settings

Medical Devices and the COVID-19 Pandemic – Information from FDA on diagnostic tests, ventilators, and personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, face shields, respirators, gowns, and gloves

Medical Gloves for COVID-19 – Information from FDA on manufacturing, purchasing, importing, and donating gloves during the public health emergency

Monoclonal Antibodies – FDA issues an Emergency Use Authorization for Monoclonal Antibodies (bamlanivimab and etesevimab) for treatment of COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 Viral Mutations: Impact on COVID-19 Tests – FDA information regarding the impact of viral mutations on COVID-19 tests, recommendations for clinical laboratory staff and health care providers, and information about certain tests for which the FDA has identified potential impacts on performance due to SARS-CoV-2 genetic mutations. The FDA will update this page as significant new information becomes available and includes: Background on SARS-CoV-2 viral mutations; General information for clinical laboratory staff and health care providers; Specific molecular tests impacted by viral mutations and recommendations for those tests.

Testing Healthcare Personnel for SARS-CoV-2 – CDC summary of considerations and recommendations regarding testing healthcare personnel (HCP) for SARS-CoV-2.

Treatment Guidelines – NIH key updates to COVID-19 treatment guidelines

Treatment Summary Recommendations – NIH recommendations for care of critically ill patients with COVID-19

UV Lights and Lamps: Ultraviolet-C Radiation, Disinfection, and Coronavirus –  FDA provides answers to consumers’ questions about the use of UV lamps for disinfection during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 Vaccines:

CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Recipient Education Toolkit – These materials include proven communication strategies and tips for effectively setting expectations and addressing questions from COVID-19 vaccine recipients

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine – FDA issues Emergency Use Authorization for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine – FDA issues Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Update – FDA Authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use in Adolescents 

USP COVID-19 Vaccine Handling Toolkit – Provides critical information to accelerate delivery and support safe handling of COVID-19 vaccines for pharmacists, doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, health profession students, and others

Personal Protective Equipment:

FDA Insight – FDA publishes new podcast titled “Personal Protective Equipment and COVID-19"

Mask and Gown Shortage FAQs – Answers to frequently asked questions on shortages of surgical masks and gowns

Masks and N95 Respirators – Information about the use of N95 vs surgical or face masks

Medical Devices and the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic – Information from FDA on diagnostic tests, ventilators, and personal protective equipment (PPE)—including masks, face shields, respirators, gowns, and gloves

Medical Glove Conservation Strategies – Letter from FDA to health care providers on potential shortages of surgeons' gloves and patient examination gloves

PPE basics – CDC's overview of who should use PPE and how to use it

PPE Conservation – Strategies to conserve PPE and other resources

Surgical Mask and Gown Conservation Strategies – Letter from FDA to health care providers recommending conservation strategies for a range of need and supply levels

Filtering facepiece respirators – Letter from FDA to healthcare providers advising that certain filtering facepiece respirators from China may not provide consistent and adequate respiratory protection to health care personnel exposed to COVID-19