Andrew M. Slavitt is a former Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a position he held from March 2015 to January 2017. A leader of the team that repaired healthcare.gov after its problematic rollout, he was nominated by Barack Obama to run CMS in July 2015….
I’m featuring his twitter thread on the virus….
I found it useful and away from there media noise…
@ASlavitt
COVID Update July 7: I spent the last 24 hours with 3 scientists, all of whom have seen vaccine data, 2 of whom are former regulators, all of whom have opinion. Will soon if interested.
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Replying to
My core question was what the world is going to look like in 3 years but asked other things as well. (I go into detail on vaccines and trails & everything on upcoming #inthebubble). 2/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Starting with a slew of good news. 3/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
The vaccine data from Oxford (being run in Brazil looks strong). No real safety issues so far. Gives people the antibodies. People are getting it post-COVID & some will in a challenge trial. 4/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
What “works” means— how long & for whom is less clear. But probably more like a flu vaccine (40%?) vs MMR (97%). There will be multiple vaccines after the first expected in the Fall. Each likely progressively better. 5/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
The monoclonal antibody therapy is also very exciting. Maybe even more so than a vaccine. If you get infected, it’s another way to confer immunity & prevent it from advancing. 6/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Therapy trials are easier and quicker than vaccine trials. Frustration that some vaccine trials are moving too slowly & not sharing data other than in press releases. That’s something people can advocate for. 7/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Everyone— and I can’t emphasize this enough— was a huge proponent of masks. Efforts to invalidate masks were considered absurd. 8/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
The reason I mention these things is that the principal thing I learned is that the future will be defined by all of these things in combination: vaccines, therapies, masks, and other human interventions. 9/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Mutations yes, but there wasn’t much concern that vaccines could keep up. Also viruses become less deadly over time and there is cross-immunity and other potential 10/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
T-cells more important and less understood than antibodies. 11/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
What is the FDAs hurdle for approving an EUA? Safety and a 50% or greater chance of improvement. 12/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
In 6 months or so, so far science is doing as well as our leaders are doing poorly. 13/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavittThe future is always murky but given what I heard I asked: so, optimistic about reducing lethality but not eradication? Basically that’s what it sounded like. Yes, there will be a new normal. 14/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
What’s in this new normal? Will I be able to hug my mother? The answers landed on “I hope so.” But no promises. 15/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Will people wear masks in the future? Hope that we are more like Asia where this becomes a norm, particularly when people are sick. 16/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Crowds, arenas? Take it slowly. Masks and immunity and digital apps will help. But people will be taking risks. Antibody therapies could make catching CV less deadly & therefore a more acceptable risk. 17/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
What will the time before a vaccine look like? Crappy. Horrible response in the US. Way too many unnecessary deaths. Fall will be awful. 18/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Chance that the early vaccines turn out to be unsafe or don’t pan out? Possible but low. 19/
Andy Slavitt @
@ASlavitt
Will people be able to trust what they hear from the FDA or Trump Administration? It’s an issue. Will you? Likely. Will look at the data. Would you take a vaccine? Depends on the data. Expect there to be data before approval? Yes. Will you speak out no matter what? Yes. 20/