A new study finds that the antiviral drug Paxlovid can safely be used by children aged 6 and older.

The study, published recently in Pediatrics, found Paxlovid, which combines the drugs nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, is safe for children who weigh at least 44 pounds who have mild to moderate COVID-19 but are at risk of developing severe disease.

Paxlovid is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in children at least 12 years old who weigh at least 88 pounds.

No serious adverse events

The study included 75 children 6 to 17 years old who received at least one dose of Paxlovid. One group received a lower dose and the other a higher dose. 

Researchers found that both doses were safe and well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events. In 90% of participants in both groups, blood concentrations of the drug reached levels that have been shown to have antiviral effects in adults.

The most frequently reported medical problems among the study participants were diarrhea and headaches, although these were uncommon, occurring in only 4% of each group. None of the participants stopped taking Paxlovid because of side effects. 

None of the children were hospitalized or died from COVID-19 during the study, which was funded by Pfizer, which makes Paxlovid. 

The study authors say the results provide important data for clinicians treating pediatric patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

“Given the continued burden of disease in pediatric patients, even in a postpandemic era, a convenient outpatient oral treatment option for preventing severe disease in individuals with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 continues to be an unmet medical need,” they wrote. 

An Escherichia coli–produced human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine protects women from cancer-causing strains of HPV, according to a recent study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. E coli–produced HPV vaccines cost less than commonly used HPV vaccines and could help boost immunization rates in low- to middle-income countries. 

“Given its low production cost, this vaccine has the potential to improve global access to high valency HPV vaccination,” wrote the authors, led by researchers at Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Preventative Medicine in China. 

Effective at protecting against high-risk HPV strains

HPV causes 90% of cervical cancer, which is the fifth most common cancer in women. In 2024, 604,000 women worldwide received a cervical cancer diagnosis, and 280,000 women died from it. Many of the deaths occurred in poorer countries, according to The World Health Organization (WHO). 

The WHO hopes to eliminate cervical cancer by vaccinating 90% of girls worldwide by 2030. Yet the cost of vaccines are a barrier to many countries’ ability to implement widespread HPV immunization. 

The efficacy results of Cecolin 9 against the 12-month persistent infection is an important milestone.

To understand if the E coli–produced nine-valent (nine-strain, 9vHPV) HPV vaccine protected against HPV infection, the researchers created a multicenter double-blind randomized clinical trial of 9,327 women in China who had not been vaccinated for HPV. Half, 4,664, received the 9vHPV vaccine (Cecolin 9) and the remaining 4,663 women received the two-valent HPV vaccine (Cecolin) as the control group. 

The researchers found that Cecolin 9 was 98.2% effective at preventing infection for a year from several high-risk HPV strains: 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. 

“The efficacy results of Cecolin 9 against the 12-month persistent infection is an important milestone,” Punnee Pitisuttihum, PhD, of Mahidol University in Thailand, and Rakesh Aggarwal, MD, DM, of Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Science and Technology in India, wrote in an accompanying commentary. 

“However, the remaining challenge is licensing this product outside of China and applying for WHO prequalification to ensure that Cecolin 9 meets global safety standards.” 

Many women are open to using a human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection test if offered the chance, says a paper published yesterday in BMC Public Health. Providing self-testing kits could increase the number of women undergoing cervical cancer screening.

“Cervical cancer disparities exist among vulnerable populations, with over half of cases diagnosed in women who rarely or never screen,” wrote the authors, led by researchers at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “Emergency departments (EDs) may be an effective site to reach patients overdue for cancer screening, especially using human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling, where women use a swab to collect their own cervicovaginal sample.” 

58% prefer self-testing over staff testing

American Indian, Alaska native, Hispanic, and Black people are more likely to receive a cervical cancer diagnosis than White people, says the American Cancer Society. Offering self-testing for cervical cancer could help improve HPV screening among women who are not undergoing regular monitoring.

Cervical cancer disparities exist among vulnerable populations, with over half of cases diagnosed in women who rarely or never screen.

Doctors surveyed 359 women ages 30 to 65 who visited one of three EDs without life-threatening conditions, about their interest in using a self-sampling HPV kit. A strong majority of the women (84%) said they were somewhat or very inclined to try self-testing if ED staff suggested it. More than half (58%) said they preferred conducting the test themselves rather than having a nurse or doctor do it.

The vast majority of participants, (91%) felt somewhat or very assured that they could correctly use the kit, and 76% felt somewhat or very comfortable taking the test in a bathroom while in the ED. Older women and patients with Medicaid showed more interest in a self-sampling kit than younger women or those with private health insurance. 

“Our survey showed strong patients willingness, confidence, and comfort with HPV self-sampling in the ED,” authors wrote.

• The number of cases in a growing cyclosporiasis outbreak in southeastern Michigan has risen to 700, according to the Detroit Free Press, with 36 people hospitalized. The gastrointestinal illness, caused by the intestinal parasite Cyclospora cayatensis, typically affects people who’ve eaten contaminated produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, snow peas, and raspberries. The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) has been conducting interviews with case-patients, but, as of July 4, investigators have not been able to link a specific produce type or grower to the outbreak. “This is food-borne illness forensics, and MDARD [is] working as quickly as possible to review the nearly 600 food histories to try and identify a common denominator in collaboration with our public health partners,” a spokesperson told the paper.
• The New York City Health Department has launched an investigation into two cases of Legionnaire’s disease in two neighborhoods on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Because past community clusters of the pneumonia-like illness in New York City have been linked to Legionella bacteria being spread by mists from cooling towers, the department is sampling and testing water from all cooling tower systems in the two neighborhoods. “Any New Yorkers with flu-like symptoms who live, work, or visited the affected area since late June should contact a health care provider as soon as possible,” NYC Health Commissioner Alister Martin, MD, MPP, said in a press release.
• The number of new PhD students admitted to the country’s leading research universities for fall 2026 dropped 15% compared with last year, according to a new report from the Association of American Universities (AAU). The authors of the report, which is based on data from 55 AAU member institutions, say cuts in graduate admissions can be directly linked to declining and unpredictable federal research funding. “As PhD admissions decline, America faces the alarming prospect of losing an entire generation of scientific talent,” the authors write.