An article looks into the challenges of widely distributing a COVID-19 vaccine in Arizona. "The FDA has promised that it is not going to approve a vaccine until it has found to be safe," said Dr. Elizabeth Connick, chief of infectious diseases at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson.

Dr. Meredith Hay won a $5.7 million grant for clinical trials on a novel peptide therapy that, if successful, would be the first drug to treat vascular dementia – the second most common form of dementia.

The convergence of the flu season and the COVID-19 pandemic calls for vigilance with masks, handwashing, social distancing – and a flu shot.

Continuing coverage: Molecular clock analysis showed no widespread community distribution of the highly contagious coronavirus disease in Arizona until mid-February.

Continuing coverage: Colleges and universities across the U.S. are looking into using wastewater-based epidemiology to track the spread of COVID-19. Wastewater samples from the Likins dorm on the University of Arizona campus came back positive for COVID-19, according to University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. Ian Pepper, director of the WEST Center and a BIO5 Institute member, is leading a study that uses municipal wastewater to monitor the incidence of the virus in communities across the United States.

Continuing coverage: Investigators have determined that treating patients with an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration with levodopa, a safe and readily available drug commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease, stabilized and improved their vision. It reduced the number of treatments necessary to maintain vision, and as such, will potentially reduce the burden of treating the disease, financially and otherwise. Dr. Robert W. Snyder, head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of the Arizona, is the study's lead investigator.

As cancer care costs continue to increase in the United States, a focus on chemotherapy stewardship may result in cost savings for health systems and patients. During a session of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association Practice Management 2020 Virtual Learning Event, presenter Ali McBride, clinical coordinator of hematology/oncology for the University of Arizona Cancer Center, said a 2011 projection by the National Cancer Institute estimated there would be 18.1 million cancer survivors in the United States in 2020, which represents a 30% increase in the number of cancer survivors since 2010.

By the end of the month, tens of thousands of rapid-response antigen tests will be delivered to athletic departments across the Pac-12. One school – the University of Arizona – began using the tests months ago. The university has run 25,000 Quidel tests on students, athletes, staff members and ICU patients since the spring. David Harris, who oversees the program, said the results have been impressive. "It only seems to get better the more you do it," he said.