CVS Health Corp. expects to administer 70% to 80% fewer COVID-19 vaccines in 2022 compared with 2021, adding that in-store diagnostic testing could fall 40% to 50%.

Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced they have supplied about 3.1 million courses of their antiviral drug against COVID-19, molnupiravir, to the U.S. government. In other news, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that vaccination against COVID-19 not only protects pregnant women against the disease but their babies as well.

Medable Inc., the leading software provider for patient-centered clinical trials, launched the Medable Partner Network – uniting a diverse ecosystem of technology, service, data, site, and direct-to-patient partners that work together to accelerate deployment of decentralized clinical trials.

To address a lack of diversity, California-based Medable and CVS have forged a collaboration to improve patient access to clinical trial research.

The U.S. government will make 400 million non-surgical N95 masks from its strategic national stockpile available for free to the public starting next week, a White House official said, marking the Biden administration’s latest effort to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

CVS Health Corp. will shut about 900 stores over the next three years as the company tries to adapt to changing consumer preferences by pivoting to new store formats that offer more health services.

CVS Health Corp. on November 3 said the company’s adjusted profit target for 2022 should largely meet Wall Street estimates, with volatile medical costs in its health insurance unit expected to stabilize after the Covid-19 crisis drove them up during 2021.

CVS Health Corp. said on Sept. 20 the company would fill as many as 25,000 clinical and retail jobs ahead of the flu season and as the United States prepares to administer booster Covid-19 vaccine shots.

Cigna

Cigna Corp. said on Aug. 26 the company would now sell health insurance plans on online marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as Obamacare, in three new U.S. states and 93 new counties.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. said on Aug. 4 the drugstore chain had administered more than 29 million Covid-19 vaccines at its stores so far, led by a surge in parts of the United States that had lagged in vaccinations.