In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at the FDA's new rules on Covid-19 vaccines, Novartis’s acquisition strategy, Medtronic’s diabetes spinoff, Regeneron’s purchase of 23AndMe, and more.

The approval applies to anyone aged 18 and older who has a risk of being exposed to the virus. But the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a safety notice on May 9 recommending that adults over 60 years old pause use of the vaccine due to fatal complications.

The CDC began recommending Ixchiq last year for adults traveling to countries where chikungunya is common. The vaccine uses a live, weakened form of the virus to trigger immunity.

Placebo testing has been part of the process since the 1940s. It’s unclear what additional measures would achieve — but it may slow development.

For years, U.S. vaccine experts have issued a universal recommendation for Covid vaccines. That could change soon.

The decision follows ongoing investigations into serious adverse events primarily reported in elderly individuals who received the Ixchiq chikungunya vaccine.

"Dengue can become severe within a few hours," the advisory states. "Severe dengue is a medical emergency, usually requiring hospitalization." The full list of countries in the ad