Mom can sue over son's unwanted coronavirus shot, North Carolina high court rules
A mother can proceed with her lawsuit against a public school board and medical provider after her son was given a covid-19 vaccination without consent, North Carolina's Supreme Court has ruled.
The court's opinion, issued Friday, came after Emily Happel sued Guilford County Board of Education and Old North State Medical Society in August 2022, alleging battery and violation of state and federal constitutional rights after her son, Tanner Smith, received a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine against his wishes and without her consent.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
BIOSeedin Innovation Partnering Conference 2025: Spotlight on China's Biopharma Trailblazers and Global Collaboration
China's influential innovative drug asset cooperation platform NEWARK, Del., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BIOSeedin Innovation Partnering Conference (BIOS), established in 2021, has quickly become one of the most prestigious biopharmaceutical partnering events in APAC. Hosted annually by bioSeedin, BIOS has attracted cutting-edge biotech startups and top investment firms globally. It serves as a crucial platform for fostering collaboration between China's biopharma sector and global markets, facilitating partnerships, therapeutic asset licensing, and investment networking. The 5th annual BIOSeedin Innovation Partnering Conference solidified its role as a nexus for global biopharma innovation, attracting more than 2,000 registrants from 10 countries. Senior executives and investors dominated the audience, with 61.66% holding C-suite, BD, or investment roles. The event facilitated 7,275 meeting requests. Confirmed deals across oncology, rare diseases, and next-gen modalities. MNCs including Merck & Co., Pfizer and Bayer emerged as top targets, with key accounts receiving over 50 meeting requests each. Key Insights from BIOS Discussions Dr. Yi Zhu, Founder and CSO of Biokin Pharma, framed China as a "translational research powerhouse", uniquely positioned to de-risk high-impact modalities. "Our cost-efficient clinical execution enables rapid validation of novel ADCs and gene-editing platforms," he noted, citing Biokin's Phase II PD-1xLAG-3 bispecific antibody as evidence of China's ability to advance complex biologics. His call for investors to prioritize high-risk, high-reward assets resonated across sessions, particularly as Chinese startups now contribute 38% of global ADC patents. John Zhu, CEO of DualityBio, challenged conventional innovation metrics during a standing-room-only session. "True differentiation isn't about target novelty but biomarker-driven clinical value," he asserted, showcasing DualityBio's tumor-activated ADC linker technology. His critique of "therapeutic crowding" aligned with investor interest in China's precision medicine pipelines, particularly in NSCLC and triple-negative breast cancer. Dr. Zhang Lianshan, EVP of Hengrui Pharma, grounded discussions in localization imperatives. "Globalization starts with domestic validation," he emphasized, detailing Hengrui's strategy to leverage China's 140 million cancer patient registry for accelerated oncology trials. His case study on a Claudin 18.2-targeted therapy — now in global Phase III — highlighted China's evolving role from fast follower to protocol co-designer. Jacky Jiang, BD Head at CSPC Pharma, outlined a pragmatic blueprint for strategic asset curation. "Align R&D with unmet needs, technical strengths, and M&A agility," he advised, referencing CSPC's recent acquisition of a CRISPR-Cas12Max delivery platform. His prediction that non-viral gene therapies will dominate rare disease investments by 2026 drew vigorous investor follow-ups. 40 companies gave roadshows and brought abundant assets The BIOSeedin 2025 roadshow spotlighted China's accelerating leadership in next-generation therapies, with 40% of showcased assets featuring breakthrough modalities like Phase II PD-1xLAG-3 bispecifics for NSCLC, preclinical Claudin 18.2xCD3 T-cell engagers, and tumor microenvironment-activated ADC linkers — technologies where Chinese firms now hold 32% of global patents. Rare disease innovations included non-viral CRISPR-Cas12Max therapies for retinal disorders (90% primate model efficacy) and Duchenne MD gene therapies, while metabolic/CNS advances featured dual GLP-1/GIP agonists outperforming competitors in weight loss trials and tau-targeting Alzheimer's mAbs. With 50% of programs in Phase I/II (including 10 breakthrough-designated assets) and two Phase III candidates nearing 2026 NDAs — a bispecific NSCLC antibody leveraging China's genomic databases and a non-opioid TRPV1-ATP analgesic — the portfolio underscores China's evolution from fast follower to global innovator, combining cost-efficient development with patient-centric therapeutic engineering. Building on this year's success, BIOSeedin 2026 will expand its global footprint with dedicated tracks for European and North American attendees. As Dr. Zhu Yi concluded, "China's biotech sector is not just catching up — it's redefining innovation. We invite global partners to join this journey, where collaboration transcends borders and accelerates patient-centric breakthroughs." Join us next year to explore investment opportunities, forge transformative partnerships, and shape the future of biopharma innovation. View original content: SOURCE bioSeedin Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Health officials issue urgent warning after discovering first case of deadly bacteria carried by tick in US: 'Raising public awareness … is critical'
Researchers in Connecticut have identified a dangerous pathogen carried by a rapidly spreading, invasive species of tick, Patch reported. The Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is considered invasive in the United States, with initial sightings recorded in 2010, 2013, and 2017. Many tick species pose a risk to human health because of their efficacy in spreading disease, particularly bloodborne illnesses such as Lyme disease, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis. That third pathogen is the one found by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. According to NBC Connecticut, an Asian longhorned tick that tested positive for the bacterium responsible for ehrlichiosis "was found in Fairfield County sometime between 2021 and now." "This discovery highlights the growing threat posed by invasive ticks," CAES Passive Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Program Director Goudarz Molaei said. "Raising public awareness of emerging tick-borne illnesses is critical to both human and veterinary health." Tickborne disease has been on the rise for decades. "As typically colder and drier climates become warmer and wetter, there has been an expansion of ticks in the northern hemisphere and at higher altitudes where they were previously unable to survive," a Pfizer advisory cautioned. Scientists say rising temperatures and volatile weather patterns are driving their incursions into new areas, as a study published in Scientific Reports in January evidenced. Because the Asian longhorned tick is a relative newcomer to the U.S., researchers are still working to determine the gravity of the risk it poses to both humans and animals. Researcher Risa Pesapane co-authored a paper about the species and its effect on livestock, citing the deaths of three head of cattle in Oklahoma in 2021. Do you worry about getting diseases from bug bites? Absolutely Only when I'm camping or hiking Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "To have been taken down by exsanguination by ticks, you can imagine that was tens of thousands of ticks on one animal," she explained. At first glance, the worrisome proliferation of disease-spreading ticks seems insurmountable — but there are ways to reduce your risk of tick encounters and tick-related illnesses. Chemical-free pest control methods are one way to avoid tick bites, and the Global Lyme Alliance recommends "products that use picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus" as effective deterrents on par with chemical pesticides. Surprisingly, rewilding your yard may be another way to reduce the risk of encountering ticks, according to the David Suzuki Foundation. "A growing body of ecological evidence … shows that replacing lawns with native plant gardens can disrupt tick-host interactions and reduce tick-borne disease risk, while also restoring biodiversity," the Foundation wrote. Pesapane urged a multifaceted strategy for tick mitigation. "For a variety of reasons, I tell people you cannot spray your way out of an Asian longhorned tick infestation — it will require an integrated approach," she explained. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
2 Beaten-Down Dividend Stocks to Buy Now and Hold at Least a Decade
Whether they want rapid payout growth or a high yield that rises slowly, income focused investors can find what their looking for in the healthcare sector. UnitedHealth Group stock has been offering a 3% yield, and it's payout has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Pfizer offers a dividend yield over 7%, but it's payout probably won't rise very fast in the decade ahead. 10 stocks we like better than UnitedHealth Group › Investors seeking high yields or rapid dividend growth can find what they're looking for from a reliable pair of stocks in the healthcare sector. UnitedHealth Group's (NYSE: UNH) recent CEO departure and corresponding suspension of forward guidance ended a long stretch of strong returns. Now you can buy the stock for less than half the peak price it reached last October. Incoming competition for Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE) top-selling drugs has knocked the pharmaceutical stock down more than 60% from its all-time high. Pfizer and UnitedHealth Group are both known for reliable annual dividend payout raises. You wouldn't know it by looking at their stock prices, but there's a good chance that both can continue their streaks for at least another decade. If there's one thing the stock market hates, it's uncertainty. UnitedHealth Group investors learned this the hard way when the company suspended forward-looking earnings guidance and bid farewell to its CEO, Andrew Witty, in May. To explain the earnings guidance suspension, UnitedHealth Group's new CEO, John Rex, told investors the new members it signed up last year required more care than expected. Medicare Advantage members were also using more services than anticipated. He didn't go into detail, but said there are indications that the higher utilization trend could broaden. Ever since the Affordable Care Act, insurers have been required to spend at least 85% of the premiums they receive on medical expenses. Raising premiums to a level that can absorb those expenses without going too far is getting trickier. From 2023 through 2032, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expects the national health expenditure to rise by 5.6% annually. Unfortunately, some areas are rising at a faster pace. For example, hospital expenditures soared 10.4% in 2023. UnitedHealth Group may have misjudged the amount of care a slew of recently added customers would require, but there's a good chance it can right the ship under new leadership. Its biggest competitor, CVS Health, made hardly any additions to its membership roster over the past year. Being careful about which patients it enrolls worked out well. Instead of suspending its 2025 outlook, CVS Health raised its 2025 adjusted earnings guidance range by 3.8% in May. Rising reimbursement rates from healthcare providers are a hassle for UnitedHealth Group, but it's only a matter of time before it passes those costs on to health plan sponsors who have limited options. In 2023, UnitedHealth Group's Optum Health segment employed or affiliated with 10% of all physicians in the U.S. As the country's largest employer of physicians, it can do more to control medical expenses than its smaller peers. As the leading medical benefits management business, UnitedHealth Group's business could keep growing along with America's national health expenditure. The company's been able to hike its dividend by 77% over the past five years. Despite rapid payout raises, it needed just 31% of the free cash flow it's generated over the past year to meet its dividend commitment. Payout bumps could be slow over the next year or two as it finds appropriate prices for its health plans, but a return to its rapid pace seems likely. At recent prices, UnitedHealth Group offers a 3% dividend yield. If the company maintains its payout growth rate, folks who buy the beaten-down stock could begin receiving a double-digit yield on cost in about a decade. If you still have a lot of runway ahead of retirement, this could be a great portfolio addition. Folks who want to draw from their retirement savings sooner rather than later might want to check out Pfizer. Shares of the pharmaceutical giant are down about 62% from a peak they set in 2022. The stock price is down but the company has raised its payout every year since 2009. At its beaten-down price, it offers a huge 7.4% dividend yield. Pfizer is down partly because sales of its COVID-19 products have collapsed and partly because sales of several blockbusters are nearing patent cliffs. Although COVID-19 product sales collapsed, trailing-12-month revenue is up by 81% over the past five years. Patent expirations for several of Pfizer's top-selling treatments will make growing the overall operation extra challenging over the next five years. In January, Albert Bourla, the CEO, told investors a loss of exclusivity wave could cost the company $17 billion to $18 billion in annual revenue by the end of 2028. Fortunately, Pfizer reinvested heaps of the profits that its COVID-19 products generated. Management expects acquired products to deliver $20 billion of revenue annually by 2030. In other words, the company probably has the means to overcome its patent cliff and continue raising its dividend payout, albeit slowly, in the decade ahead. Pharmaceutical product launches usually aren't as predictable as investors want them to be. With an enormous global salesforce already in place, though, Pfizer's launches are more predictable than most. While there's a chance the company could lower its payout in a few years, continued payout raises in the decade ahead seem far more likely. Before you buy stock in UnitedHealth Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and UnitedHealth Group wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $669,517!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $868,615!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 792% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 Cory Renauer has positions in CVS Health. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool recommends CVS Health and UnitedHealth Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Beaten-Down Dividend Stocks to Buy Now and Hold at Least a Decade was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
