The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refused to review Moderna's application for its mRNA flu vaccine, a decision that could delay the introduction of a shot designed to offer stronger protection for older adults, the company announced Tuesday. This news comes as other tech-related developments, including changes to app store policies by Apple and Google, a trial examining the mental health effects of social media, and warnings about AI chatbots providing medical advice, are also making headlines.
Moderna received a "refusal-to-file" (RTF) letter from the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), citing the lack of an "adequate and well-", according to Fox News. This setback could impact the timeline for the vaccine's availability.
In other technology news, Apple and Google agreed to make changes to their app stores in the UK following an intervention from the UK markets regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). According to BBC Technology, the tech giants have committed to not giving preferential treatment to their own apps and will be transparent about how others are approved for sale. The CMA's head, Sarah Cardell, stated the proposed commitments "will boost the UK's app economy."
Meanwhile, a landmark trial began in California examining the mental health effects of Instagram and YouTube. Lawyers for the plaintiffs accused the social media companies of creating "addiction machines." Mark Lanier, representing the plaintiff, argued that his client suffered from mental health issues as a result of social media addiction, stating, "These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children, and they did it on purpose," according to BBC Technology.
Also, a study from the University of Oxford found that AI chatbots give inaccurate and inconsistent medical advice, potentially posing risks to users. Researchers gave 1,300 people a scenario, such as having symptoms, and found a mix of good and bad responses. Dr. Rebecca Payne, lead medical practitioner on the study, said it could be "dangerous" for people to ask chatbots about their symptoms, according to BBC Technology.
In a separate development, a "menacing" Disney advert featuring a severed body was banned by the advertising regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The advert, for the Predator Badlands film, was deemed likely to frighten and cause distress to children. Disney said the severed body was actually that of a robot, according to BBC Business.
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