Media Coverage

Media articles featuring INFORMS members in the news.

Most Recent Media Coverage

Topic
Ultracold Temperatures Protect the Potency of COVID-19 Vaccine

Ultracold Temperatures Protect the Potency of COVID-19 Vaccine

The Berkshire Eagle, December 9, 2020

This week, a widely shared tweet attempted to cast doubt around COVID-19 vaccines that must be stored at ultracold temperatures. “Any vaccine that needs to be shipped and stored at -80 degrees isn’t a vaccine. It’s a transfection agent, kept alive so it can infect your cells and transfer genetic material. Don’t let them fool you. This is genetic manipulation of humans on a massive scale. Shut it down,” the tweet falsely stated. Two of the leading vaccine candidates are created with messenger RNA, known also as mRNA.

Can Your Employer Force You to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine? Yes (Usually)

Can Your Employer Force You to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine? Yes (Usually)

CBS News, December 6, 2020

With at least two COVID-19 vaccines expected to receive federal approval in the U.S. within a matter of weeks, hopes for beating the coronavirus are looking up. Yet for millions of workers and businesses, the emerging immunizations also raise a host of questions, not the least of which is this: Can your employer require that you get vaccinated? The answer: Yes, in many cases, employment attorneys said.

States Craft Vaccine Plans in a Haze of Changing Information

States Craft Vaccine Plans in a Haze of Changing Information

BNN Bloomberg, December 4, 2020

Weeks before states expect to receive their first shipments of Covid-19 vaccines, conflicting messages from the federal government have obscured exactly how many doses may arrive. Some governors, including New York’s Andrew Cuomo and California’s Gavin Newsom, have made splashy announcements about how much of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s vaccines they expect should the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorize them this month. Other states can’t provide a solid answer given how quickly estimates change.

Eyewitness Wants To Know: Buying Strategies to Save You on Holiday Shopping

Eyewitness Wants To Know: Buying Strategies to Save You on Holiday Shopping

Kens 5, December 7, 2020

Forget one-time holiday deals. “We’re seeing a different transformation in the retail market and e-commerce is taking off in ways that are unbelievable,” said Sheldon Jacobson, a professor of computer science at the University of Illinois. That means you will need to do more research for the best price. “It’s prudent for people to sign up for a variety of retailers online and have emails come because they’ll tell you when their sales are,” Jacobson said. This year mindful gifts that focus on self-care or that can be used at home are topping holiday lists.

Sheldon H. Jacobson: After Health Care Workers, Who's Next in Line for the Vaccine?

Sheldon H. Jacobson: After Health Care Workers, Who's Next in Line for the Vaccine?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 7, 2020

Recent announcements by Pfizer and BioNTech SE, Moderna, and AstraZeneca on their coronavirus vaccines have been promising. With so many companies racing to develop a vaccine, there are certain to be additional announcements forthcoming, ideally with comparable or even better efficacy data, less stringent cold-chain storage requirements, and even less adverse side effects. Although there are many more hurdles to traverse, establishing the efficacy of a vaccine in less than one year is nothing short of remarkable.

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Artificial Intelligence

Why 23andMe’s Genetic Data Could Be a ‘Gold Mine’ for AI Companies

Why 23andMe’s Genetic Data Could Be a ‘Gold Mine’ for AI Companies

TIME, March 26, 2025

The genetic testing company 23andMe, which holds the genetic data of 15 million people, declared bankruptcy on Sunday night after years of financial struggles. This means that all of the extremely personal user data could be up for sale—and that vast trove of genetic data could draw interest from AI companies looking to train their data sets, experts say.

Healthcare

Want to reduce the cost of healthcare? Start with our billing practices.

Want to reduce the cost of healthcare? Start with our billing practices.

The Hill, March 11, 2025

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as the new secretary of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s de facto healthcare czar. He will have influence over numerous highly visible agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, among others. Given that healthcare is something that touches everyone’s life, his footprint of influence will be expansive. 

We all benefit from and are hurt by health insurance claim denials

We all benefit from and are hurt by health insurance claim denials

Atlanta Journal Constitution, January 23, 2025

Health insurance has become necessary, with large and unpredictable health care costs always looming before each of us. Unfortunately, the majority of people have experienced problems when using their health insurance to pay for their medical care. Health insurance serves as the buffer between patients and the medical care system, using population pooling to mitigate the risk exposure on any one individual.

Supply Chain

Experts warn logistics industry stakeholders to make contingency plans

Experts warn logistics industry stakeholders to make contingency plans

Seafood Source, March 10, 2025

In their March 2025 forecasts, shipping and logistics experts are warning those who rely on the industry to expect continued disruption, and in order to survive a chaotic landscape, they are advising businesses to spend money conservatively, work with trusted partners, and make comprehensive contingency plans.

Climate