3 ms·

They then approved it for people with 25+bmi, which is 73% of the adult pop

by cm2012 5y ago

beebmam 5y ago
This is a really important point which is being missed by virtually all commentators on this topic.
- void_mint 5y ago
  Even HN users don't actually RTFA
  - MatteoFrigo 5y ago
    Wonderful triply-nested trolling, thanks for the laugh!
sigmar 5y ago
I watched from the first vote, discussion of how to change the question, second vote, and post vote discussion. They didn't seem to want to wade into details of what "higher risk of severe covid-19" means (though bmi 35+ was mentioned) and figured the FDA and CDC would be more specific (panel vote, as I understand it, is non-binding and FDA can do whatever they want to it).
- beebmam 5y ago
  According to this article: "A CDC advisory panel meeting, slated for next week, will delve further into who will qualify for the additional dose." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fda-panel-votes-against-pfizers-booster-shot-193422705.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fda-panel-votes-against-pfize...
throw_nbvc1234 5y ago
Using BMI to measure obesity is like relying purely on line coverage to measure the quality of software testing. Why is this still the go to measure? Is it just the cost of other measurements?
- chownie 5y ago
  In the vast majority of cases high BMI maps pretty directly to obesity, the number of bodybuilders hanging out in the obese and morbidly obese ranges is a vanishingly small number in comparison to those overweight. It's easier to just let the bodybuilders not take the shot - given that's their right anyway - than to use bodyfat % or some other measure as the prerequisite for boosters, even if those measures more specific they end up less accurate (hope I'm getting those terms right)
nradov 5y ago
As with most other studied diseases, the real risk factor comes not from high BMI per se but rather from excess visceral fat. This is linked to metabolic diseases like diabetes. Subcutaneous fat is much less dangerous. https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-880193/v1 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-880193/v1 But it's expensive to measure visceral fat accurately. So from a public health standpoint BMI is a good enough proxy.
lern_too_spel 5y ago
And what percent of those are six months after their second dose? I expect Pfizer to have phase three booster trial data on hand before any significant portion of those people become eligible under the coming EUA.
kurthr 5y ago
I'm trying to find that somewhere. I see obesity listed a possible comorbidity, but nowhere can I find a 25+ BMI (which is overweight not obese ~30BMI). Obesity would still cover 30-40% of Americans.

They then approved it for people with 25+bmi, which is 73% of the adult pop

by cm2012 5y ago

They then approved it for people with 25+bmi, which is 73% of the adult pop

beebmam 5y ago

This is a really important point which is being missed by virtually all commentators on this topic.

void_mint 5y ago
Even HN users don't actually RTFA
- MatteoFrigo 5y ago
  Wonderful triply-nested trolling, thanks for the laugh!

sigmar 5y ago

I watched from the first vote, discussion of how to change the question, second vote, and post vote discussion. They didn't seem to want to wade into details of what "higher risk of severe covid-19" means (though bmi 35+ was mentioned) and figured the FDA and CDC would be more specific (panel vote, as I understand it, is non-binding and FDA can do whatever they want to it).

beebmam 5y ago
According to this article: "A CDC advisory panel meeting, slated for next week, will delve further into who will qualify for the additional dose." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fda-panel-votes-against-pfizers-booster-shot-193422705.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fda-panel-votes-against-pfize...

throw_nbvc1234 5y ago

Using BMI to measure obesity is like relying purely on line coverage to measure the quality of software testing. Why is this still the go to measure? Is it just the cost of other measurements?

chownie 5y ago
In the vast majority of cases high BMI maps pretty directly to obesity, the number of bodybuilders hanging out in the obese and morbidly obese ranges is a vanishingly small number in comparison to those overweight. It's easier to just let the bodybuilders not take the shot - given that's their right anyway - than to use bodyfat % or some other measure as the prerequisite for boosters, even if those measures more specific they end up less accurate (hope I'm getting those terms right)

nradov 5y ago

As with most other studied diseases, the real risk factor comes not from high BMI per se but rather from excess visceral fat. This is linked to metabolic diseases like diabetes. Subcutaneous fat is much less dangerous. https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-880193/v1 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-880193/v1 But it's expensive to measure visceral fat accurately. So from a public health standpoint BMI is a good enough proxy.

lern_too_spel 5y ago

And what percent of those are six months after their second dose? I expect Pfizer to have phase three booster trial data on hand before any significant portion of those people become eligible under the coming EUA.

kurthr 5y ago

I'm trying to find that somewhere. I see obesity listed a possible comorbidity, but nowhere can I find a 25+ BMI (which is overweight not obese ~30BMI). Obesity would still cover 30-40% of Americans.