The Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) for 8 October 2010, vol. 85, 41 (pp 401–412) includes: Outbreak news – Yellow fever, Senegal; Recommended viruses of influenza vaccines for use in the 2011 influenza season (southern hemisphere)

http://www.who.int/entity/wer/2010/wer8541.pdf

The MMWR for October 8, 2010 / Vol. 59 / No. 39, includes:

– Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Children Aged 6 Months–18 Years — Eight Immunization Information System Sentinel Sites, United States, 2009–10 Influenza Season

– Influenza Activity — United States and Worldwide, June 13–September 25, 2010

– Announcement: Application Deadline for The CDC Experience Applied Epidemiology Fellowship — December 3, 2010

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5939.pdf

Clinical Infectious Diseases
1 November 2010  Volume 51, Number 9
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/cid/current

Editorial Commentary:
Cell Culture–Derived Influenza Vaccines: Has Their Time Come?
David I. Bernstein

Articles and Commentaries
Clinical Efficacy of Cell Culture–Derived and Egg‐Derived Inactivated Subunit Influenza Vaccines in Healthy Adults
Sharon Frey, Timo Vesikari, Agnieszka Szymczakiewicz-Multanowska, Maria Lattanzi, Allen Izu, Nicola Groth, and Sandra Holmes

This trial evaluated the efficacy of cell culture– and egg‐derived influenza vaccines versus placebo. The high overall vaccine efficacies, 83.8% and 78.4% against vaccine-like and 69.5% and 63.0% against all circulating influenza virus strains, support use of both vaccines for seasonal influenza vaccination.

JAMA
Vol. 304 No. 13, pp. 1413-1514, October 6, 2010
http://jama.ama-assn.org/current.dtl

Special Communications
Evaluating the Risks of Clinical Research
Annette Rid; Ezekiel J. Emanuel; David Wendle

Abstract
The ethical appropriateness of clinical research depends on protecting participants from excessive risks. Yet no systematic framework has been developed to assess research risks, and as a result, investigators, funders, and review boards rely only on their intuitive judgments. Because intuitive judgments of risk are subject to well-documented cognitive biases, this approach raises concern that research participants are not being adequately protected. To address this situation, we delineate a method called the systematic evaluation of research risks (SERR), which evaluates the risks of research interventions by comparing these interventions with the risks of comparator activities that have been deemed acceptable. This method involves a 4-step process: (1) identify the potential harms posed by the proposed research intervention; (2) categorize the magnitude of the potential harms into 1 of 7 harm levels on a harm scale; (3) quantify or estimate the likelihood of each potential harm; and (4) compare the likelihood of each potential harm from the research intervention with the likelihood of harms of the same magnitude occurring as a result of an appropriate comparator activity. By explicitly delineating, quantifying, and comparing the risks of research interventions with the risks posed by appropriate comparator activities, SERR offers a way to minimize the influence of cognitive biases on the evaluation of research risks and thereby better protect research participants from excessive risks.

The Lancet
Oct 09, 2010  Volume 376  Number 9748  Pages 1195 – 1272
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Comment
Academic medicine must take its global role: the M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centers and Medical Universities
Mazda Adli, Sabine Kleinert, Stephen K Smith, Detlev Ganten

Preview
At the inaugural World Health Summit in 2009, the M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centers and Medical Universities was formed to lead intensified international debate about research and education in global health challenges. The idea was to create an international forum that seeks discussions with governmental representatives, policy makers, non-governmental organisations, civil society, and the health-related industry to initiate cross-sectoral solutions for the most pressing global health challenges.

The Lancet
Oct 09, 2010  Volume 376  Number 9748  Pages 1195 – 1272
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Global health governance—the response to infectious diseases
Rose Gana Fomban Leke

Preview
The burden of disease that affects the developing world has grown from a high prevalence of communicable infectious diseases1 to new additions of emerging infections plus an increasing problem of non-communicable diseases.2,3 Most infectious diseases are largely specific to the world’s poorest regions, and sub-Saharan Africa bears a great burden of these diseases.4 Bilateral and multilateral institutions, followed by organisations and many new initiatives including advocates for health, make up the multiple actors that are responding to the increasing threats of such a crisis in infectious disease.

The Lancet
Oct 09, 2010  Volume 376  Number 9748  Pages 1195 – 1272
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Review
Financing of HIV/AIDS programme scale-up in low-income and middle-income countries, 2009–31
Robert Hecht, John Stover, Lori Bollinger, Farzana Muhib, Kelsey Case, David de Ferranti

Summary
As the global HIV/AIDS pandemic nears the end of its third decade, the challenges of efficient mobilisation of funds and management of resources are increasingly prominent. The aids2031 project modelled long-term funding needs for HIV/AIDS in developing countries with a range of scenarios and substantial variation in costs: ranging from US$397 to $722 billion globally between 2009 and 2031, depending on policy choices adopted by governments and donors. We examine what these figures mean for individual developing countries, and estimate the proportion of HIV/AIDS funding that they and donors will provide. Scenarios for expanded HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and mitigation were analysed for 15 representative countries. We suggest that countries will move in increasingly divergent directions over the next 20 years; middle-income countries with a low burden of HIV/AIDS will gradually be able to take on the modest costs of their HIV/AIDS response, whereas low-income countries with a high burden of disease will remain reliant upon external support for their rapidly expanding costs. A small but important group of middle-income countries with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS (eg, South Africa) form a third category, in which rapid scale-up in the short term, matched by outside funds, could be phased down within 10 years assuming strategic investments are made for prevention and efficiency gains are made in treatment.

Pediatrics
October 2010 / VOLUME 126 / ISSUE 4
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/current.shtml

Articles
Prenatal and Infant Exposure to Thimerosal From Vaccines and Immunoglobulins and Risk of Autism
Cristofer S. Price, William W. Thompson, Barbara Goodson, Eric S. Weintraub, Lisa A. Croen, Virginia L. Hinrichsen, Michael Marcy, Anne Robertson, Eileen Eriksen, Edwin Lewis, Pilar Bernal, David Shay, Robert L. Davis, and Frank DeStefano

OBJECTIVE Exposure to thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative that is used in vaccines and immunoglobulin preparations, has been hypothesized to be associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study was designed to examine relationships between prenatal and infant ethylmercury exposure from thimerosal-containing vaccines and/or immunoglobulin preparations and ASD and 2 ASD subcategories: autistic disorder (AD) and ASD with regression.

METHODS A case-control study was conducted in 3 managed care organizations (MCOs) of 256 children with ASD and 752 controls matched by birth year, gender, and MCO. ASD diagnoses were validated through standardized in-person evaluations. Exposure to thimerosal in vaccines and immunoglobulin preparations was determined from electronic immunization registries, medical charts, and parent interviews. Information on potential confounding factors was obtained from the interviews and medical charts. We used conditional logistic regression to assess associations between ASD, AD, and ASD with regression and exposure to ethylmercury during prenatal, birth-to-1 month, birth-to-7-month, and birth-to-20-month periods.

RESULTS There were no findings of increased risk for any of the 3 ASD outcomes. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for ASD associated with a 2-SD increase in ethylmercury exposure were 1.12 (0.83–1.51) for prenatal exposure, 0.88 (0.62–1.26) for exposure from birth to 1 month, 0.60 (0.36–0.99) for exposure from birth to 7 months, and 0.60 (0.32–0.97) for exposure from birth to 20 months.

CONCLUSIONS In our study of MCO members, prenatal and early-life exposure to ethylmercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines and immunoglobulin preparations was not related to increased risk of ASDs.

PLoS Medicine
(Accessed 10 October 2010)
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=browse&issn=1549-1676&method=pubdate&search_fulltext=1&order=online_date&row_start=1&limit=10&document_count=1533&ct=1&SESSID=aac96924d41874935d8e1c2a2501181c#results

Reflections on Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and the International Response
Gabriel M. Leung, Angus Nicoll

Summary Points
– Many of the initial responses to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic went well but there are many lessons to learn for future pandemic planning.

– Clear communication of public health messages is crucial, and should not confuse what could happen (and should be prepared for) with what is most likely to happen.

– Decisions regarding pandemic response during the exigencies of a public health emergency must be judged according to the best evidence available at the time.

– Revising pandemic plans—to be more flexible and more detailed—should wait for WHO leadership if national plans are not to diverge. Surveillance beyond influenza should be stepped up, and contingencies drawn up for the emergence or re-emergence of other novel and known pathogens.

– Data collection and sharing are paramount, and include epidemiological and immunological data. Clinical management of severe influenza disease should not be limited to the current antiviral regimen, and include the development of other therapeutics (e.g., novel antivirals and immunotherapy).

– Greater and more timely access to antivirals and influenza vaccines worldwide remains an ongoing challenge.

Vaccine
Volume 28, Issue 44 pp. 7137-7240 (18 October 2010)

Editorial
A global prescription for adult immunization: Time is catching up with us
Pages 7137-7139
Gregory A. Poland, Joël Belmin, Joanne Langley, Jean-pierre Michel, Pierre Van Damme, Sabine Wicker

Vaccine
Volume 28, Issue 44 pp. 7137-7240 (18 October 2010)

Regular Articles
Design of a robust infrastructure to monitor the safety of the pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 vaccination program in Taiwan
Original Research Article
Pages 7161-7166
Wan-Ting Huang, Wen-Wen Chen, Hsu-Wen Yang, Wan-Chin Chen, Yen-Nan Chao, Yu-Wen Huang, Jen-Hsiang Chuang, Hsu-Sung Kuo

Abstract
On November 1, 2009, Taiwan began a nationwide pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 vaccine (“H1N1 vaccine”) program to control the influenza pandemic. Timely assessment of immunization safety during this mass vaccination campaign was a public health priority. Therefore, the government developed a national postlicensure safety surveillance strategy to identify and evaluate new, unexpected, or prioritized adverse events in recipients of H1N1 vaccine in near real-time. We describe the design and methodology of this new safety assessment infrastructure, address challenges encountered, and its potential future use for routine vaccine pharmacovigilance in Taiwan.

Vaccine
Volume 28, Issue 44 pp. 7137-7240 (18 October 2010)

Middle- and high-school health education regarding adolescent vaccines and human papillomavirus
Original Research Article
Pages 7179-7183
Amanda F. Dempsey, Sarah Schaffer

Abstract
We performed a mail-based survey of health education teachers in 6 states with diverse health education environments to better understand health education curricula in secondary schools related to adolescent vaccination and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Of the 198 respondents (response rate 68%), 66% and 71% reported teaching adolescents about recommended vaccines and HPV, respectively. Middle schools were significantly less likely to include these topics in their health curriculum than high schools even though middle schools are generally the school type attended by 11–12 year olds, the preferred target age for adolescent vaccination and HPV prevention activities.

Vaccine
Volume 28, Issue 44 pp. 7137-7240 (18 October 2010)

Knowledge and attitudes regarding influenza vaccination among nurses: A research review

Original Research Article
Pages 7207-7214
Jing Zhang, Alison E. While, Ian J. Norman

Abstract
Introduction
Influenza vaccination rates among nurses remain suboptimal despite health authority recommendations in many countries and several vaccination campaign programmes to encourage nurses to be vaccinated in many institutions. We reviewed published studies investigating nurses’ knowledge and attitudes towards influenza vaccination to establish what is known about the determinants of nurses’ influenza vaccination practices.

Methods
Relevant articles published up to July 2010 were identified through multiple databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, BNI, HMIC, PsycINFO, CMAC, and CNJ) using predetermined search strategies. Review of the titles and abstracts revealed 182 of 254 references were not relevant. Of 45 full papers reviewed, 32 did not report nurse data separately and one was a duplicate report of a study.

Results
We included 12 research studies which had investigated the relationship between knowledge and attitudes towards influenza vaccination and nurses’ vaccination practices published between 2003 and 2010. All the studies were descriptive and relied upon self-report data. The findings of this review indicate a relationship between knowledge, attitudes and vaccination practices of nurses. There were three main findings: first, there was a strong association between nurses’ knowledge of influenza and vaccination and their vaccination status; second, the surveys showed a positive relationship between perceptions of influenza as a serious illness and vaccination as effective and safe and a positive vaccination status; and third, there was a relationship between nurses’ vaccination status and their reported promotion of vaccination to their patients.

Conclusion
This review indicates that higher knowledge and positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination have a significantly positive association with vaccination coverage among nurses. Further studies are needed to identify influences on nurses’ attitudes and practices regarding influenza vaccination and the personal, organizational, and situational factors that influence the uptake of influenza vaccine by nurses.

Vaccine
Volume 28, Issue 43  pp. 6943-7136 (8 October 2010)

Meeting Report
Polio vaccines and polio immunization in the pre-eradication era: WHO position paper—Recommendations
Pages 6943-6944
World Health Organization Department of Immunization Vaccines and Biologicals 20, Avenue Appia 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland WHO Publication

Abstract
This article presents the WHO recommendations on the use of polio vaccines excerpted from the recently published Polio vaccines and polio immunization in the pre-eradication era: WHO position paper. This document replaces the WHO position paper entitled Introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine into oral poliovirus vaccine-using countries published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record in July 2003. Footnotes to this paper provide a limited number of core references; their abstracts as well as a more comprehensive list of references may be found at http://www.who.int/immunization/documents/positionpapers/en/index.html. Grading tables which assess the quality of scientific evidence for key conclusions are also available through this link and are referenced in the position paper.

Vaccine
Volume 28, Issue 43  pp. 6943-7136 (8 October 2010)

Global use of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine

Original Research Article
Pages 7117-7122
Linda R. Ojo, Rosalyn E. O’Loughlin, Adam L. Cohen, Jennifer D. Loo, Karen M. Edmond, Sharmila S. Shetty, Allyson P. Bear, Lois Privor-Dumm, Ulla K. Griffiths, Rana Hajjeh

Abstract
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccines have been underutilized globally. We report progress in global use of Hib vaccines included in national immunization schedules. The number of countries using Hib vaccine increased from 89/193 (46%) in 2004 to 158/193 (82%) by the end of 2009. The increase was greatest among low-income countries eligible for financial support from the GAVI Alliance [13/75 (17%) in 2004, 60/72 (83%) by the end of 2009], and can be attributed to various factors. Additional efforts are still needed to increase vaccine adoption in lower middle income countries [20/31 (65%) by the end of 2009].

Vaccine
Volume 28, Issue 43  pp. 6943-7136 (8 October 2010)

Supporting new vaccine introduction decisions: Lessons learned from the Hib Initiative experience

Original Research Article
Pages 7123-7129
R.A. Hajjeh, L. Privor-Dumm, K. Edmond, R. O’Loughlin, S. Shetty, U.K. Griffiths, A.P. Bear, A.L. Cohen, A. Chandran, A. Schuchat, E.K. Mulholland, M. Santosham

Abstract
The introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine in developing countries has suffered from a long delay. Between 2005 and 2009, a surge in Hib vaccine adoption took place, particularly among GAVI-eligible countries. Several factors contributed to the increase in Hib vaccine adoption, including support provided by the Hib Initiative, a project funded by the GAVI Alliance in 2005 to accelerate evidence-informed decisions for use of Hib vaccine. This paper reviews the strategy adopted by the Hib Initiative and the lessons learned in the process, which provide a useful model to accelerate uptake of other new vaccines.

United States and Norway will co-host a meeting of GAVI Alliance donors and partners on 6 October 2010. The high-level meeting of GAVI Alliance donors, potential donors and partners in New York on 6 October “to build on GAVI’s cost-effective success in preventing 5.4 million deaths in its first 10 years.” GAVI Alliance partners “will agree on action to avert an estimated 4.2 million future deaths through immunisation. The meeting will also set the outline for a pledging meeting in 2011. GAVI needs to raise US$4.3 billion to scale-up immunisation programmes between 2010 and 2015.”

http://www.gavialliance.org/about/resource_event/index.php\

WHO released a revised position paper on Pertussis vaccination in the Weekly Epidemiological Record, reaffirming “that high coverage of infants with 3 doses of quality pertussis vaccine remains the most important element of pertussis vaccination programmes.” WHO recommends a 3-dose primary series with the first dose administered at 6 weeks of age, and subsequent doses given 4-8 weeks apart, at 10-14 and 14-18 weeks of age. The last dose of the recommended primary series should be completed by the age of 6 months, with a booster dose, given at least 6 months after the last primary dose, recommended for children 1- 6 years of age, preferably during the second year of life. The position paper includes information on the relative merits, in terms of efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness, of the whole-cell and acellular pertussis vaccines, and detailed information on the administration and schedules for pertussis vaccines.

http://www.who.int/wer/2010/wer8540.pdf

BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority/HHS) said it is providing three sets of grants totaling $10.4 million “to help the World Health Organization (WHO) strengthen the ability of developing countries to produce flu vaccine, potentially reducing the global threat from influenza.” The grants will be used to assist developing countries with pandemic influenza vaccine manufacturing infrastructure, training on influenza vaccine manufacturing, and development and distribution of certain technologies for pandemic influenza vaccines. Robin Robinson, BARDA director, commented, “While we continue to build vaccine manufacturing capacity in the United States, and develop new, faster technologies for producing vaccine domestically, we can increase pandemic preparedness worldwide by helping other countries take advantage of technology.” Through this WHO initiative over the past five years, $40 million in U.S. funding has been used to develop vaccine manufacturing infrastructure in 10 countries: Egypt, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Romania, Serbia, and Thailand.

“The second set of grants supports training on cutting-edge manufacturing techniques for WHO grantees. North Carolina State University’s Biotechnology and Education Center received $861,000, and Utah State’s Center for Integrated Biosystems received $322,000, to train selected personnel from manufacturers in developing countries. Trainees will receive hands-on instruction in the latest U.S. Food and Drug Administration good manufacturing practices in vaccine production technology. These practices can be taken back and implemented by manufacturers in their native countries.

“The third set of grants supports development of adjuvant and the transfer of technology to produce adjuvant. The use of adjuvants has been shown to reduce the amount of protein needed for flu vaccine to be effective, so the adjuvanted vaccine made in these countries could serve a greater number of people. The Infectious Disease Research Institute in Seattle received $790,000, and the University of Lausanne in Switzerland received $1.8 million, to develop adjuvants and other technologies that can be transferred without the restriction of intellectual property rights.”

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100930007040/en/BARDA-Grants-Build-Global-Flu-Vaccine-Manufacturing

WHO released a transcript of a press briefing by Dr. Harvey Fineberg, Chair, International Health Regulations Review Committee, on 29 September 2010 following the third meeting of the IHR Review Committee. Dr, Fienberg noted that the has a dual charge, “…We’re constituted under the terms of the International Health Regulations of 2005 which called for a review after five years of the performance of the International Health Regulations. We’re also constituted specifically to review the performance and activities in connection with the H1N1 pandemic. Importantly this pandemic, the H1N1 pandemic was the first incidence under the implemented rules of the IHR of 2005 which went into effect legally in 2007. The first instance where there was a declared public health emergency of international concern. This is a special classification under the terms of the International Health Regulations, and it’s under that authority that the World Health Organization operated to carry out its programmes and activity under H1N1 and so these two are closely enough related that it was deemed appropriate to look at both simultaneously and that in turn affects the approach that the committee is taking in preparing our report…”

http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/multimedia/pc_transcript_30_september_10_fineberg.pdf

Merck said its ROTATEQ(Rotavirus Vaccine, Live, Oral, Pentavalent) received the Prix Galien USA 2010 Award for Best Biotechnology Product. Dr. Peter S. Kim, president of Merck Research Laboratories, commented, “We are honored that Merck’s long-term commitment to the discovery and development of new, innovative ways to prevent and treat disease is being acknowledged with this prestigious award. We congratulate the teams whose hard work and dedication contributed to ROTATEQ.”  The Prix Galien recognizes the pharmaceutical industry’s outstanding achievement in the development of new medicines. The award was presented at a ceremony in New York City on 28 September 2010.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rotateqr-rotavirus-vaccine-live-oral-pentavalent-awarded-prix-galien-usa-2010-top-honor-2010-09-29?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Prix Galien USA site: http://www.prix-galien-usa.com/

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia launched a preview of The History of Vaccines – www.historyofvaccines.org – described as “a website that chronicles the history of immunization, from pre-Jennerian variolation, to the defeat of polio in the Western Hemisphere, to cutting-edge approaches to novel vaccines. The site highlights the historical contributions of vaccines to human health and explains the role of immunization in healthcare through a set of media-rich timelines, activities, and articles.” The site officially launches on 3 November 2010, when Stanley A. Plotkin, MD, creator of the rubella vaccine used throughout most of the world, will give the Samuel X Radbill lecture entitled “Four Centuries of Vaccinology.” Dr. Plotkin will trace the serendipitous beginnings of vaccinology in the 1700s to its flowering in the latter half of the 20th century. Dr. Plotkin is Emeritus Professor of the University of Pennsylvania and The Wistar Institute. www.historyofvaccines.org.

Human Vaccines
Volume 6, Issue 10  October 2010
http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/vaccines/toc/volume/6/issue/9/

Reviews
Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccines: Considerations for vaccination schedules and implications for developing countries
Sean P. Fitzwater, James P. Watt, Orin S. Levine and Mathuram Santosham

Prior to widespread vaccination, Haemophilus influenzae type b was a leading cause of severe childhood bacterial infection, including meningitis, worldwide. Over the last decade the world has taken great strides towards controlling Hib disease through routine use of conjugate vaccines in developed and developing countries. Currently there is no consensus on the appropriate schedule by which to use Hib vaccine. Vaccination schedules around the world vary greatly, particularly between high and low income countries. Questions remain as to the most effective and efficient schedule of primary doses, the need for a booster dose, and the implications of using combination vaccines. Here, we present a synthesis of data supporting various Hib vaccine schedules, with a focus on the implications for developing countries.

Journal of Infectious Diseases
1 November 2010  Volume 202, Number 9
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/jid/current

Editorial Commentaries
Hepatitis E Virus Infections among US Military Personnel Deployed to Afghanistan
Alain B. Labrique and Kenrad E. Nelson

The Lancet
Oct 02, 2010  Volume 376  Number 9747  Pages 1117 – 1194
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Comment
Singapore Statement: a global agreement on responsible research conduct
Sabine Kleinert

The second World Conference on Research Integrity, held in Singapore on July 22–24, 2010, achieved an important first step and a lasting legacy by developing and agreeing the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity (released on Sept 22; panel).1,2 Nick Steneck and Tony Mayer, co-chairs of the Singapore conference, and Melissa Anderson, the incoming chair for the next World Conference, drafted the statement, guided discussions and modifications at the conference, and finalised the statement. It is hoped that the statement will serve as an international framework for responsible conduct of research, stimulate further debate, and promote the translation of core principles into more detailed guidance documents for specific purposes.

The Lancet Infectious Disease
Oct 2010  Volume 10 Number 10  Pages 653 – 736
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Leading Edge
Mass gatherings medicine
The Lancet Infectious Diseases

A human characteristic is our willingness to travel vast distances to gather in one place, and for any number of reasons, including warfare, religion, politics, sport, mourning, and entertainment. Modern transport has allowed such gathering to increase in their number of participants and in the speed at which people arrive and disperse to all parts of the globe. Such mass gatherings bring with them the risk of spread of infectious diseases—both at the time of the event and when participants return to their homes—and other health hazards such as stampedes or crush injuries, burns, heat exhaustion, dehydration, trauma, and the potential for environmental and public health hazards.

The Lancet Infectious Disease
Oct 2010  Volume 10 Number 10  Pages 653 – 736
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Reflection and Reaction
Reconstructing the past of poliovirus eradication efforts
Carlos Franco-Paredes

The March and June, 2010, issues of The Lancet Infectious Diseases1,2 presented two optimistic views of the polio eradication effort that was led by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI); however, it might be wise to review the historical record of this initiative and, without losing optimism, be more cautious in prediction of successes.

The Lancet Infectious Disease
Oct 2010  Volume 10 Number 10  Pages 653 – 736
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Media Watch
The vaccine war
Original Text
Talha Burki

The Vaccine War: Written, directed, and produced by John Palfreman. FRONTLINE.
To view the film online go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/vaccines/view/

“For the first time, despite repeated reassurances to the contrary; despite convincing scientific evidence confirming the safety of the vaccine programme; despite serious criticisms of the probity of the source of the [MMR ] rumours; some sections of the public have decided that they know better, and that they do not need to follow the advice of experts”.

PLoS Medicine
(Accessed 3 October 2010)
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=browse&issn=1549-1676&method=pubdate&search_fulltext=1&order=online_date&row_start=1&limit=10&document_count=1533&ct=1&SESSID=aac96924d41874935d8e1c2a2501181c#results

Are Drug Companies Living Up to Their Human Rights Responsibilities? Moving Toward Assessment
Sofia Gruskin, Zyde Raad
The PLoS Medicine Debate, published 28 Sep 2010
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000310

Abstract
Background to the debate
The human rights responsibilities of drug companies have been considered for years by nongovernmental organizations, but were most sharply defined in a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, submitted to the United Nations General Assembly in August 2008. The “Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies in relation to Access to Medicines” include responsibilities for transparency, management, monitoring and accountability, pricing, and ethical marketing, and against lobbying for more protection in intellectual property laws, applying for patents for trivial modifications of existing medicines, inappropriate drug promotion, and excessive pricing. Two years after the release of the Guidelines, the PLoS Medicine Debate asks whether drug companies are living up to their human rights responsibilities. Sofia Gruskin and Zyde Raad from the Harvard School of Public Health say more assessment is needed of such responsibilities; Geralyn Ritter, Vice President of Global Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility at Merck & Co. argues that multiple stakeholders could do more to help States deliver the right to health; and Paul Hunt and Rajat Khosla introduce Mr. Hunt’s work as the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to the highest attainable standard of health, regarding the human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies and access to medicines.
Are Drug Companies Living Up to Their Human Rights Responsibilities? The Merck Perspective
Geralyn S. Ritter
The PLoS Medicine Debate, published 28 Sep 2010
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000343
Drug Companies Should Be Held More Accountable for Their Human Rights Responsibilities
Editorial, published 28 Sep 2010
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000344