Media/Policy Watch
This section is intended to alert readers to substantive news, analysis and opinion from the general media on vaccines, immunization, global; public health and related themes. Media Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues CVEP is actively tracking. This section will grow from an initial base of newspapers, magazines and blog sources, and is segregated from Journal Watch above which scans the peer-reviewed journal ecology.

We acknowledge the Western/Northern bias in this initial selection of titles and invite suggestions for expanded coverage. We are conservative in our outlook in adding news sources which largely report on primary content we are already covering above. Many electronic media sources have tiered, fee-based subscription models for access. We will provide full-text where content is published without restriction, but most publications require registration and some subscription level.

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The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 2 April 2016
Spreading fear
A vaccine scandal in China causes an outcry
The latest in a long line of medical abuses reveals widespread corruption, dismal lack of supervision and harmful distortions in the public-health system
Apr 1st 2016 | Beijing | China
“…In all, roughly 2m faulty vaccines are thought to have been sold, for a total of 570m yuan ($90m). The scandal has implicated 29 pharmaceutical firms and 16 health departments. The police are pursuing 69 criminal cases. On March 28th the government finally launched its own investigation under the China Food and Drug Administration. The prime minister, Li Keqiang, said the case had “exposed many regulatory loopholes”…

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Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 2 April 2016
No Andrew Wakefield, You’re Not Being Censored And You Don’t Deserve Due Process
Andrew Wakefield has already caused enough death and disease, and he rightfully doesn’t get a respectable platform like Tribeca Film Festival to further spread his destruction. To paint Tribeca’s decision as a conspiracy, as censorship and, laughably, as denial of due process is a sham.
Kavin Senapathy, Contributor Mar 28, 2016

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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 2 April 2016
After China Vaccine Scare, Hong Kong to Limit Inoculations for Non-Resident Children
HONG KONG — Hong Kong is to limit the number of non-resident children getting vaccinations at government clinics, after an illegal vaccine scandal in mainland China raised fears some families would come to the city for inoculations and put pressure on supplies.
From April 1, Hong Kong’s Maternal and Child Health Centres will only accept 120 new non-resident children a month. Non-resident children will only be able to book an appointment when there is spare capacity and will have to pay a higher fee.
“The government’s policy is to accord priority to local children,” Hong Kong’s Assistant Director of Health for Family and Elderly Health Services, Teresa Li, said in a statement…
March 30, 2016 – By REUTERS –

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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 2 April 2016
Red Cross brings solar panels to Gaza clinics
The international Red Cross has installed solar panels at 32 health-care clinics in the Gaza Strip to ensure that vaccines remain refrigerated in the power-starved territory.
Associated Press | National | Mar 31, 2016