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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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 23 July 2016
Vaccine Scandal Highlights Indonesian Health System Woes
JAKARTA, Indonesia — A scandal over fake vaccines given to children prompted angry and confused parents to physically attack a doctor in the Indonesian capital in a sign of deep-seated problems in the country’s health system.

Since last month, vials marked as vaccines but filled with saline solution and antibiotics have been discovered at 37 hospitals and clinics in nine cities, according to the Food and Drug Agency. So far, 23 people have been arrested, including three doctors. The number of affected children is still being investigated but could be significant in a country of more than 250 million people.

Indonesia President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo this week visited a clinic where nearly 170 children were to be revaccinated. He asked for patience while police continue to investigate an “extraordinary crime” of bogus vaccines allegedly going back as far as 2003.

“We are in crisis right now,” said Dr. Aman Bhakti Pulungan, head of Indonesia’s Pediatrician Association. “This is a medical emergency, and we have to overcome this.”

He said he is not aware of any children dying as a result of not being protected against diseases they were believed to have been vaccinated against, but added it’s possible some kids could have gotten sick without being detected. The fake vaccines involved a number of shots routinely given to children, including for measles, whooping cough, hepatitis and diphtheria.

The counterfeits were falsely labeled as imported brands, Pulungan said. He believes the number of children affected is likely small, given that only 1 percent of vaccines administered nationwide are imported. The government began revaccinating children this week free of charge at affected hospitals and clinics, including 14 in the capital Jakarta and its outskirts…
July 22, 2016 – By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS – World

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Quebec Team to Begin Zika Vaccine Tests on Humans
MONTREAL — A Quebec City-based research team has received the green light to begin testing a Zika vaccine on humans in collaboration with U.S.-based partners.

The researchers based at Universite Laval are the first in Canada to be authorized by Canada’s federal health agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to conduct clinical tests.

The university is one of three sites that hope to begin testing a vaccine for the mosquito-borne virus in the next few days.

Gary Kobinger, director of Universite Laval’s Infectious Disease Research Centre, said Wednesday the first phase involves administering the vaccine to 40 volunteers spread out over the three sites in Quebec City, Miami and Philadelphia…
July 20, 2016 – By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS – World