Media/Policy Watch
This watch section is intended to alert readers to substantive news, analysis and opinion from the general media and selected think tanks and similar organizations 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.

The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
Disease prevention
Nigeria to be last African nation declared polio-free
August 21, 2019

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
Aug 22, 2019
No Flu Vaccines For Detained Migrant Families? Why This Is Wrong
Assuming that flu viruses did not come up with this policy, here are the problems.
By Bruce Y. Lee Contributor

Aug 21, 2019
Missouri County Imposes Mandatory Hepatitis A Vaccines For Food Service Workers

Aug 19, 2019
New Survey Shows Many People Think Their Doctors Should Refuse To See Unvaccinated Children

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
WHO
Malaria will not be eradicated in near future’, warns WHO
Three-year review says new vaccines for eradicating disease are only 40% effective.

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
Opinion
Who Cares What Celebrities Think About Vaccines?
Very rarely do the misguided beliefs of famous people deserve headlines.
By Carolyn Kylstra
By The Associated Press, Aug. 23

Opinion
Ebola Could Be Eradicated — But Only if the World Works Together
New treatments for Ebola and drug-resistant tuberculosis offer hope, but they won’t be successful on their own.
By The Editorial Board
[See Perspectives above for full text]

Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
Urgency for vaccine grows as virus ravages China’s pigs
Sam Mcneil and Candice Choi | AP · Foreign · Aug 21, 2019

Congo to use second vaccine to fight Ebola
Associated Press · Foreign · Aug 19, 2019

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
Africa in focus
Health in Africa: 5 priorities for the G-7 Biarritz Summit
Yvonne Mburu
Monday, August 19, 2019

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
[No new relevant content]

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
Podcast Episode
The New Landscape for Gavi 5.0
August 20, 2019 | By Nellie Bristol, Katherine Bliss

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
August 20, 2019
Democratic Republic of Congo
Disinformation and Disease: Social Media and the Ebola Epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Blog Post by David P. Fidler

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 24 Aug 2019
[No new relevant content]

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Dengue Vaccine

Philippines weighs re-use of controversial dengue vaccine
August 2, 2019
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines is considering re-introducing a dengue vaccine whose use it halted because of links to the deaths of several children, as authorities battle to contain a dengue outbreak that has killed more than 450 people this year.

Concerns over dengue immunization for nearly 734,000 children aged nine or older sparked two congressional inquiries, a criminal investigation and a sharp fall in the number of parents seeking routine vaccinations for their children.

If the government decided to revive the use of Dengvaxia, developed by French drugmaker Sanofi, it would be administered with “utmost caution”, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“If Dengvaxia is proven effective to those who already had dengue in the past, then its application to these individuals will surely cause the decline of the overall number of cases,” he told reporters.

The Philippines stopped using Dengvaxia in late 2017 and ordered Sanofi to stop selling, distributing and marketing it after Sanofi warned the vaccine could worsen the disease in some cases.

In March, the Department of Justice said it had found probable cause to indict Sanofi officials, and former and current Philippine health officials, over 10 deaths it said were linked to the use of Dengvaxia, which Sanofi has repeatedly said is safe and effective.

Panelo said the government would follow a protocol set by the World Health Organization for all individuals to be screened before receiving the vaccine, to determine if they have ever been exposed to the infection.

Any decision to start administering the vaccine again would not affect cases against individuals involved in the controversy, he added.

This year, the Philippines has reported more than 100,000 cases of dengue, a mosquito-borne tropical disease that kills about 20,000 people annually and infects hundreds of millions…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA)
Antimicrobial Resistance Press Release (July 2019)
31 July 2019
… ICMRA4 recognizes that AMR is a complex, multi-faceted problem, and is calling for a coordinated, One Health5 response across all sectors, including public health, animal health, and the environment. Its member medicines regulators from around the globe have united with the WHO to strongly encourage policy makers, industry, academia, healthcare professionals, non-governmental organizations, media organizations, and the public to come
together to:

:: continue advances in antimicrobial surveillance, infection prevention and control, and stewardship;
:: prioritize the development of innovative new medicines and other therapeutic products that will help combat AMR, including diagnostics and alternatives to antimicrobials;
:: ensure equitable access to antimicrobials across the globe; and
:: minimize the release of substances with antimicrobial properties into the environment.

There are unique challenges facing the development, commercialization and viability of products that tackle AMR, and there is a need for modern regulatory systems that can adapt to these needs. Medicines regulators therefore commit to work together to streamline regulatory requirements, without compromising the quality, efficacy and safety review of these products. We also commit to develop processes that facilitate the review of emerging
technologies, such as phage therapy6 and point-of-care diagnostics. We invite research and development stakeholders to seek advice at any time from medicines regulators for help navigating regulatory systems and to identify emerging challenges specific to the issue of AMR.

While global medicines regulators are fully prepared to continue to take action to address this public health threat, they are encouraging other partners to do their part to address this One Health issue:

:: ICMRA calls on leaders of industry to increase their collective investment in research and development. There is a dire need for new antimicrobials that will work when all other options fail, for alternatives to antimicrobials so that their use can be minimized, and for diagnostic products that facilitate prudent and appropriate use. Infection prevention and control is the foundation of modern healthcare and innovation to combat AMR must coincide with advancements in other areas to ensure a stable global health system.

:: ICMRA calls on all health care practitioners, in both human and animal health, to prioritize the appropriate use of antimicrobials and incorporate responsible antimicrobial prescribing principles into clinical practice. The WHO has developed the AWaRe tool to help guide decision-making on which antibiotic to use when7.

:: ICMRA calls on global health leaders to come together with industry to determine the most effective way to address the economic issues surrounding new product development to incentivize innovation and implement required changes.

:: ICMRA also calls for continued research in all aspects of AMR, including continual monitoring of the effectiveness of existing antimicrobial agents and conducting active surveillance of emerging antimicrobial resistance.

:: ICMRA calls on media organizations around the globe to keep AMR at the forefront of the news cycle and to help increase public awareness of this issue. AMR is one of the largest global threats to public health and the public needs to be aware of what is at stake and what individuals can do to combat this health threat.

We all have a role to play in combatting AMR. A coordinated effort from all partners is essential to ensuring our success in addressing this threat to our health, economies and security. Lives around the world depend on it.

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 31 July 2019
:: July 2019 Polio News is available online for all the latest news, polio in numbers and the funding updates.

Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Afghanistan — one wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case;
:: Pakistan— two WPV1-positive cases and eight WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Nigeria —one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) case and one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample;
:: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) — one cVDPV2 sample isolated from a contact case and one cVDPV2 community isolate;
:: Central African Republic — one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample and 13 cVDPV2 samples isolated from community;
:: Myanmar — one cVDPV type 1 case and five cVDPV1 samples isolated from a contact case.

::::::
::::::

Ebola – DRC+
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Inter-Agency Statement on Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one year on
Joint statement from WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, and World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley
NEW YORK/GENEVA/KINSHASA/DAKAR/ROME, 31 July 2019 – “Tomorrow, 1 August, marks one year since the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in North Kivu province of the DRC. Two weeks ago, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern.

“Just yesterday, a new case of the disease was confirmed in Goma, with the patient later dying – the second case to be confirmed this month in the city of around 1 million people. This latest case in such a dense population center underscores the very real risk of further disease transmission, perhaps beyond the country’s borders, and the very urgent need for a strengthened global response and increased donor investment.

“In the last year, there have been more than 2,600 confirmed cases, including more than 1,800 deaths in parts of Ituri and North Kivu provinces. Almost one in three ‘cases’ is a child. Every single ‘case’ is someone who has gone through an unimaginable ordeal. More than 770 have survived.

“The disease is relentless and devastating.

“Ebola passes from mother to child, husband to wife, patient to caregiver, from the dead body of a victim to the mourning relative. The disease turns the most mundane aspects of everyday life upside down — hurting local businesses, preventing children from going to school and hampering vital and routine health services. It is primarily a health crisis, but one that also critically impacts how people care for their family, view their neighbours and interact with their community.

“The challenges to stopping further transmission are indeed considerable. But none are insurmountable. And none can be an excuse for not getting the job done. The United Nations and partners are continuing to ramp up the response in support of the Government and to further bolster joint action. The UN is working to ensure an enabling environment for the public health response that its health agency supports, including appropriate security, logistics, political and community engagement, and action to address the concerns of affected communities. We commend the recent Government decision to take measures to ensure its efforts are further joined up.

“We also salute the heroic efforts of the mostly Congolese healthcare workers on the front line, the people of affected communities and partners. Despite their ceaseless work, the disease continues to spread. This outbreak is occurring in an active conflict zone which makes an effective response far more complicated because of insecurity, including armed attacks on health workers and facilities, and population displacement. In some of the affected areas, violence is preventing us from reaching communities and working with them to stop further transmission.

“We call on all parties to the violence to ensure that responders can do their work safely and that those seeking care can access it without fear of attacks.

“We are proud of the work that we and our partners have done so far, collaborating with communities in support of the Government-led response to protect those at risk and care for those affected:
:: Over 170,000 people vaccinated;
:: 1,300 people treated with investigational therapies across 14 treatment and transit centres;
:: 77 million screenings of national and international travelers;
:: 20,000 contacts visited daily to ensure they do not also become sick;
:: 3,000 samples tested in 8 laboratories every week;
:: More than 10,000 handwashing sites installed in critical locations;
:: More than 2,000 community engagement workers operating in affected – areas listening to concerns, gaining trust, and mobilizing local action;
:: Over 440,000 patients and contacts provided with food assistance, crucial to limiting movement among people who could spread the disease; and
:: Daily meals provided to 25,000 schoolchildren in Ebola-affected areas to help build trust within communities.

“Now we must build on those achievements, but to do so we urgently need far more support from the international community. The Government needs more support than ever before. The public health response to an Ebola outbreak requires an exceptional level of investment; 100 per cent of cases must be treated and 100 per cent of contacts must be traced and managed. We need air transport to get responders and critical equipment to some of the most remote areas and warehousing to safely store precious health supplies including vaccines. We will continue to accelerate our response, and we ask partners old and new to do the same.

“At this critical juncture, we reaffirm our collective commitment to the people of the DRC; we mourn for those we have lost; and we call for solidarity to end this outbreak.”

::::::

Rwanda’s border with DRC remains open
Kigali, August 1 2019 — The Ministry of Health confirms that Rwanda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo is open, following traffic slow-down this morning as measures were put in place to reinforce screening procedures and public safety at entry points.
To date, Rwanda remains Ebola free. The Ministry has advised against unnecessary travels to Goma-Eastern Congo, following increasing number of cases confirmed in DRC, and requested that individuals who have recently travelled to an Ebola affected area to report to the nearest screening station and to report any suspected Ebola cases via the Ministry of health toll-free lines 114, police number 112 or to community health workers or the nearest health centre…

::::::

Geneva Palais briefing note on the impact of the Ebola outbreak on children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Press release
This is a summary of remarks by Jerome Pfaffman, UNICEF Senior Health Specialist – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
30/07/2019
…This Ebola response is far more complex because it is in an active conflict zone. People living in North Kivu and Ituri are facing a public health emergency and a humanitarian crisis at the same time.
Both provinces, for example, are also facing a major measles outbreak. In Ituri, about half of the health facilities have been damaged or destroyed during fighting over the past two years. There is mass displacement. We have just completed a first vaccination campaign in the provincial capital, Bunia, where we vaccinated more than 40,000 children against measles. But we need to vaccinate far more children, against the full array of diseases, in order to protect them from all the public health risks they are exposed to.
This is why the new strategic response plan includes both an intensification of the public health response, and a whole program to address acute humanitarian and social needs.
UNICEF will need to triple its budget to respond to this complex crisis. This includes about 70 million dollars for epidemic control activities, 30 million to build community capacities in at-risk areas, and another 70 million to deliver essential services.
Colleagues and communities are fighting the outbreak tirelessly but we desperately need the international community to back us up…

::::::

Press release
UNICEF ramps up Ebola prevention efforts as South Sudan assessed as ‘high-risk’ country
UN children’s agency reaches 3 million with Ebola prevention messages
29/07/2019
…UNICEF South Sudan is focusing on and engaging populations that are most at risk in the states bordering DRC and Uganda. The UN children’s agency and its partners have trained 450 front-line mobilizers who are knocking on doors, organizing community meetings and engaging religious and local leaders to disseminate life-saving messages.
“Our teams and partners on the ground working in the communities confirm that an increasing number of people are now aware of Ebola, and the protection measures they can take to avoid infection,” said Ayoya, “The early detection and containment of the three Ebola cases in Uganda in June came as a result of increased public awareness and shows the true value of the prevention work and of working with communities. As long as Ebola remains on our doorstep, we cannot rest and must continue our efforts.”…

::::::
::::::

Editor’s Note:
WHO has posted a refreshed emergencies page which presents an updated listing of Grade 3,2,1 emergencies as below.
WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 3 Aug 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
[See DRC Ebola+ above for detail]

Cyclone Idai – No new digest announcements identified
Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 3 Aug 2019]

Libya
:: Libya: Five medical staff dead in latest attack on health facilities in Tripoli
Tripoli, 28 July 2019 – The World Health Organization strongly condemns yesterday’s attack on Az Zawiyah Field Hospital in the south of Tripoli. Five health workers were killed and eight were injured in the attack. The hospital was damaged and forced to suspend its services.

MERS-CoV
:: MERS-CoV global summary and assessment of risk – August 2018
pdf, 570kb

Myanmar
:: Bi‐weekly Situation Report 15 – 1 August 2019

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – No new digest announcements identified
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017)
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 3 Aug 2019]

Angola – No new digest announcements identified
Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified
Indonesia – Sulawesi earthquake 2018 – No new digest announcements identified
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

::::::
::::::

UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
Editor’s Note:
Ebola in the DRC has bene added as a OCHA “Corporate Emergency” this week:
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth – No new digest announcements identified
EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

::::::
::::::

WHO & Regional Offices [to 3 Aug 2019]
31 July 2019
At 1-year mark, we mourn the lives lost, and call for solidarity
Joint statement by heads of agencies on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Statement New York, Geneva, Kinshasa, Rome
[See Ebola above for detail]

::::::

Weekly Epidemiological Record, 26 July 2019, vol. 94, 30/31 (pp. 329–344)
:: Progress towards poliomyelitis eradication in Nigeria, January 2018 – May 2019
:: Performance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance and incidence of poliomyelitis, 2019

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Rwanda’s border with DRC remains open 02 August 2019
:: World Hepatitis Day:  Nigerians implored to be screened and vaccinated   01 August 2019
:: WHO marks one year since the beginning of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo  31 July 2019
:: Ethiopia joins global efforts to end cholera by 2030 29 July 2019
:: EBOLA, Cascade training in IPC, Case Management, Hand Hygiene, Chlorine Preparation and Mental Health conducted in Rwanda 29 July 2019
:: WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention call on countries in the region to work together on the Ebola response 29 July 2019

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: Improving health service monitoring of high-risk populations seeks to prevent new HIV infections (08/01/2019)
:: Maternity Protection Laws must be implemented throughout the Americas to protect breastfeeding mothers in the workplace (08/01/2019)

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand achieve Hepatitis B control: WHO
SEAR/PR/1714 New Delhi, July 26, 2019: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand have become the first countries in WHO South-East Asia Region to achieve Hepatitis B control, with prevalence of the deadly disease dropping to less than one per cent among five-year-old children, the World Health Organization announced today.

WHO European Region EURO
:: Nationwide campaign aims to educate women in Ukraine on the harm of alcohol consumption during pregnancy 02-08-2019

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: WHO Regional Director’s statement on Pakistan
Cairo, Egypt, 1 August 2019 — I have just returned from my third, and most fruitful and memorable visit to Pakistan as WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. The 4 days I spent in the country this week were truly effective and productive. I had the chance to visit different areas in the country, including Larkana, where the current HIV…

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified.

CDC/ACIP [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Thursday, August 1, 2019
CDC Remains Committed One Year into the Fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
…“As the WHO PHEIC declaration makes clear, this Ebola outbreak continues to be a complex and serious public health threat,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD. “CDC remains prepared for the prolonged journey ahead and remains committed to working with our U.S. government and international partners to support the response and end this outbreak.”
One year into the fight against Ebola, CDC and the U.S. government remain committed to working with and empowering the ministries of health of DRC and neighboring countries, in collaboration with other international partners, to ensure the outbreak response is well coordinated to stop the spread of disease and end the outbreak. CDC is committed to strengthening the healthcare system in DRC to help reduce the risk of future outbreaks, not only of Ebola, but of other diseases such as HIV, measles, tuberculosis, and malaria. CDC’s commitment to global health goes hand in hand with CDC’s commitment to the safety and security of the American public.

Africa CDC [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
Inspection Visit to Africa CDC Headquarters Building Site
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 29 JULY 2019. The African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs, H.E. Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil, and the Ambassador and Head of Mission of China to the African Union, H.E. Mr Yuxi Liu, visited the site of the Africa CDC headquarters building in company of other representatives of the African Union and China today. The visit was to view the site and receive detail briefing about the construction.

China CDC
http://www.chinacdc.cn/en/
No new digest content identified.

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
Selected Updates and Press Releases
Approval of 139 new drugs eases access to affordable medication
(China Daily) Updated: 2019-08-01
China has created and approved 139 new drugs to treat difficult illnesses such as tumors, HIV and diabetes since 2008, giving more patients greater access to affordable and effective medication, officials said on July 31.

Announcements

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.gatesmri.org/
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.

CARB-X [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://carb-x.org/
CARB-X is a non-profit public-private partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research to tackle the global rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria.
07.31.2019  |
CARB-X funds BB100 to develop a unique monoclonal antibody to prevent and treat hyper-virulent multi-drug-resistant E. coli infections
CARB-X, a global partnership led by Boston University, is awarding BB100 LLC, a subsidiary of Bravos Biosciences of Schenectady, New York, USA, up to $3.0 million in non-dilutive funding with the possibility of $6.2 million more if certain project milestones are met, to develop a novel monoclonal antibody to prevent or treat serious life-threatening infections caused by a particularly virulent strain of Gram-negative multi-drug-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) called ST131-025b, which is often associated with complicated urinary tract, bloodstream, and prostate infections.

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://cepi.net/
No new digest content identified.

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://clintonhealthaccess.org/about/
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
Latest news
No new digest content identified.

Emory Vaccine Center [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
No new digest content identified.

European Medicines Agency [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News and press releases
News: Supporting medicine developers in generating quality data packages in early access approaches (PRIME and breakthrough therapies): workshop report published
Last updated: 31/07/2019

European Vaccine Initiative [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
No new digest content identified.

FDA [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
No new digest content identified.

Fondation Merieux [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
No new digest content identified.

Gavi [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.gavi.org/
Latest news
No new digest content identified.

GHIT Fund [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 2012 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that devastate the world’s poorest people. Other funders include six Japanese pharmaceutical
No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News
Leading Artists and Athletes Pledge to Help End AIDS, TB and Malaria for Future Generations
30 July 2019

Feature Story
Our Promise to 7-Year-Olds Everywhere
30 July 2019

Hilleman Laboratories [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.

Human Vaccines Project [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.

IAVI [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
No new digest content identified.

International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA)
http://www.icmra.info/drupal/en/news
Statements and Press Releases
Antimicrobial Resistance Press Release (July 2019)
[See Milestones above for detail]

IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/library/news/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.

IFRC [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
DR Congo: Expanded humanitarian response critical to ending Ebola outbreak says IFRC
Kinshasa/Nairobi/Geneva, 1 Aug 2019 – A year on, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) continues to spread into new areas across North Kivu and Ituri.  An average of 13 new cases are reported daily, in the last three months, as insecurity, community resistance and massive unmet humanitarian needs continue to hamper the international response.
Dr Emanuele Capobianco, Director of Health and Care at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said:
“There is now a collective recognition that this terrible virus can only be stopped in its tracks when communities are engaged and placed at the centre of the response efforts.”
Alongside Ebola, ongoing measles and cholera outbreaks in DR Congo have killed more than 1,800 people in the last year. In addition, two decades of violence and conflict have deprived millions of access to basic services like health and education.
“Communities continue to be suspicious of the Ebola response because they feel that it is not addressing their broader needs. Moving forward in this response, we need to ensure that we are adequately responding to the priorities and concerns of these communities. This means expanding the response to include broader health and humanitarian needs.”…

Americas, Venezuela
Venezuela: New Red Cross health consignment arrives in Caracas from Italy
A consignment of 34 tons of medicines and medical supplies arrived at Caracas international airport this morning from Italy, the president of the Venezuelan Red Cross, Dr. Mario Villaroel, has confirmed. The shipment that arrived today includes essential medicines such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, health disposables and a range of medical equipment such as defibrillators.
31 July 2019

Asia Pacific, Bangladesh, India, Nepal
Bangladesh: Floods put 7.6 million at risk, IFRC announces tenfold increase in assistance
Continued heavy rainfalls in Bangladesh combined with severe flooding in neighbouring countries have led to the highest river water levels in a century putting 7.6 million people at risk of hunger and disease.
31 July 2019

IVAC [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
No new digest content identified.

IVI [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
IVI teams up with 4 Korean partners to nurture vaccine industry professionals
July 31, SEOUL, South Korea. IVI has exchanged a memorandum of understanding with four Korean partners – Andong National University (ANU), Andong City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and SK bioscience, to nurture human resources critical to vaccine industry development. IVI Director General, Dr. Jerome Kim attended an MOU signing ceremony at ANU on July 31, which brought together the representatives of the four partners.
Under the MOU, the five organizations agreed to seek mutual cooperation in: operating training programs for professionals in vaccine technology development, organizing and supporting joint programs for research and development of new vaccine technology, establishing and supporting on-site training programs such as on-the-job training and internships, and supporting training programs for workers at industrial sites…

JEE Alliance [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.msf.org/
Selected News; Project Updates, Reports
DRC Ebola outbreaks
10 facts on a year of Ebola in DRC
Project Update 2 Aug 2019

DRC Ebola outbreaks
Crisis update – August 2019
Crisis Update 2 Aug 2019

DRC Ebola outbreaks
Tenth Ebola outbreak in DRC still rages, one year on
Voices from the Field 1 Aug 2019
 

DRC Ebola outbreaks
DRC Ebola outbreak response struggling one year on
Project Update 31 Jul 2019

Syria
Escalating conflict in Idlib leaves increasing numbers dead, wounded or displaced
Project Update 31 Jul 2019

DRC Ebola outbreaks
Not contained, new cases: three questions on vaccines and the Ebola outbreak in…
Interview 31 Jul 2019

NIH [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
August 1, 2019
Experimental respiratory syncytial virus vaccine prompts antibody surge
— Structure-based candidate designed by NIH scientists.

PATH [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
No new digest content identified.

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
2 August 2019
The right to disclose your own status

31 July 2019
Mapping HIV laws and policies
A new website that enables people to identify national laws and policies related to the AIDS response has been launched by UNAIDS.
Covering areas as diverse as a country’s ability to diagnose HIV among young babies, the existence of laws that discriminate against transgender people and whether people are prosecuted for carrying condoms, the Laws and Policies Analytics website aims to give a full overview of a country’s laws and policies related to the HIV response. It also allows to view policy data jointly with other data on the HIV epidemic and response.
“We must better understand legal and policy environments to drive effective responses to the HIV epidemic. This new tool will provide access to data on national laws and policies and allow for joint analysis with data on the epidemic and response, so that we can drive more deeply-informed decision-making,” said Shannon Hader, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programme…

UNICEF [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Reports
Statement
July ends with brutal acts of violence perpetrated against children across the Middle East and North Africa
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore
02/08/2019

Press release
Why family-friendly policies are critical to increasing breastfeeding rates worldwide
01/08/2019

Statement
Inter-Agency Statement on Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one year on
31/07/2019
[See Ebola – DRC above for detail]

Press release
Geneva Palais briefing note on the impact of the Ebola outbreak on children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
This is a summary of remarks by Jerome Pfaffman, UNICEF Senior Health Specialist – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
30/07/2019
[See Ebola – DRC above for detail]

Press release
UNICEF ramps up Ebola prevention efforts as South Sudan assessed as ‘high-risk’ country
UN children’s agency reaches 3 million with Ebola prevention messages
29/07/2019
[See Ebola – DRC above for detail]

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Opinion | 1 August 2019
How we can give a more diverse group of undergraduates hands-on research experience
Claire Fenton
Research Landscape Manager, Wellcome
We’re changing how we award Biomedical Vacation Scholarships, so that more students from underrepresented groups can gain scientific research experience.

News | 27 July 2019
‘The final months of 2019 could be a tipping point for UK science’
The text of our letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling on him to set out his vision for UK science as soon as possible

The Wistar Institute [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
No new digest content identified.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2019/
No new digest content identified.

::::::

BIO [to 3 Aug 2019]
https://www.bio.org/insights/press-release
Jul 31 2019
HHS Drug Importation Plan a “Misguided Attempt to Keep an Ill-Informed Campaign Promise”
“There is simply no way to adopt an importation scheme that doesn’t jeopardize the health and well-being of America’s patients,” BIO’s President and CEO Jim Greenwood said.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
No new digest content identified.

IFPMA [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
No new digest content identified.

PhRMA [to 3 Aug 2019]
http://www.phrma.org/press-room
July 31, 2019
PhRMA Statement On Administration’s Drug Importation Scheme
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) president and CEO Stephen J. Ubl issued the following statement:
“The Administration’s importation scheme is far too dangerous for American patients. There is no way to guarantee the safety of drugs that come into the country from outside the United States’ gold-standard supply chain…”

Journal Watch
Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review continues its weekly scanning of key peer-reviewed journals to identify and cite articles, commentary and editorials, books reviews and other content supporting our focu-s on vaccine ethics and policy. Journal Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues the Center is actively tracking. We selectively provide full text of some editorial and comment articles that are specifically relevant to our work. Successful access to some of the links provided may require subscription or other access arrangement unique to the publisher.
If you would like to suggest other journal titles to include in this service, please contact David Curry at: david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 3 Aug 2019)

Research article
Assessing the impact of law enforcement to reduce over-the-counter (OTC) sales of antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries; a systematic literature review
Many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are moving towards enforcing prescription-only access to antibiotics. This systematic literature review aims to assess the interventions used to enforce existing le…
Authors: Tom G. Jacobs, Jane Robertson, Hendrika A. van den Ham, Kotoji Iwamoto, Hanne Bak Pedersen and Aukje K. Mantel-Teeuwisse
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2019 19:536
Published on: 31 July 2019

BMC Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 3 Aug 2019)

Research article
Model consent clauses for rare disease research
Rare Disease research has seen tremendous advancements over the last decades, with the development of new technologies, various global collaborative efforts and improved data sharing. To maximize the impact of…
Authors: Minh Thu Nguyen, Jack Goldblatt, Rosario Isasi, Marlene Jagut, Anneliene Hechtelt Jonker, Petra Kaufmann, Laetitia Ouillade, Fruszina Molnar-Gabor, Mahsa Shabani, Eric Sid, Anne Marie Tassé, Durhane Wong-Rieger and Bartha Maria Knoppers
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics 2019 20:55
Published on: 1 August 2019

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 3 Aug 2019)

Research article
Costs associated with delivering HPV vaccination in the context of the first year demonstration programme in southern Mozambique
In Mozambique cervical cancer is a public health threat, due to its high incidence and limited access to early diagnosis of precancerous lesions. International organisations are supporting the introduction of …
Authors: Sergi Alonso, Olga Cambaco, Yolanda Maússe, Graça Matsinhe, Eusébio Macete, Clara Menéndez, Elisa Sicuri, Esperança Sevene and Khátia Munguambe
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1031
Published on: 1 August 2019

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 3 Aug 2019)

Research article
Full immunization coverage and its associated factors among children aged 12–23 months in Ethiopia: further analysis from the 2016 Ethiopia demographic and health survey
Vaccination is one of the cost effective strategies reducing childhood morbidity and mortality. Further improvement of immunization coverage would halt about 1.5 million additional deaths globally. Understandi…
Authors: Koku Sisay Tamirat and Malede Mequanent Sisay
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1019
Published on: 30 July 2019

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 97, Number 8, August 2019, 513-580
https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/97/8/en/

EDITORIALS
Biomedical research; what gets funded where?
— Taghreed Adam, Ambinintsoa H Ralaidovy & Soumya Swaminathan
http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.19.240499
…In July 2019, the observatory published for the first time a comprehensive overview of health products for all indications (medicines, vaccines and diagnostics that include an active pharmaceutical ingredient), from discovery to market launch, using the AdisInsight database.^3,4 The analysis of more than 86,000 products developed since 1995 shows that of the 14.999 products that are currently in a clinical phase of development, 87% (13,004) are for noncommunicable diseases and 9% (1319) for communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions. Around 48% (6221) of products for noncommunicable diseases are for malignant neoplasms and around 80% (1047) of products for communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions are for infectious and parasitic diseases.⁴ Less than 0.5% of active products (168 out of 35,770) target a disease on the WHO list of neglected tropical diseases, and around 0.4% (152) of active products are targeting a pathogen on the WHO list of research and development blueprint priority pathogens.^5,6
These findings and other recent analysis of the observatory’s data show little indication that decisions on new investments on health research and development are evidence-informed or prioritized, or that they reflect the public health needs of people living in low- and middle-income countries…

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 97, Number 8, August 2019, 513-580
https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/97/8/en/

PERSPECTIVES
Patent pooling to increase access to essential medicines
— Esteban Burrone, Dzintars Gotham, Andy Gray, Kees de Joncheere, Nicola Magrini, Yehoda M Martei, Charles Gore & Marie Paule Kieny
http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.18.229179
Access to medicines is key to achieving universal health coverage (UHC); however, such access can be hindered by unaffordable prices. A good example of improvement in access to medicines is treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Global coverage was very low in 2000, with only 611 000 people receiving treatment; however, in 2017, 21.7 million people were on treatment.^1,2 This increase was partly due to access to affordable, quality-assured generic HIV medicines in low- and middle-income countries.¹

One way to achieve better access to new medicines is patent pools, which allow third parties to acquire non-exclusive licences for the intellectual property needed to develop products. While patent pools have existed for several decades in other fields of technology, such as in digital technologies, they are a relatively new concept in public health, where they have been applied to address some of the access challenges in low- and middle-income countries.³

To improve access to antiretroviral treatment in low- and middle-income countries, Unitaid established the Medicines Patent Pool in 2010 as the first public health patent pool. Later, the patent pool’s mandate was expanded to treatments for tuberculosis and hepatitis C. The patent pool has negotiated most of the licensing agreements with pharmaceutical companies that have enabled competitive generic manufacture of antiretrovirals in low- and middle-income countries before patent expiry. These licences have also facilitated the development of new formulations that are particularly needed in resource-constrained settings, such as certain fixed-dose combinations and paediatric formulations. To date, the patent pool’s generic partners have distributed 22 million patient-years of treatment, allowing global savings of 1.06 billion United States dollars (US$), according to a biannual analysis undertaken by a leading auditing company.⁴

In 2016, the Lancet Commission on Essential Medicines Policies, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other stakeholders called for the patent pool to expand its mandate to a broader range of patented essential medicines.^5,6 Here, we outline the findings of a released feasibility study on expanding the patent pool’s mandate,⁷ laying out the public health case for adapting its model to disease areas beyond the initial three focus diseases. In May 2018, the patent pool acted on the results of the feasibility study and expanded its mandate to include other patented essential medicines…

Clinical Therapeutics
July 2019 Volume 41, Issue 7, p1227-1400
http://www.clinicaltherapeutics.com/current

PREVENTION OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: Challenges and Opportunities to Change the Paradigm of Disease Management
Edited by Kevin Dale Deane, Tsang Tommy Cheung

Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume 25, Number 8—August 2019
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/

Research
17DD Yellow Fever Revaccination and Heightened Long-Term Immunity in Populations of Disease-Endemic Areas, Brazil [PDF – 2.03 MB – 11 pages]
O. Martins-Filho et al.

Genome Medicine
https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles
[Accessed 3 Aug 2019]

Editorial
Advancing cancer immunotherapy: a vision for the field
Authors: Noel F. C. C. de Miranda and Zlatko Trajanoski
Citation: Genome Medicine 2019 11:51
Published on: 29 July 2019

Health Policy and Planning
Volume 34, Issue 4, May 2019
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/issue/34/4

Original Articles
Value and effectiveness of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study of global and national perspectives
Sadie Bell, Laurence Blanchard, Helen Walls, Sandra Mounier-Jack, Natasha Howard
Health Policy and Planning, Volume 34, Issue 4, May 2019, Pages 271–281, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czz027
Abstract
The Global Vaccine Action Plan proposes that every country establish or have access to a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) by 2020. The NITAG role is to produce evidence-informed recommendations that incorporate local context, to guide national immunization policies and practice. This study aimed to explore the value and effectiveness of NITAGs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), identifying areas in which NITAGs may require further support to improve their functionality and potential barriers to global investment. A multi-methods study design was used, comprising 134 semi-structured interviews and 82 literature review sources that included 38 countries. Interviews were conducted with 53 global/regional and 81 country-level participants able to provide insight into NITAG effectiveness, including NITAG members, national immunization programme staff, and global agency representatives (e.g. the World Health Organisation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance). The review, including published and unpublished sources on NITAGs in LMICs, was conducted to supplement and corroborate interview findings. Data were analysed thematically. NITAGs were described as valuable in promoting evidence-informed vaccination decision-making, with NITAG involvement enhancing national immunization programme strength and sustainability. Challenges to NITAG effectiveness included: (1) unreliable funding; (2) insufficient diversity of member expertise; (3) inadequate conflicts of interest management procedures; (4) insufficient capacity to access and use evidence; (5) lack of transparency; and (6) limited integration with national decision-making processes that reduced the recognition and incorporation of NITAG recommendations. LMIC NITAGs have developed significantly in the past decade. Well-functioning NITAGs were trusted national resources that enhanced country ownership of immunization provision. However, many LMIC NITAGs require additional technical and funding support to strengthen quality and effectiveness, while maintaining impartiality and ensuring sufficient integration with national decision-making processes. Barriers to sustainable global support need to be addressed for LMIC NITAGs to both continue and develop further.

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 7-8, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Special Issues: HPV vaccination: from seroprevalence to public health policy and everything in between
[80+ articles in edition focused on NPV vaccine; sample articles be]ow]
Article
There’s Much Yet to be Done: Diverse Perspectives on HPV Vaccination
Gregory D. Zimet & Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters
Pages: 1459-1464
Published online: 31 Jul 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 7-8, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
A systematic literature review to examine the potential for social media to impact HPV vaccine uptake and awareness, knowledge, and attitudes about HPV and HPV vaccination
Rebecca R. Ortiz, Andrea Smith & Tamera Coyne-Beasley
Pages: 1465-1475
Published online: 11 Apr 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 7-8, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Insights on HPV vaccination in the United States from mothers’ comments on Facebook posts in a randomized trial
David B. Buller, Barbara J. Walkosz, Julia Berteletti, Sherry L. Pagoto, Jessica Bibeau, Katie Baker, Joel Hillhouse & Kimberly L. Henry
Pages: 1479-1487
Published online: 11 Jul 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 7-8, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
State statutes and regulations related to human papillomavirus vaccination
Aila Hoss, Beth E. Meyerson & Gregory D. Zimet
Pages: 1519-1526
Published online: 02 Jul 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 7-8, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Current issues facing the introduction of human papillomavirus vaccine in China and future prospects
Li Ping Wong, Liyuan Han, Hui Li, Jinshun Zhao, Qinjian Zhao & Gregory D. Zimet
Pages: 1533-1540
Published online: 16 Jul 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 7-8, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Should female sex workers be offered HPV vaccination?
Maarten F. Schim van der Loeff, Alex Vorsters, Elske Marra, Pierre Van Damme & Arjan Hogewoning
Pages: 1544-1548
Published online: 07 May 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 7-8, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
A quality improvement education initiative to increase adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine completion rates
Cynthia A Bonville, Joseph B Domachowske & Manika Suryadevara
Pages: 1570-1576
Published online: 26 Jun 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 7-8, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
HPV vaccination in a context of public mistrust and uncertainty: a systematic literature review of determinants of HPV vaccine hesitancy in Europe
Emilie Karafillakis, Clarissa Simas, Caitlin Jarrett, Pierre Verger, Patrick Peretti-Watel, Fadia Dib, Stefania De Angelis, Judit Takacs, Karam Adel Ali, Lucia Pastore Celentano & Heidi Larson
Pages: 1615-1627
Published online: 20 Feb 2019

International Journal of Epidemiology
Volume 48, Issue 3, June 2019
https://academic.oup.com/ije/issue/48/3

Special theme: Mendelian randomization
Editorials
How humans can contribute to Mendelian randomization analyses
Stephen Burgess, George Davey Smith
International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 48, Issue 3, June 2019, Pages 661–664, https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyz152

Journal of Development Economics
Volume 140 Pages 1-374 (September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-development-economics/vol/140/suppl/C

Research article Abstract only
Regression discontinuity analysis of Gavi’s impact on vaccination rates
Sarah Dykstra, Amanda Glassman, Charles Kenny, Justin Sandefur
Pages 12-25
Abstract
Since 2001, an aid consortium known as Gavi has accounted for over half of vaccines purchased in the 75 eligible countries with an initial GNI below $1,000 per capita. Regression discontinuity estimates suggest most aid for cheap, existing vaccines like hepatitis B and DPT was inframarginal: for instance, hepatitis B doses sufficient to vaccinate roughly 75% of infants raised vaccination rates by single-digit margins. These results are driven by middle-income countries near the eligibility threshold, and do not preclude larger gains for the poorest countries, global externalities via vaccine markets, or impacts on newer vaccines such as pneumococcal or rotavirus for which income eligibility rules were relaxed.

Lancet Global Health
Aug 2019 Volume 7Number 8e979-e1146
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/issue/current

Editorial
SRHR: unmet needs and unfinished agendas
The Lancet Global Health

Lancet Global Health
Aug 2019 Volume 7Number 8e979-e1146
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/issue/current

Comment
A new vision for bioethics training in global health
Matthew DeCamp, Anna Kalbarczyk,Yukari C Manabe,Nelson K Sewankambo

Lancet Infectious Diseases
Aug 2019 Volume 19 Number 8 p789-914, e259-e300
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Editorial
Rinderpest, smallpox, and the imperative of destruction
The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Lancet Infectious Diseases
Aug 2019 Volume 19 Number 8 p789-914, e259-e300
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Comment
Malaria vaccination and rebound malaria
Alassane Dicko, Brian Greenwood

Lancet Infectious Diseases
Aug 2019 Volume 19 Number 8 p789-914, e259-e300
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Articles
Long-term incidence of severe malaria following RTS,S/AS01 vaccination in children and infants in Africa: an open-label 3-year extension study of a phase 3 randomised controlled trial
Halidou Tinto, Walter Otieno, Samwel Gesase, Hermann Sorgho, Lucas Otieno, Edwin Liheluka, Innocent Valéa, Valentine Sing’oei, Anangisye Malabeja, Daniel Valia, Anne Wangwe, Emilia Gvozdenovic, Yolanda Guerra Mendoza, Erik Jongert, Marc Lievens, François Roman, Lode Schuerman, John Lusingu

Lancet Infectious Diseases
Aug 2019 Volume 19 Number 8 p789-914, e259-e300
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Historical Review
Standing on the shoulders of giants: two centuries of struggle against meningococcal disease
Pere Domingo, Virginia Pomar, Albert Mauri, Nicolau Barquet

Lancet Infectious Diseases
Aug 2019 Volume 19 Number 8 p789-914, e259-e300
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Personal View
The UK’s pandemic influenza research portfolio: a model for future research on emerging infections
Colin R Simpson, Dan Beever, Kirsty Challen, Daniela De Angelis, Ellen Fragaszy, Steve Goodacre, Andrew Hayward, Wei Shen Lim, G James Rubin, Malcolm G Semple, Marian Knight
on behalf of the NIHR hibernated influenza studies collaborative group

Lancet Respiratory Medicine
Aug 2019 Volume 7 Number 8 p639-720, e23-e25
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/issue/current

Editorial
Fetal tissue research: focus on the science and not the politics
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine

Lancet Respiratory Medicine
Aug 2019 Volume 7 Number 8 p639-720, e23-e25
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/issue/current

Comment
Live attenuated influenza vaccines for African children
Cheryl Cohen, Sheena G Sullivan

Lancet Respiratory Medicine
Aug 2019 Volume 7 Number 8 p639-720, e23-e25
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/issue/current

Articles
Effect of a Russian-backbone live-attenuated influenza vaccine with an updated pandemic H1N1 strain on shedding and immunogenicity among children in The Gambia: an open-label, observational, phase 4 study
Benjamin B Lindsey, et al.

Nature
Volume 572 Issue 7767, 1 August 2019
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

Editorial | 31 July 2019
Time to discuss consent in digital-data studies
Anonymized data sets are growing and it is becoming easier to identify individuals. Research-consent procedures must be updated to protect people from being targeted.

Nature Biotechnology
Volume 37 Issue 8, August 2019
https://www.nature.com/nbt/volumes/37/issues/8

Editorial | 02 August 2019
Climate of fear
Heavy-handed targeting of ethnic Chinese researchers, students and investors by US funding, intelligence and immigration agencies poses a threat to the American life-sciences sector.

New England Journal of Medicine
August 1, 2019 Vol. 381 No. 5
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Original Articles
Immunogenicity of Fractional-Dose Vaccine during a Yellow Fever Outbreak — Final Report
R.M. Casey and Others
Conclusions
A fractional dose of the 17DD yellow fever vaccine was effective at inducing seroconversion in participants who were seronegative at baseline. Titers remained above the threshold for seropositivity at 1 year after vaccination in nearly all participants who were seropositive at 1 month after vaccination. These findings support the use of fractional-dose vaccination for outbreak control. (Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

New England Journal of Medicine
August 1, 2019 Vol. 381 No. 5
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Review Article
Frontiers in Medicine: Gene Therapy
Katherine A. High, M.D., and Maria G. Roncarolo, M.D.
Those who have followed the gene-therapy field over the decades may be weary of forward-looking positive statements. However, over the past 3 years, six gene-therapy products have been approved for clinical use. This article describes challenges, risks, and advances in gene-therapy clinical research.
Interview with Dr. Katherine A. High on gene therapy for genetic disease. (15:22) Download

Pediatrics
August 2019, VOLUME 144 / ISSUE 2
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/2?current-issue=y

Articles
Office-Based Educational Handout for Influenza Vaccination: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Vanessa P. Scott, Douglas J. Opel, Jason Reifler, Sharon Rikin, Kalpana Pethe, Angela Barrett, Melissa S. Stockwell
Pediatrics Aug 2019, 144 (2) e20182580; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-2580
In this study, we evaluate brief, clinic-based educational interventions for parents versus usual care with receipt of the child influenza vaccine.

PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 3 Aug 2019)

Research Article
Competition and price among brand-name drugs in the same class: A systematic review of the evidence
Ameet Sarpatwari, Jonathan DiBello, Marie Zakarian, Mehdi Najafzadeh, Aaron S. Kesselheim
| published 30 Jul 2019 PLOS Medicine
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002872
Abstract
Background
Some experts have proposed combating rising drug prices by promoting brand–brand competition, a situation that is supposed to arise when multiple US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved brand-name products in the same class are indicated for the same condition. However, numerous reports exist of price increases following the introduction of brand-name competition, suggesting that it may not be effective. We performed a systematic literature review of the peer-reviewed health policy and economics literature to better understand the interplay between new drug entry and intraclass drug prices.
Methods and findings
We searched PubMed and EconLit for original studies on brand–brand competition in the US market published in English between January 1990 and April 2019. We performed a qualitative synthesis of each study’s data, recording its primary objective, methodology, and results. We found 10 empirical investigations, with 1 study each on antihypertensives, anti-infectives, central nervous system stimulants for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis, histamine-2 (H2) blockers, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors; 2 studies on cancer medications; and 2 studies on all marketed or new drugs. None of the studies reported that brand–brand competition lowers list prices of existing drugs within a class. The findings of 2 studies suggest that such competition may help restrain how new drug prices are set. Other studies found evidence that brand–brand competition was mediated by the relative quality of competing drugs and the extent to which they are marketed, with safer or more effective new drugs and greater marketing associated with higher intraclass list prices. Our investigation was limited by the studies’ use of list rather than net prices and the age of some of the data.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that policies to promote brand–brand competition in the US pharmaceutical market, such as accelerating approval of non-first-in-class drugs, will likely not result in lower drug list prices absent additional structural reforms.

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 3 Aug 2019]

Research Article
Does the availability of influenza vaccine at prenatal care visits and of immediate vaccination improve vaccination coverage of pregnant women?
Vivien Alessandrini, Olivia Anselem, Aude Girault, Laurent Mandelbrot, Dominique Luton, Odile Launay, François Goffinet
Research Article | published 01 Aug 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220705

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 3 Aug 2019]

Limited indirect effects of an infant pneumococcal vaccination program in an aging population
Mark van der Linden, Matthias Imöhl, Stephanie Perniciaro
Research Article | published 01 Aug 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220453