Featured Journal Content
Our World in Data
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations [Accessed 12 Feb 2022]
:: 61.7% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
:: 10.34 billion doses have been administered globally, and 27.51 million are now administered each day.
:: Only 10.6% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose.
Featured Journal Content
U.S.: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment
HHS
News
Secretary Becerra Announces HHS Purchase of 600,000 Treatment Courses of New Monoclonal Antibody That Works Against Omicron
Thursday, February 10, 2022
BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsRoomHome.aspx
News
FDA Authorizes New Monoclonal Antibody for Treatment of COVID-19 that Retains Activity Against Omicron Variant
Friday, February 11, 2022
USG purchases additional Evusheld
Friday, February 11, 2022
FDA
Press Announcements
February 11, 2022 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes New Monoclonal Antibody for Treatment of COVID-19 that Retains Activity Against Omicron Variant
February 11, 2022 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Postpones Advisory Committee Meeting to Discuss Request for Authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 6 Months Through 4 Years of Age
[Editor’s text bolding]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been notified by Pfizer that new data have recently emerged regarding its emergency use authorization request for the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in children 6 months through 4 years of age. As part of its rolling submission, the company recently notified the agency of additional findings from its ongoing clinical trial. Based on the agency’s preliminary assessment, and to allow more time to evaluate additional data, we believe additional information regarding the ongoing evaluation of a third dose should be considered as part of our decision-making for potential authorization.
Therefore, the FDA is postponing the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting originally scheduled for Feb. 15. This will give the agency time to consider the additional data, allowing for a transparent public discussion as part of our usual scientific and regulatory processes for COVID-19 vaccines. We will provide an update on timing for the advisory committee meeting once we receive additional data on a third dose in this age group from the company’s ongoing clinical trial and have an opportunity to complete an updated evaluation.
Since the early days of the pandemic, we have always followed the science in this ever-changing situation. Given the recent omicron surge and the notable increase in hospitalizations in the youngest children to their highest levels during the pandemic so far, we felt it was our responsibility as a public health agency to act with urgency and consider all available options, including requesting that the company provide us with initial data on two doses from its ongoing study. The goal was to understand if two doses would provide sufficient protection to move forward with authorizing the use of the vaccine in this age group. Our approach has always been to conduct a regulatory review that’s responsive to the urgent public health needs created by the pandemic, while adhering to our rigorous standards for safety and effectiveness. Being able to begin evaluating initial data has been useful in our review of these vaccines, but at this time, we believe additional information regarding the ongoing evaluation of a third dose should be considered.
The agency will ensure the data support effectiveness and safety before authorizing a COVID-19 vaccine for use in our youngest children. In the meantime, the best way to protect children, including when they are at school or daycare, is to practice social distancing and masking in accordance with public health recommendations, and for their family members and caregivers to get vaccinated or receive a booster dose when eligible.
Editor’s Note:
We repeat below the announcement from last week’s edition for reference. See also the Pfizer-Biontech announcement:
Pfizer and BioNTech Provide Update on Rolling Submission for Emergency Use Authorization of Their COVID-19 Vaccine in Children 6 Months Through 4 Years of Age 02.11.2022
February 1, 2022 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Advisory Committee Meeting to Discuss Request for Authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing a virtual meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) on Feb. 15 to discuss the request for emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for use in children 6 months through 4 years of age.
“Having a safe and effective vaccine available for children in this age group is a priority for the agency and we’re committed to a timely review of the data, which the agency asked Pfizer to submit in light of the recent Omicron surge. Furthermore, children are not small adults. Because they’re still growing and developing, it’s critical that these vaccines are evaluated in well-designed and well-conducted clinical trials,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “In the meantime, the best way to protect children, including when they are at school or daycare, is to practice social distancing and masking in accordance with public health recommendations, and for their family members and caretakers to get vaccinated or receive a booster dose when eligible.”…
“The need for a safe and effective vaccine for our youngest children is significant, particularly given the rapid spread of the omicron variant, the notable rise in the number of hospitalizations in young children with severe disease, and the possibility that future variants could cause severe disease in those who are unvaccinated,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “As we have done for other COVID-19 vaccine authorizations, this meeting will help ensure that the public has a clear understanding of the data and information the FDA will evaluate as it considers whether to authorize the vaccine. We are committed to a transparent process, which will include input from our external advisors.”
The FDA intends to make background material available to the public, including the meeting agenda and committee roster, no later than two business days before the meeting…
Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee– FDA
https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/blood-vaccines-and-other-biologics/vaccines-and-related-biological-products-advisory-committee
Calendar
THIS MEETING IS POSTPONED. Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee February 15, 2022 Meeting Announcement – 02/15/2022
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White House [U.S.]
Briefing Room – Selected Major COVID Announcements
Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
February 09, 2022 Press Briefings
U.S. Department of State
https://www.state.gov/coronavirus/releases/
Media Notes
Press Statement
COVID-19 Global Action Meeting
Antony J. Blinken February 11, 2022
…My counterparts and leaders from regional and international organizations will discuss the leadership roles and actions we will take under the COVID-19 Global Action Plan (GAP), which builds on President Biden’s Global COVID-19 Summit themes of vaccinating the world, saving lives now, and building better health security. Specifically, we are asking countries to step up with us to: (1) Get Shots in Arms; (2) Bolster Supply Chain Resilience; (3) Address Information Gaps; (4) Support Health Care Workers; (5) Ensure Acute Non-Vaccine Interventions; and (6) Strengthen the Global Health Security Architecture. We will coordinate responsibility for sectoral, regional, and global leadership in each line of effort, building on the momentum generated by the COVID-19 Summit and continuing regular engagement among foreign ministers to address health security.
Secretary Blinken’s opening remarks will be streamed on State.gov at 08:30 EST on February 14, 2022.
Editor’s Note:
We paused when reading above that U.S. is asserting that its role might properly be to “…coordinate responsibility for sectoral, regional, and global leadership in each line of effort…” as inventoried.
Featured Journal Content
Europe: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment
European Medicines Agency
News & Press Releases
News: Initiation of DARWIN EU® Coordination Centre advances integration of real-world evidence into assessment of medicines in the EU (new)
Last updated: 09/02/2022
News: EMA evaluating data on booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty in adolescents (new)
CHMP, Last updated: 08/02/2022
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European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en
Latest Updates [Selected]
News
COVID-19 vaccines for adolescents offer a very high level of protection against infection, symptomatic disease, and severe disease
News – 8 Feb 2022
Publication
COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in adolescents aged 12–17 years and interim public health considerations for administration of a booster dose
Technical report – 8 Feb 2022
::::::
Accessed 12 Feb 2022
https://vaccinetracker.ecdc.europa.eu/public/extensions/COVID-19/vaccine-tracker.html#uptake-tab
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European Commission
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en
Speech 11 February 2022
Speech by President von der Leyen at the One Ocean Summit
President von der Leyen addressed the One Ocean Summit in Brest and presented ambitious initiatives to promote a cleaner, healthier and safer ocean.
Press release 11 February 2022
One Ocean Summit: new steps strengthen EU leadership in protecting the Ocean
The Commission is presenting today ambitious initiatives to promote a cleaner, healthier and safer ocean, as part of the EU’s contribution to the One Ocean Summit hosted by France in Brest and a demonstration of EU’s leading role in bringing a comprehensive response to oceans challenges.
Press release 10 February 2022
European Health Union: HERA launches first work plan with €1.3 billion for preparedness and response to health emergencies in 2022
The new European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) today presents its first annual work plan, which will have a budget of €1.3 billion in 2022 to prevent, prepare for and rapidly respond to cross-border health emergencies.
Statement 9 February 2022
Statement by President von der Leyen at the Institut Pasteur of Dakar
President von der Leyen visited the Institut Pasteur in Dakar and announced an additional contribution of €125 million to advance vaccination against COVID-19 in Africa.
Press release 9 February 2022
Protecting biodiversity: EU takes action to prevent introduction of invasive alien species that would damage European nature
The Commission is taking legal steps against 15 Member States in order to step up the prevention and management of invasive alien species.
Featured Journal Content
Africa: COVID-19 – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment
Accessed 12 Feb 2022. Full scale, interactive dashboard available at:
https://africacdc.org/covid-19-vaccination/
Featured Journal Content
Russia: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment
Russia: Sputnik V – “the first registered COVID-19 vaccine”
https://sputnikvaccine.com/newsroom/pressreleases/
Press Releases
The one-component Sputnik Light vaccine has been authorized in India; over 2.5 billion people live in countries that approved Sputnik Light as a standalone vaccine and a universal booster
Press release, 06.02.2022
Sputnik Light will be an important part of India’s vaccination program and the fight against mutations of COVID, including Omicron.
Sputnik Light has been authorized in more than 30 countries with total population of over 2.5 billion people.
Featured Journal Content
India: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
https://www.mohfw.gov.in/
Government of India – Press Information Bureau
Latest Press Releases
India’s Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 172.29 Cr
:: More than 46.82 lakh Vaccine Doses administered in the last 24 hours
:: Recovery Rate currently stands at 97.37%
:: 50,407New Cases reported in the last 24 hours
:: India’s Active Caseload currently stands at 6,10,443
:: Weekly Positivity Rate is presently at 5.07%
Posted On: 12 FEB 2022 9:42AM by PIB Delhi
Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)
https://www.icmr.gov.in/media.html
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
Featured Journal Content
China: COVID-19 Vaccines – Announcements/Regulatory Actions/Deployment
Over 3.02b COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2022-02-11
More than 3.02 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Wednesday, data from the National Health Commission showed on Feb 10.
Emergencies
POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
https://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-now/this-week/
Polio this week as of 09 February 2022
:: Dr Pascal Mkanda, Director for the Polio Eradication Programme in the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), also famously known as our ‘villager in polio’, is this month (February 2022) entering a well-deserved retirement. Pascal’s contribution over the years to polio eradication in Africa, and indeed broader immunization, is second to none. Read more about his journey to polio eradication.
:: At its fourth meeting held this week, the EMRO Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks issued two statements, on the importance of achieving and sustaining a polio-free Eastern Mediterranean, specifically on stopping wild poliovirus transmission in Afghanistan and Pakistan and on stopping cVDPVs in Yemen.
:: “I hope one day I can tell my son the story of how polio was eradicated and how no child will ever be paralyzed by this virus again.” – Dr Nida Ali a former polio worker in Pakistan shares her experience contributing to the programme. Read more…
Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
– Afghanistan: one WPV1 case
– Congo: one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
– DR Congo: one cVDPV2 case
– Niger: five cVDPV2 cases
– Nigeria: two cVDPV2 cases and 14 positive environmental samples
::::::
Statement on stopping wild poliovirus transmission in Afghanistan and Pakistan
:: Statement by the Eastern Mediterranean Ministerial Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks
:: Delivering on a promise: achieving and sustaining a polio-free Eastern Mediterranean Region
Fourth Meeting of the Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks
[Excerpt]
…We, the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks:
DECLARE:
1. The ongoing circulation of wild poliovirus in Afghanistan and Pakistan to be a Regional Public Health Emergency; and,
COMMIT TO:
2. Enhancing engagement and support by all political, community and civil society leaders and sectors at all levels, needed to fully resolve the afore-declared Regional Public Health Emergency;
3. Supporting the coordination of activities across borders to ensure synchronized and cross-border response activities, including in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
REQUEST:
4. The international donor and development community to provide the much-needed humanitarian relief and financing to sustain and expand health services to the people of Afghanistan;
5. The sustained and strengthened commitment by all leaders at all levels in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to capitalise on the current epidemiological window of opportunity through intensified eradication efforts, including by continuing to increase access to all children in previously inaccessible areas, implementing area-specific emergency action plans in known under-performing areas and responding to the detection of any new viruses from any source (be it from an acute flaccid paralysis case or environmental sample) as an emergency;
6. All authorities in Afghanistan to facilitate resumption of house-to-house vaccination in all areas to ensure delivery of vaccine to the youngest and most vulnerable children who are not being reached by mosque-to-mosque only vaccination and who must be vaccinated to capitalize on the current opportunity across both countries…
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::::::
:: Measles – Afghanistan
10 February 2022
Measles is endemic in Afghanistan, with almost all provinces reporting suspected cases every year. Following periods of lower transmission in 2019 and 2020, and amid the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, weekly notifications of suspected measles cases have been increasing in all provinces since the end of July 2021, with the highest weekly toll observed in the last four weeks in January 2022 (Figure 1). The number of cases and deaths increased by 18% and 40% respectively from week 4, 2022 (week commencing January 24) to week 5, 2022 (week commencing January 31).
Figure 1. Weekly number of reported suspected measles cases in Afghanistan. Week 1, 2018 to week 4, 2022. Source: WHO Country Office in Afghanistan, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.
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WHO/OCHA Emergencies
Health emergencies list – WHO
“The health emergencies list details the disease outbreaks, disasters and humanitarian crises where WHO plays an essential role in supporting countries to respond to and recover from emergencies with public health consequences.”
Afghanistan crisis [Last apparent update: 17 Jan 2022]
Crisis in Northern Ethiopia [Last apparent update: 1 June 2021]
Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2021 [Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]
Ebola outbreak outbreak, N’Zerekore, Guinea, 2021 [Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic [See COVID above]
Ebola outbreak, Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2020
[Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]
Ebola outbreak, North Kivu, Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018 – 2020
[Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]
Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018 [Last apparent update: 24 July 2018]
Yemen crisis [Last apparent update: 12 February 2021]
Syria crisis [Last apparent update: 18 June 2021]
Somalia crisis [Last apparent update: 24 March 2018]
Nigeria crisis [Last apparent update: 1 Oct 2021]
Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2017 [Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]
Zika virus disease outbreak, 2015-2016 [Last apparent update: 24 Jan 2020]
Ebola outbreak: West Africa, 2014-2016 [Last apparent update: 17 Aug 2021]
Iraq crisis [Last apparent update: 9 Jan 2008]
South Sudan crisis [Last apparent update: 23 Sep 2020]
Avian influenza A (H7N9) virus outbreak [Last apparent update: 13 September 2021]
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) outbreak [Last apparent update: 8 July 2019]
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, 2009-2010 pandemic [Last apparent update: 10 Aug 2010]
::::::
UN OCHA – Current Emergencies
Current Corporate Emergencies
Afghanistan
No new updates identified.
Northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia – Northern Ethiopia Humanitarian Update Situation Report, 10 February 2022
HIGHLIGHTS
Humanitarian operations in Tigray are largely reduced or suspended due to lack of fuel, cash and supplies.
The second phase of the measles vaccination campaign in Tigray concluded reaching 595,000 children in 69 locations.
Malnutrition rates among children and pregnant and lactating women in Tigray, Amhara and Afar remain alarmingly high, reaching 95% among screened women during the week in Tigray.
More than one million people assisted with food in Amhara during the week under two food distribution rounds, and nearly 85,000 people assisted in Afar.
The ongoing fighting in Afar continue to drive large-scale displacement and increased needs in the region, and to block the delivery of humanitarian supplies into Tigray.
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WHO & Regional Offices [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.who.int/
News [Selected]
11 February 2022
Departmental news
WHO prequalifies first monoclonal antibody – tocilizumab – to treat COVID-19
Aiming to increase access to recommended treatments for COVID-19, WHO today added tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody, to its list of prequalified treatments for COVID-19. To date, six COVID-19 treatments have been prequalified by WHO, including the three presentations (three vials, each with a different quantity) of the product prequalified today.
The three prequalified products are manufactured by the originator company, Roche, but the listings should pave the way for more companies coming forward to seek WHO prequalification, thereby increasing the number of quality-assured products and creating competition leading to potentially lower prices. The prequalification of these products will also facilitate low- and middle-income countries’ authorization of them as COVID treatments.
Tocilizumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor. Interleukin-6 induces an inflammatory response and is found in high levels in patients critically ill with COVID-19…
11 February 2022
News release
South Africa’s mRNA hub progress is foundation for self-reliance
…The mRNA global hub is designed to serve low- and middle-income countries and will empower countries to not only be able to make their own mRNA vaccines but ultimately to have the choice of which vaccines they want to make. Manufacturers from low- and middle-income countries are therefore encouraged to express their own interest so they can receive training, technology transfer and any necessary licenses. WHO and partners will bring in the production know-how, quality control and necessary licenses to a single entity to facilitate a broad and rapid technology transfer to multiple recipients.
“The pandemic has highlighted the need for increased local production of vaccines globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “The WHO mRNA global hub is a major step in that direction, by sharing technology and building on the capacity and scientific expertise that already exists in South Africa.”
The global hubs will act as training facilities where technology is established at industrial scale and clinical development performed. WHO will compliment this activity and assist other countries in Africa and other low- and middle-income countries to strengthen biomanufacturing capacity as well as regulatory capacity…
11 February 2022
Departmental news
WHO’s new International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) comes into effect
11 February 2022
Highlights
ICD-11 2022 release
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) provides a common language that allows health professionals to share standardized information across the world. The eleventh revision contains around 17 000 unique codes, more than 120 000 codable terms and is now entirely digital.
11 February 2022
Departmental news
WHO mourns Dr Mwelecele Ntuli Malecela
It is with a deep sense of sadness and sorrow that WHO is announcing the passing on 10 February 2022 of Dr Mwelecele Ntuli Malecela, Director of WHO’s Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. Dr Malecela died after a prolonged illness at the age of 58.
Dr Malecela will be remembered as an inspirational figure, a dedicated leader and a committed listener…
9 February 2022
Departmental news
France and WHO sign new agreement to reinforce health systems to combat COVID-19
Lyon – The Government of France and WHO today announced a new €50 million contribution agreement that will help countries’ health systems overcome bottlenecks in the COVID-19 response and speed up equitable access to testing, treatments and vaccines…
9 February 2022
Departmental news
Ensuring artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for health benefit older people
9 February 2022
News release
ACT-Accelerator calls for fair share-based financing of US$ 23 billion to end pandemic as global emergency in 2022
[See Perspectives above for detail]
8 February 2022
News release
FIFA and WHO reiterate call on world to #ACTogether to end COVID-19 pandemic
7 February 2022
Media release
Commonwealth and WHO to strengthen cooperation on health, including access to vaccines
Memorandum of Understanding agreement signed today focuses on ending the COVID-19 pandemic, advancing Universal Health Coverage, addressing vaccine equity, strengthening digital health systems and working towards global health security
7 February 2022
Departmental news
Executive Board reviews progress in the implementation of the global road map on defeating meningitis by 2030
7 February 2022
Departmental news
Essential health services face continued disruption during COVID-19 pandemic
[See Perspectives above for detail]
6 February 2022
Statement
IOC and WHO reaffirm collaboration to promote vaccine equity and healthy lifestyles
… The IOC and the WHO formalised their collaboration to promote public health with a Memorandum of Understanding in 1984. The partnership has grown since then, resulting in a series of projects promoting grassroots sports and healthy lifestyles for all, and leveraging WHO expertise in health emergency, mass gathering, and water quality in the context of the Olympic Games. The two organisations signed a new Cooperative Agreement in 2020 to strengthen and expand on these dimensions…
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WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Africa on track to control COVID-19 pandemic in 2022 10 February 2022
WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: WHO’s new International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) comes into effect
February 11, 2022 – The World Health Organization (WHO) Eleventh Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) has now come into effect, with the latest update going online today. The ICD provides a common language that allows health professionals to share standardized information across the world. It is the foundation…
:: Despite overall drop in new infections this week, pandemic continues to challenge health care workers in the Americas
PAHO warns that recent surge in COVID-19 cases has overburdened struggling systems. Countries must urgently increase staff and training and prioritize health care workers for vaccination. Washington D.C. February 9, 2022 (PAHO) – While cases of COVID-19 fell by a third in the Americas this week, health care workers continue to face challenging…
WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
No new digest content identified
WHO European Region EURO
:: WHO/Europe urges governments to include young people in decisions about their health 11-02-2022
:: “Patients should be co-developers of digital health apps”: Polina’s story about fighting disease with innovation 08-02-2022
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
No new digest content identified
WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified
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WHO Events
https://www.who.int/news-room/events/2
[Selected]
SAVE THE DATE – What recent evidence do we have that omicron is evading immunity and what are the implications?
14 February 2022 13:00 – 17:15 CET
Webinar to present the WHO Classification of self-care interventions
14 February 2022 15:00 – 16:30 UTC Time
Provision of essential Services to Migrants: Promising practices and Emerging Challenges
15 February 2022 11:00 – 12:00 CET
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New WHO Publications
https://www.who.int/publications/i
Selected Titles
10 February 2022
Assessed contributions overview for all Member States as at 31 December 2021
10 February 2022
Meetings of the malaria elimination certification panel (MECP): report of two virtual meetings, 3-4…
10 February 2022
Malaria Vaccine Advisory Committee (MALVAC) meeting on Preferred Product Characteristics for malaria…
9 February 2022
Ageism in artificial intelligence for health
9 February 2022
Codex 2021: a year of virtual reality
8 February 2022
Operational guidance on establishing an ultra-cold chain system in support of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19…
CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases, Announcements [Selected]
New CDC Studies: COVID-19 Boosters Remain Safe, Continue to Offer High Levels of Protection Against Severe Disease Over Time and During Omicron and Delta Waves
Friday, February 11, 2022
ACIP Meetings
Next meeting scheduled for February 23-24, 2022
Draft Agenda – February 23-24, 2022
MMWR News Synopsis Friday, February 11, 2022
Selected Content
:: Progress Toward Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control and Elimination — Worldwide, 2012–2020
:: Genomic Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Predominance of the Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variants — United States, June 2021–January 2022
:: Previously Released: Effectiveness of Face Mask or Respirator Use in Indoor Public Settings for Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 Infection — California, February–December 2021
:: Previously Released: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes Among Adults Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Periods of B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Predominance — One Hospital, California, July 15–September 23, 2021, and December 21, 2021–January 27, 2022
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)– CDC
Approximately 25 announcements/reports/data summaries.
2/11/22 New CDC Studies: COVID-19 Boosters Remain Safe, Continue to Offer High Levels of Protection Against Severe Disease Over Time and During Omicron and Delta Waves
2/11/22 EARLY RELEASE: Waning 2-Dose and 3-Dose Effectiveness of mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Predominance — VISION Network, 10 States, August 2021–January 2022
2/11/22 EARLY RELEASE: Safety Monitoring of COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses Among Adults — United States, September 22, 2021–February 6, 2022
2/11/22 Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Fri, 11 Feb 2022 06:00:00 EST…
China CDC http://www.chinacdc.cn/en/
National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
Feb 12: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Feb 11, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 99 new cases of confirmed infections.
National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/
News
Over 3.02b COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland
2022-02-11
More than 3.02 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Wednesday, data from the National Health Commission showed on Feb 10.
CCDC Weekly Reports: Current Volume (4)
2022-02-11 / No. 6
View PDF of this issue
:: Perspectives: Application of Blockchain in Trusted Digital Vaccination Certificates
:: Notifiable Infectious Diseases Reports: Reported Cases and Deaths of National Notifiable Infectious Diseases — China, December 2021
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Organization Announcements
Editor’s Note:
Careful readers will note that the number and range of organizations now monitored in our Announcements section below has grown as the impacts of the pandemic have spread across global economies, supply chains and programmatic activity of multilateral agencies and INGOs.
Airfinity [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.airfinity.com/insights
INSIGHTS & COMPANY NEWS
No new digest content identified.
Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://alleninstitute.org/news-press/
News
Press Release
The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group announces 23 new Allen Distinguished Investigators
February 9, 2022
$15.5M in research funding will support cutting-edge projects in mammalian synthetic biology, the neuroscience of under-studied animals, and tiny proteins involved in immunity
BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center
Press Releases and Statements
No new digest content identified.
Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.gatesmri.org/news
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 12 Feb 2022]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.
Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – February 2022 is now posted here
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: Statement on ICF [Informed Consent Form] Posting for Clinical Trials Involving Gene Editing/Gene Therapies – Invitation to Endorse
CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
CEPI, Shanghai Zerun Biotech and Walvax Biotech expand collaboration to develop COVID-19 multi-variant vaccine
OSLO, Norway, SHANGHAI and KUNMING, China; 8 February 2022: CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, today announced that it will expand its collaboration with Shanghai Zerun Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Zerun Bio) and its parent company Walvax Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Walvax), a public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (300142.SZ) to advance the development of a COVID-19 variant vaccine. CEPI will invest up to an additional USD$8.15 million to support a Phase I/II clinical trial in Mali which will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of Zerun Bio’s prototype and multi-variant vaccine candidates. This will be the first clinical trial of the multi-variant vaccine, which has the potential to provide protection against a broad range of COVID-19 variants.
Including this latest funding, CEPI has now committed up to USD$25.1 million to this vaccine development partnership to support preclinical studies, early-stage clinical trials, process optimization and manufacturing scale-up of prototype and multi-variant vaccines…
DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [U.S.] [to 12 Feb 2022
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
No new digest content identified.
Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://dukeghic.org/
Our Blog
No new digest content identified.
EDCTP [to 12 Feb 2022]
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
News
No new digest content identified.
Emory Vaccine Center [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.
European Vaccine Initiative [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News, Events
No new digest content identified.
Evidence Aid [to 12 Feb 2022]
Evidence Aid aims to save lives and livelihoods in disasters by providing decision-makers with the best available evidence and by championing its use.
http://www.evidenceaid.org/
New Resources
Interventions to prevent persistent post‐COVID‐19 olfactory dysfunction (search on 16 December 2020) Added February 11, 2022
COVID‐19 vaccination intention in the first year of the pandemic (search up to 31 December 2020) Added February 7, 2022
Fondation Merieux [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
No new digest content identified.
Gavi [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
No new digest content identified.
GHIT Fund [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
No new digest content identified.
Global Fund [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
Call for Applications for New Global Fund Independent Evaluation Panel
11 February 2022
The Global Fund’s independent evaluation function is being transformed in order to strengthen accountability and learning, based on the results of independent evaluations. The objective is to ensure that evaluations are relevant, timely and of high quality, driving us closer to achieving our goal of ending HIV, TB and malaria as epidemics.
The Global Fund is inviting applications for its new Independent Evaluation Panel (IEP), a body of around ten members that will replace the current Technical Evaluation Reference Group (TERG) at the end of 2022…
Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
GloPID-R and UK DHSC organise funders’ roundtable to strengthen the clinical trials ecosystem
11/02/2022
Funders play a critical role in clinical trials, representing a major force in improving trial coordination during global health emergencies… The roundtable highlighted that sustained coordination, flexibility, efficiency and the translation of findings into policy are essential to promote high-quality clinical research during and between global health emergencies. Also, for global research collaboration to be achieved, research capacity must be strengthened in low- and middle-income countries. The Forum demonstrated the key role of funders in achieving this…
Hilleman Laboratories [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
News & Insights
HILLEMAN VACCINES & BIOLOGICS SYMPOSIUM – 23 February 2022
agenda
register
HHMI – Howard Hughes Medical Institute [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.hhmi.org/news
Press Room
Research Feb 8 2022
Nasal Spray Booster Keeps COVID-19 at Bay
In mice, a vaccination strategy that uses an mRNA coronavirus vaccine injection followed by a nasal spray booster generates immune protection in the airways.
Human Vaccines Project [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
No new digest content identified.
IAVI [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.iavi.org/
Latest News
No new digest content identified.
International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities [ICMRA]
http://www.icmra.info/drupal/en/news
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Research
No new digest content identified.
IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
Press Releases/Announcements
No new digest content identified.
IFRC [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.
Institut Pasteur [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press Documents
No new digest content identified.
IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News – Selected
News
11 Feb 2022
New Study Highlights Social Media’s Key Role in COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake for Migrants
Berlin – Governments could close COVID-19 vaccination gaps by breaking down language barriers and giving migrants easier access to information particularly through social media, according to a study published today by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the University of Potsdam.
Studies from several countries in the US and Europe, including Germany, suggest that vaccination rates are lower among migrant communities compared to the general population. Gaps may vary by country and group but a recent study by the Robert Koch Institute in Germany revealed that the vaccination rate among migrants is 8 per cent lower compared to the native-born population. The study argues that such vaccination gaps may be linked to language barriers, socioeconomic status, and misinformation among migrant communities.
IOM’s Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) and the University of Potsdam tested the effect of language and trust barriers in Germany via a social media campaign in their study, “Promoting COVID-19 vaccination uptake among migrant communities on social media – Evidence from Germany’’.
“More evidence on the interlinkage between migration and health is urgently needed,” said GMDAC Director Frank Laczko. “Many countries around the world have large migrant populations, yet many of them do not consider the needs of migrants sufficiently in their vaccination programmes.”
Expensive national campaigns to boost vaccine uptake using print, TV, and radio often neglect social media. The results of the study show how specific groups can be reached more effectively and at low cost…
ISC / International Science Council [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://council.science/current/
ISC is a non-governmental organization with a unique global membership that brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organizations including Academies and Research Councils.
News Blogs Podcasts
Blogs
Celebrating women and girls who are leading the way in science and innovation – 11.02.2022
Join us in celebrating today the 7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day dedicated to remarkable women and girls around the world who are inventing the future and making the world a better place through the power of science. Female scientists who go beyond any barrier, forge new scientific paths and are at the forefront of achieving a much-needed gender equality in science…
IVAC [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
IVAC and VALUE Baltimore Project Launch COVID-19 Information Compendium
February 2022
The VALUE (Vaccine Acceptance & Access Live in Unity, Education, and Engagement) Baltimore Project, which aims to improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Baltimore City, has created a new resource for anyone seeking up-to-date information about COVID-19. This free resource has six topic areas: COVID-19 Illness General Vaccine Information COVID-19 Vaccines COVID-19 Vaccine Policy COVID-19 Vaccines […]
IVI [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
No new digest content identified.
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
Applications Now Open for the Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Fellowship Class of 2022
February 9, 2022
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
No new digest content identified.
National Academy of Sciences – USA [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/
News
No new digest content identified.
National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
No new digest content identified.
NIH [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
NIH-funded study suggests COVID-19 increases risk of pregnancy complications
Mo nday, February 7, 2022
Pregnant women with COVID-19 appear to be at greater risk for common pregnancy complications — in addition to health risks from the virus — than pregnant women without COVID-19, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
OECD [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
Newsroom
No new digest content identified.
PATH [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
PATH Board of Directors announces annual officer elections
February 10, 2022 by PATH
PATH’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of new officers following its annual officer elections in December of 2021.
Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology at Amazon, has been named Board Chair. Most recently, Galetti held the Vice Chair position as well as seats on the Executive and Audit Committees, and she has served on the PATH Board since 2018. At Amazon, Galetti leads a team that oversees the recruitment, growth, development, and support of more than one million employees in over 50 countries…
Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
UNAIDS [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
9 February 2022
Networks led by young people in Asia and the Pacific find ways to adapt to COVID-19 and deal with uncertain futures
UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.
UNICEF [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
Press release
02/09/2022
ACT-Accelerator calls for fair share-based financing of US$ 23 billion to end pandemic as global emergency in 2022
Remarks
02/08/2022
Remarks by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine M. Russell at the opening of the UNICEF Executive Board
As prepared for delivery
Unitaid [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
No new digest content identified.
USAID [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/2021
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Announcements
News
No new digest content identified.
Vaccine Equity Cooperative [nee Initiative] [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.
Vaccine Confidence Project [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
No new digest content identified.
Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
No new digest content identified.
Wellcome Trust [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News. Opinion, Reports
No new digest content identified.
The Wistar Institute [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News – Blog
Event
What Is Leadership in a Pandemic?
Feb 7, 2022
…On February 16, 2022, at 13:00 – 14:30 (CET), global public health leaders, working within the framework of the WFPHA, will discuss concrete actions to promote equity, public health leadership and global coordination to address pressing global health challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and other health threats. Register
World Bank [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
Solid Waste Management
Context Around the world, waste generation rates are rising. In 2016, the worlds’ cities generated 2.01 billion tons of solid waste, amounting to a footprint of 0.74 kilograms per person per…
Date: February 11, 2022 Type: Brief
Greater and More Diverse Participation in Global Trade is Key to Achieving Africa’s Economic Transformation, says New World Bank Book
ACCRA, February 10, 2022 – African countries must expand and diversify their participation in international trade and global value chains to reduce poverty on a large scale and transform their economies…
Date: February 10, 2022 Type: Press Release
The World Bank’s Blue Economy Program and PROBLUE: Supporting integrated and sustainable economic development in healthy oceans
What is PROBLUE? PROBLUE is an Umbrella Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) administered by the World Bank, designed to help countries chart a course towards a blue economy approach. A blue economy refers to…
Date: February 10, 2022 Type: Brief
New World Bank Report Identifies Reforms to Improve Public Expenditure for Human Capital
KATHMANDU, February 9, 2022 – Nepal has made significant progress in human capital development, though key challenges remain in the health, education, and social protection sectors, which have been…
Date: February 09, 2022 Type: Press Release
COVID-19 Pandemic Leads to Innovations in Education in Saudi Arabia
Six million children benefited from Saudi Arabia’s innovative distance learning platform “Madrasati” RIYADH, February 8, 2022 — School closures due to the pandemic led to 6 million children being part…
Date: February 08, 2022 Type: Press Release
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.oie.int/en/media/news/
Press Releases, Statements
Digital transformation and the OIE Observatory: A synergic approach
Editor’s Choice
9 February 2022
Digital transformation is identified as a key objective in the World Organisation for Animal Health’s (OIE’s) Seventh Strategic Plan, and is an important response to the need to become a more modern and agile organisation. This is a vital shift in view of the increasing use of information technologies to support regulation for animal health, animal welfare and veterinary public health…
At present, the OIE is defining its expectations of data stewardship through the establishment of a data governance framework. These expectations include demonstrating responsible management of data and enhancing access to data for Members while respecting concerns for privacy and intellectual property. This work will provide essential organisation-wide rules and processes while also determining the development and direction of each of our key information systems, including those contributed to regularly by OIE Members..
WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
Workshop looks into practical aspects of supporting equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines
11 February 2022
Over 250 representatives from WTO members and observers participated on 11 February in a technical workshop focused on the practical aspects of COVID-19 vaccine research and development (R&D), manufacturing, regulatory approval, distribution, and coordination of vaccination campaigns. WTO Deputy Director-General Anabel González hosted the event…The video of the session is available here. The programme, speakers’ biographies and background materials are available here.
Selected slides from meeting:
WTO members, international organizations outline Aid for Trade activities amid COVID-19
8 February 2022
An overview of recent Aid for Trade activities was given by WTO members, international financial institutions and observer organisations at a session of the Committee on Trade and Development on 8 February dedicated to the Aid for Trade initiative. A workshop organized by the Committee on 7 February explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards the digital economy and the constraints that developing countries face.
DDG Ellard: Multilateralism is the solution to challenges of global commons, unilateralism
7 February 2022
Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard delivered a lecture to the US National War College on 7 February in which she discussed economic multilateralism as a potent instrument of economic power. She addressed the historical context and basic principles of the WTO as well as the modern challenges facing the organization and the multilateral trading system.
::::::
ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
BIO [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.
ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
Website in “maintenance mode”
IFPMA [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
Position paper – Use of electronic labeling
07 February 2022
“E-labeling will increasingly play a role in facilitating fast deployment of product information and facilitate patient understanding and adherence.
International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
News
IGBA establishes a CEO Advisory Committee (February 2022, Committee updated)
The International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association (IGBA) announced today that it has established a CEO Advisory Committee composed of fourteen leading multinational companies from Canada, Europe, India, Israel, Japan and the United States.
Committee members are:
Chirag Patel, President and Co-Chief Executive Officer – Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Jeff Watson, President and Chief Executive Officer – Apotex Inc.
Pankaj Patel, Chairman – Cadila Healthcare Ltd.
Samina Hamied, Executive Vice-Chairperson – Cipla Ltd.
Satish Reddy, Chairman – Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.
Lucas Sigman, Chief Executive Officer – Insud Pharma S.L.
Vinita Gupta, Chief Executive Officer – Lupin Ltd.
Markus Sieger, Chief Executive Officer – Polpharma Group
Richard Saynor, Chief Executive Officer – Sandoz AG
Peter Goldschmidt, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Executive Board – STADA Arzneimittel AG
Dilip Shanghvi, Managing Director – Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
Kåre Schultz, President and Chief Executive Officer – Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.
David Peix, Chief Executive Officer – Towa Pharma International Holdings S.L.
Michael Goettler, Chief Executive Officer – Viatris Inc.
This Committee provides a forum for industry leaders to discuss broad, strategic issues, and to engage and position the industry on a range of critical policy issues…
International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – IAPO [to 12 Feb 2022]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
PhRMA [to 12 Feb 2022]
http://www.phrma.org/
Latest News [Selected]
Takeda’s Ramona Sequeira Becomes Board Chair of PhRMA
Feb 9, 2022
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) today announced that Ramona Sequeira, President of Takeda’s U.S. Business Unit and Global Portfolio Commercialization, has assumed the role of chair of the PhRMA Board of Directors.
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 Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 12 Feb 2022)
The impact of COVID-19 and associated measures on health, police, and non-government organisation service utilisation related to violence against women and children
Globally, concerns have been raised that the priority implementation of public health measures in response to COVID-19 may have unintended negative impacts on a variety of other health and wellbeing factors, i…
Authors: Nadia Butler, Zara Quigg, Isabelle Pearson, Zhamin Yelgezekova, Aasa Nihlén, Mark A. Bellis, Yongjie Yon, Jonathon Passmore, Isabel Yordi Aguirre and Heidi Stöckl
Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:288
Content type: Research
Published on: 12 February 2022
BMC Research Notes
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/content
(Accessed 12 Feb 2022)
Global research alliance in infectious disease: a collaborative effort to combat infectious diseases through dissemination of portable sequencing
To disseminate the portable sequencer MinION in developing countries for the main purpose of battling infectious diseases, we found a consortium called Global Research Alliance in Infectious Diseases (GRAID). …
Authors: Lucky R. Runtuwene, Nuankanya Sathirapongsasuti, Raweewan Srisawat, Narumon Komalamisra, Josef S. B. Tuda, Arthur E. Mongan, Gabriel O. Aboge, Victoria Shabardina, Wojciech Makalowski, Dela Ria Nesti, Wayan T. Artama, Lan Anh Nguyen-Thi, Kiew-Lian Wan, Byoung-Kuk Na, William Hall, Arnab Pain…
Citation: BMC Research Notes 2022 15:44
Content type: Research note
Published on: 12 February 2022
Contemporary Clinical Trials
Volume 113 February 2022
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/contemporary-clinical-trials/vol/113/suppl/C
Research article Open access
Launching a comparative effectiveness adaptive platform trial of monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 in 21 days
Erin K. McCreary, J. Ryan Bariola, Tami Minnier, Richard J. Wadas, … Derek C. Angus
Article 106652
Global Legal Monitor – Library of Congress/USA
https://www.loc.gov/collections/global-legal-monitor/
[Accessed 12 Feb 2022]
Article
Austria: General COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Enters into Force
On February 5, 2022, a general COVID-19 vaccine mandate entered into force in Austria for every Austrian resident 18 years or older. No direct coercion will be used to enforce it, meaning no one will be imprisoned for noncompliance; only administrative fines will be imposed. The COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Act (Act) will be automatically repealed … Continue reading “Austria: General COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Enters…
Contributor: Gesley, Jenny
Date: 2022-02-10
Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 12 Feb 2022]
Vaccine nationalism will persist: global public goods need effective engagement of global citizens
Authors: Stuart J. Peacock
Content type: Debate
12 February 2022
Abstract
Covid-19 presents a unique opportunity to transform democratic engagement in the governance of global public goods. In this paper, I describe a global public goods framework and how it relates to Covid-19 vaccines, and summarize some of the global responses to Covid-19. I discuss some of the global threats to health and prosperity posed by the inequitable distribution of vaccines, and propose transformative thinking to democratically engage citizens in the governance of global public goods. In recent years, public-private partnerships and philanthropic organizations have successfully stepped in to help international organizations like the UN and WHO provide global public goods, but they are not democratically elected or publicly accountable. Global public goods are critical to addressing Covid-19, future pandemic preparedness, global health policy, health equity, and the unfolding climate crisis. To make us more resistant and resilient to future global health crises we need transformative thinking to democratically engage global citizens. We need to lay the foundations for a ‘global social contract’ on global public goods.
Health Economics, Policy and Law
Volume 17 – Special Issue 1 – January 2022
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/health-economics-policy-and-law/latest-issue
SPECIAL ISSUE: Country Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Articles analyzing country responses in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, U.S., Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Italy
Health Policy and Planning
Volume 37, Issue 2, February 2022
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/issue/37/2
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Public finance of universal routine childhood immunization in India: district-level cost estimates
Emily Schueller, Arindam Nandi, Amit Summan, Susmita Chatterjee, Arindam Ray …
Health Policy and Planning, Volume 37, Issue 2, February 2022, Pages 200–208, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czab114
Health Policy and Planning
Volume 37, Issue 2, February 2022
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/issue/37/2
COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plans from 106 countries: a review from a health systems resilience perspective
Saqif Mustafa, Yu Zhang, Zandile Zibwowa, Redda Seifeldin, Louis Ako-Egbe …
Health Policy and Planning, Volume 37, Issue 2, February 2022, Pages 255–268, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czab089
Health Policy and Planning
Volume 37, Issue 2, February 2022
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/issue/37/2
REVIEW
Understanding the complexity of demand-side determinants on vaccine uptake in sub-Saharan Africa
Phylisha G van Heemskerken, Catherine J Decouttere, Henk Broekhuizen, Nico J Vandaele
Health Policy and Planning, Volume 37, Issue 2, February 2022, Pages 281–291, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czab139
Humanitarian Practice Network
https://odihpn.org/
Online Article
Embedding ethics in the practice of humanitarian innovation
by Ian McClelland and Matthew Hunt
20 January 2022
Immunity
Feb 08, 2022 Volume 55 Issue 2 p185-376
https://www.cell.com/immunity/current
Perspective
SARS-CoV-2 infections in children: Understanding diverse outcomes
Petter Brodin
Open Access
Brodin summarizes the current understanding of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infections in children and the possible explanations for the overall milder COVID-19 disease in young versus older individuals. To explain the combined observations to date, Brodin proposes an energy allocation perspective to explain mild disease, viral dynamics, and MIS-C in children and young people.
JAMA
February 8, 2022, Vol 327, No. 6, Pages 503-597
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue
Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
Clinical Outcomes Among Patients With 1-Year Survival Following Intensive Care Unit Treatment for COVID-19
Hidde Heesakkers, MD; Johannes G. van der Hoeven, MD, PhD; Stijn Corsten, MD; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2022;327(6):559-565. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.0040
This exploratory prospective cohort study assesses the occurrence of physical, mental, and cognitive symptoms among ICU patients in the Netherlands who survived COVID-19 at 1 year following hospitalization.
JAMA
February 8, 2022, Vol 327, No. 6, Pages 503-597
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue
Research Letter
Characteristics and Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients in South Africa During the COVID-19 Omicron Wave Compared With Previous Waves
Caroline Maslo, MD, PhD; Richard Friedland, MD, BVSc; Mande Toubkin, RN, RM, Rpaeds; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2022;327(6):583-584. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.24868
This study describes the characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized in South Africa during the Omicron wave compared with the same variables from earlier COVID-19 waves.
JAMA
February 8, 2022, Vol 327, No. 6, Pages 503-597
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue
US Insurer Spending on Ivermectin Prescriptions for COVID-19
Kao-Ping Chua, MD, PhD; Rena M. Conti, PhD; Nora V. Becker, MD, PhD
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2022;327(6):584-587. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.24352
This study examines insurer coverage of ivermectin prescriptions for COVID-19 in the US.
JAMA Network
COVID-19 Update February 12, 2022
These articles on COVID-19 were published across the JAMA Network in the last week.
JAMA Pediatrics
February 2022, Vol 176, No. 2, Pages 115-212
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/currentissue
Research Letter
Association of Discrimination and Health Care Experiences With Incomplete Infant Vaccination During COVID-19
Heidi Preis, PhD; Marci Lobel, PhD; Brittain Mahaffey, PhD; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA Pediatr. 2022;176(2):196-198. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.4710
This observational analysis explores how the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a decrease in infant vaccinations.
JAMA Pediatrics
February 2022, Vol 176, No. 2, Pages 115-212
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/currentissue
Intention to Vaccinate Children Against COVID-19 Among Vaccinated and Unvaccinated US Parents
Madhura S. Rane, PhD; McKaylee M. Robertson, PhD; Drew A. Westmoreland, PhD; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA Pediatr. 2022;176(2):201-203. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.5153
This study examines parental intention to vaccinate children against COVID-19 and related sociodemographic factors in a national sample of US parents.
JAMA Pediatrics
February 2022, Vol 176, No. 2, Pages 115-212
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/currentissue
State Laws Permitting Adolescent Consent to Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Rates of Immunization
Ashlynn R. Torres, BA; Nicholaus P. Johnson, MPH; Mallory K. Ellingson, MPH; et al.
JAMA Pediatr. 2022;176(2):203-205. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.4591
This national cohort study examines National Immunization Survey–Teen to assess the association of adolescents’ ability to consent to human papillomavirus vaccination without parental involvement with vaccination rates.
Journal of Community Health
Volume 47, issue 1, February 2022
https://link.springer.com/journal/10900/volumes-and-issues/47-1
Articles
A Multilevel Intervention to Increase HPV Vaccination among Asian American Adolescents
Authors (first, second and last of 9)
Grace X. Ma, Lin Zhu, Min Qi Wang
Content type: Original Paper
Open Access
Published: 07 July 2021
Pages: 9 – 16
Journal of Community Health
Volume 47, issue 1, February 2022
https://link.springer.com/journal/10900/volumes-and-issues/47-1
Parental Perspectives on Immunizations: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Childhood Vaccine Hesitancy
Authors (first, second and last of 5)
Kaidi He, Wendy J. Mack, Vikram Anand
Content type: Original Paper
Published: 23 July 2021
Pages: 39 – 52
Journal of Community Health
Volume 47, issue 1, February 2022
https://link.springer.com/journal/10900/volumes-and-issues/47-1
Increasing Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in a Federally Qualified Health Center Organization Using a Systems-Based Intervention Integrating EHR and Statewide Immunization Information System
Authors (first, second and last of 7)
Debra M. Vinci, Jessica Ryan, Rebecca McClain
Content type: Original Paper
Open Access
Published: 31 July 2021
Pages: 53 – 62
Journal of Community Health
Volume 47, issue 1, February 2022
https://link.springer.com/journal/10900/volumes-and-issues/47-1
Outcomes from the Use of Targeted Interventions to Increase Meningococcal Vaccination Rates in a Pediatric Clinic
Authors (first, second and last of 5)
Lindsay Podraza, Jayan Vasudevan, Meera Varman
Content type: Original Paper
Published: 13 August 2021
Pages: 87 – 93
The Lancet
Feb 12, 2022 Volume 399 Number 10325 p605-694
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current
Comment
Offline: Complacency threatens progress against COVID-19
Richard Horton
Hans Kluge, WHO’s Regional Director for Europe, has been reported as saying that European nations could soon be entering a “long period of tranquillity” as the pandemic abates. Pointing out that mortality from COVID-19 seemed to be plateauing, he suggested the continent was approaching a “plausible endgame” and an “enduring peace”. As WHO’s chief spokesperson for the 53 countries that make up his regional responsibility, Kluge was no doubt seeking to strike an optimistic and encouraging note. But it is disappointing that he took such a narrow geographical perspective about a global pandemic. His words promote a false reassurance that could breed complacency, even conceit…
The Lancet
Feb 12, 2022 Volume 399 Number 10325 p605-694
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current
Articles
Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis
Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators
Open Access
The Lancet
Feb 12, 2022 Volume 399 Number 10325 p605-694
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current
Casirivimab and imdevimab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial
RECOVERY Collaborative Group
Open Access
The Lancet
Feb 12, 2022 Volume 399 Number 10325 p605-694
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current
Seminar
Measles
Judith M Hübschen, Ionela Gouandjika-Vasilache, Julia Dina
Nature
Volume 602 Issue 7896, 10 February 2022
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/602/issues/7896
Editorial | 08 February 2022
Long COVID and kids: more research is urgently needed
Like adults, children can experience long COVID, but few studies of the condition include young people. That has to change.
Nature
Volume 602 Issue 7896, 10 February 2022
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/602/issues/7896
Editorial | 09 February 2022
Africa is bringing vaccine manufacturing home
A major milestone was reached last week when scientists in South Africa reproduced Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 patents must now be shared.
Nature
Volume 602 Issue 7896, 10 February 2022
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/602/issues/7896
Article | 22 December 2021 | Open Access
Enhanced fitness of SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern Alpha but not Beta
The Alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 outcompetes progenitor SARS-CoV-2 in upper respiratory tract replication competition in vivo.
Lorenz Ulrich, Nico Joel Halwe, Charaf Benarafa
Nature
Volume 602 Issue 7896, 10 February 2022
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/602/issues/7896
Article | 22 December 2021 | Open Access
Local and systemic responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adults
Mechanisms explaining the milder clinical syndrome that is observed in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Masahiro Yoshida, Kaylee B. Worlock, Kerstin B. Meyer
Nature Genetics
Volume 54 Issue 2, February 2022
https://www.nature.com/ng/volumes/54/issues/2
Editorial | 11 February 2022
Our genes, our microbes
In recent years, large-scale genomic studies have been performed in attempts to determine how genetic variation in the human host influences the gut microbiome. As microbiome traits are very heterogeneous, new analytical approaches are needed to move this field forward. By using genetic tools, there is a huge opportunity to enrich our understanding of the complex link between humans and our intimately associated microbial species.
Nature Genetics
Volume 54 Issue 2, February 2022
https://www.nature.com/ng/volumes/54/issues/2
Perspective | 03 February 2022
Challenges and future directions for studying effects of host genetics on the gut microbiome
This Perspective discusses the analytical issues concerning heterogeneity and power encountered in microbial genome-wide association studies and highlights potential future directions for genetic analysis of the microbiome.
Serena Sanna, Alexander Kurilshikov, Alexandra Zhernakova
New England Journal of Medicine
February 10, 2022 Vol. 386 No. 6
https://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal
Original Articles
Molnupiravir for Oral Treatment of Covid-19 in Nonhospitalized Patients A. Jayk Bernal and Others
New England Journal of Medicine
February 10, 2022 Vol. 386 No. 6
https://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal
Efficacy and Safety of NVX-CoV2373 in Adults in the United States and Mexico L.M. Dunkle and Others
NVX-CoV2373 is an adjuvanted, recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine that was shown to have clinical efficacy for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in phase 2b–3 trials in the United Kingdom and South Africa, but its efficacy had not yet been tested in North America.
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 