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 26 Feb 2022]
https://www.airfinity.com/insi ghts
INSIGHTS & COMPANY NEWS
No new digest content identified.
Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 26 Feb 2022]
News
No new digest content identified.
BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 26 Feb 2022]
Press Releases and Statements
No new digest content identified.
Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 26 Feb 2022]
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.
News
No new digest content identified.
Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 26 Feb 2022]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
:: Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – February 2022is now posted here
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 26 Feb 2022]
Japan pledges US$300 million to CEPI’s pandemic preparedness plan
UK pledges £160 million to CEPI to boost global vaccine development
New global vaccine trial launched to evaluate fractional COVID-19 booster shots
CEPI, THSTI and Panacea Biotec partner to develop broadly protective Betacoronavirus vaccines
21 Feb 2022
DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [U.S.] [to 26 Feb 2022
News
No new digest content identified.
Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 26 Feb 2022]
No new digest content identified.
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
25 February 2022
Emory Vaccine Center [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.
European Vaccine Initiative [to 26 Feb 2022]
Latest News, Events
No new digest content identified.
Evidence Aid [to 26 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.
Promotional communications for influenza vaccination programmes Added February 25, 2022
Fondation Merieux [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
Announcement
Passing of Professor François Gros
February 20, 2022 – Lyon, France
The Mérieux Foundation was deeply moved to learn of the death of Professor François Gros, President of Honor of its Board of Directors, on February 18, 2022.
A French biologist, he was internationally recognized for his contribution to the discovery of messenger RNA and for his career as a researcher and teacher dedicated to the study of genes and their role in the regulation of cellular functions.
Head of the Pasteur Institute from 1976 to 1982, advisor to Prime Ministers Pierre Mauroy and Laurent Fabius, he was also Permanent Secretary of the French Academy of Sciences and member of the Institut de France…
News Releases
No new digest content identified.
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
No new digest content identified.
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
23 February 2022
Global Fund Applauds UK Contribution to the COVID-19 Response Mechanism
25 February 2022
GENEVA – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria applauds the decision by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to contribute GBP 60 million to the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism…
Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 26 Feb 2022]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
Hilleman Laboratories [to 26 Feb 2022]
News & Insights
22 February 2022
Hilleman Laboratories breaks ground on pilot cGMP facility for vaccine development
New facility is part of SGD80 million vaccine development and manufacturing hub in Singapore
HHMI – Howard Hughes Medical Institute [to 26 Feb 2022]
Press Room
Research Feb 23 2022
How Some Gut Microbes Awaken Zombie Viruses in Their Neighbors
Gut bacteria brew all sorts of chemicals, but we don’t know what most of them do. A new study suggests that one such compound, previously linked to cancer, may serve as a bizarre weapon in microbial skirmishes.
Human Vaccines Project [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
Feb 18, 2022
Kristen Jill Abboud: How Many Doses of COVID-19 Vaccines Are Enough?
IAVI [to 26 Feb 2022]
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
Press Releases/Announcements
No new digest content identified.
IFRC [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Afghanistan: Global support critical as COVID runs r…
Madagascar: Red Cross teams rush to avert a tragedy
Institut Pasteur [to 26 Feb 2022]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press release
21.02.2022
Transplantation chemotherapy eliminates regenerative capacity of brain’s innate immune cells
Annually over 50,000 bone marrow transplantations occur worldwide as a therapy for multiple cancerous and non-cancerous…
Press release
21.02.2022
Death of Professor François Gros, on February 18, 2022
IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News – Selected
News
24 Feb 2022
Statement on the Situation in Ukraine: IOM Director General António Vitorino
ISC / International Science Council [to 26 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.
Heide Hackmann to step down as CEO of International Science Council
The International Science Council (ISC) today announces that Heide Hackmann will step down as Chief Executive Officer. Mathieu Denis, Science Director, will become Acting CEO, and a recruitment process for a new CEO of the ISC is underway.
Heide Hackmann has served as Chief Executive Officer of the International Science Council (ISC) since its creation in 2018, and as Executive Director of the ISC’s two predecessor organizations: the International Social Science Council (ISSC), from 2006 to 2015, and the International Council for Science (ICSU), from 2015 to 2018…
IVAC [to 26 Feb 2022]
No new digest content identified.
IVI [to 26 Feb 2022]
No new digest content identified.
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 26 Feb 2022]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
Health Security Releases Special Feature on US Gene Drive Governance
February 24, 2022
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 26 Feb 2022]
Latest [Selected Announcements]
War and conflict
MSF assesses response as Ukraine conflict escalates
Statement 25 Feb 2022
Nigeria
Tackling deadly and difficult-to-diagnose Lassa fever
Project Update 25 Feb 2022
Niger
Airstrike kills 12 people including children in south Niger
Press Release 21 Feb 2022
National Academy of Sciences – USA [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/
News
No new digest content identified.
National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 26 Feb 2022]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
No new digest content identified.
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
People from racial, ethnic, and other groups report frequent COVID-19–related discrimination
February 24, 2022 — Study highlights the need for public health messaging strategies that address biases against all population groups that have been marginalized.
OECD [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
Newsroom
Following on from yesterday’s statement condemning the large scale aggression by Russia against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms and as part of its urgent reconsideration of all cooperation with Russia, the OECD Council has taken a number of initial decisions today.
25 Feb 2022
Plastic pollution is growing relentlessly as waste management and recycling fall short, says OECD
The world is producing twice as much plastic waste as two decades ago, with the bulk of it ending up in landfill, incinerated or leaking into the environment, and only 9% successfully recycled, according to a new OECD report.
22 Feb 2022
EU countries fall short of their promises to stop tax havens
24 February 2022
Today, European ministers updated the EU’s list of tax havens. The update added no countries to the blacklist and 10 countries to the greylist.
New EU proposal on sustainable business needs fixing to work for people and the planet
23 February 2022
Today, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a law to clean up supply chains worldwide and make business sustainable. This new law will introduce important reforms only applying to a small group of very large companies selling goods and services on the EU market. Contrary to the Commission’s initial ambitions, it does not include significant reforms to directors’ duties.
PATH [to 26 Feb 2022]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
UNAIDS [to 26 Feb 2022]
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
23 February 2022
“They [the transgender community] don’t have to be products. They can be producers too”
22 February 2022
What’s the impact of the new HIV variant on the HIV response?
21 February 2022
Four years of the Fast-Track cities project—what have we achieved and learned, and what is next?
21 February 2022
Many key populations avoid health services
UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
Unitaid [to 26 Feb 2022]
Featured News
23 February 2022
The ACT-A Oxygen Emergency Taskforce…one year on
21 February 2022
…As co-founder and chief strategist of PIH, his influence was integral to the delivery of several successful joint projects with Unitaid, including one of Unitaid’s flagship TB investments, which aimed at improving treatment for multidrug-resistant TB around the world…
21 February 2022
Unitaid appoints Tenu Avafia Deputy Executive Director
Geneva – Unitaid is pleased to welcome Tenu Avafia as its Deputy Executive Director. Tenu brings over 20 years of professional and managerial experience in public health, human rights inclusive development and trade-related matters across country, regional and global settings…
Vaccine Equity Cooperative [nee Initiative] [to 26 Feb 2022]
News
No new digest content identified.
Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 26 Feb 2022]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.
Vaccine Confidence Project [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
No new digest content identified.
Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
February 2022
Announcements: Register for the March webinar; find out about new and updated videos
On March 16, 2022, at noon ET, Dr. Offit will discuss: “Approving COVID-19 Vaccines for Children: When Do We Know Enough?”
Registration open!
Wellcome Trust [to 26 Feb 2022]
News. Opinion, Reports
Opinion
Author: Raphael Sonabend
Standardising health and climate metrics to drive urgent action
22 February 2022
The Wistar Institute [to 26 Feb 2022]
No new digest content identified.
WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 26 Feb 2022]
Latest News – Blog
No new digest content identified.
World Bank [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
KATHMANDU, February 25, 2022 – The Government of Nepal and the World Bank today signed an agreement for a second additional concessional loan financing of $18 million (Rs. 2.14 billion) for COVID-19…
Date: February 25, 2022 Type: Press Release
COVID-19 Trade Policy Database: Food and Medical Products
Many governments are using trade policy measures to increase the availability of medical and food products during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tracking them is important for assessing their incidence, effectiveness…
Date: February 25, 2022 Type: Brief
World Customs Organization – WCO [to 26 Feb 2022]
Latest News – Selected Items
21 February 2022
WCO Secretary General addresses data, e-commerce and illicit trade at the Munich Security Conference
…The WCO-coordinated enforcement operations demonstrated that e-commerce has become one of the major conduits for illicit trade. Therefore, it has become essential to obtain access to good quality data for risk management purposes, using digital technology in a paperless trade environment. Like in the case of traditional containerized trade, where there is an established data flow from the trade community to Customs, there is also a need for Customs to enhance cooperation with the e-commerce operators, including e-commerce platforms…
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 26 Feb 2022]
Press Releases, Statements
No new digest content identified.
WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 26 Feb 2022]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO members agree on mid-June dates for reconvening MC12
23 February 2022
WTO members agreed on 23 February that the postponed 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) will now take place during the week of 13 June in Geneva. The decision at a meeting of the organization’s General Council was taken following the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in the host country Switzerland.
MC12 was due to take place from 30 November to 3 December 2021 but was postponed due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which led to the imposition of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in Switzerland and many other European countries.
Ambassador Dacio Castillo of Honduras, the chair of the General Council, noted that fixing the dates for the eagerly awaited meeting should provide impetus to the WTO’s work and focus for the discussion on ministerial outcomes. The exact dates of the meeting will be defined later, he noted.
“Let us work together, with the primary objective in mind, that the Conference will provide the WTO, and us here in Geneva, with an opportunity to demonstrate that the WTO can deliver,” Ambassador Castillo declared. “Let us make this count.”
The pandemic has twice forced the postponement of MC12. The meeting was originally scheduled to take place in June 2020 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
::::::
Editor’s Note:
This WTA announcement does not happen to note that resolution of TRIPS intellectual property issues around COVID vaccines has been confounded by recurring MC12 scheduling delays, as well as WTA decisions taken such resolution could not be achieved from meaningful work outside of the MC12 meeting format.
::::::
ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 26 Feb 2022]
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
BIO [to 26 Feb 2022]
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 26 Feb 2022]
No new digest content identified.
ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 26 Feb 2022]
News
Website still in “maintenance mode”
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
Three priorities to urgently increase access to COVID-19 vaccines
25 February 2022
[See COVID above for detail]
Position paper – In-country testing of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products
25 February 2022
This paper discusses specifics of ATMPs, where traditional in-country testing is challenging, outlining existing control strategies to detect potential issues, with recommendations to waive in-country testing without compromising product safety, quality and efficacy and in compliance with requirements, i.e., by recognition of certificates from countries with mature National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs).*
* Mature NRAs refers to Stringent Regulatory Authorities, SRAs [1-3]. A list of SRAs has been published by the WHO here. Once the WHO listed authority (WLA) system is fully implemented the term WLA will replace the term SRA.
International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
News
No new digest content identified.
International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – IAPO [to 26 Feb 2022]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
Invitation to participate in our Global Health Technology Assessment Survey
Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Patient involvement in Global Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is still in its infancy, although several efforts continue to be initiated in recent years.
In response, IAPO and DUKE NUS are conducting a global survey to assess patients’ awareness, involvement and learning needs in HTA in order to develop training materials that meet the learning needs of patient organizations to support them to be meaningfully involved in HTA processes….
Take the survey in: English Spanish Chinese or Thai
PhRMA [to 26 Feb 2022]
Latest News [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 