Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

COVID Vaccine Developer Announcements

Moderna Announces First Participants Dosed in Phase 2/3 Study of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate in Pediatric Population
Phase 2/3 study expected to enroll 6,750 healthy pediatric participants less than 12 years of age
March 16, 2021

First Participants Dosed in Phase 1 Study Evaluating mRNA-1283, Moderna’s Next Generation COVID-19 Vaccine
mRNA-1283 is being developed as a potential refrigerator stable mRNA vaccine that will facilitate easier distribution and administration by healthcare providers
March 15, 2021

Takeda and IDT Support Manufacturing of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine
Takeda will make manufacturing capacity available at IDT’s facilities in Germany
March 15, 2021
… With this agreement, Takeda is now supporting global access to three different COVID-19 vaccines. Takeda previously announced its commitment to providing rapid and sustained access to COVID-19 vaccines in Japan through partnerships with Novavax and Moderna…

Featured Journal Content

Science
19 March 2021 Vol 371, Issue 6535
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl
Editorial
COVID-19 vaccination passports
By Christopher Dye, Melinda C. Mills
As countries grow eager to reignite their economies and people increasingly yearn for mobility and normalcy in life, pressure is mounting for some form of COVID-19 health status certificate that would support these desires. There has already been an explosion of COVID-19 passport initiatives for domestic use and international travel. But scientific, legal, and ethical concerns abound with such documentation. Given the high stakes, what is the path forward?

From doctors’ examinations to ship inspections, clean bills of health have secured passage through centuries of human plagues. Today’s best-known health passport is the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, created by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO’s Yellow Card has certified vaccinations for cholera, plague, and typhoid, among other infections. There is certainly precedent for a COVID-19 vaccination passport certifying that the holder can travel, study, play, and work without compromising personal or public health. Among newly proposed COVID-19 passport schemes are the WHO’s Smart Vaccination Certificate, Israel’s “green passport,” the European Union’s proposed Digital Green Pass, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s “My COVID Pass.”

Given the momentum, what are the main principles that COVID-19 passports should follow to ensure their appropriate use?

A COVID-19 passport should be scientifically valid. Passport holders must be protected from illness so that they can carry out the activities for which the passport has been issued and to avoid burdening health services. A passport would ideally certify that holders are not, and cannot become, a source of infection for others. Vaccines have high efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, and there is growing evidence that they can prevent transmission too. No vaccine is perfect, and it remains to be determined whether vaccines meet minimum requirements for preventing infection and illness. The duration of protection conferred by vaccines should be tied to passport expiry dates, perhaps with options to revoke passports if new coronavirus variants compromise efficacy. These passports should also be judged for their comparative advantage. They may be preferable to viral RNA and antigen tests, which aim to certify that individuals are temporarily free of infection, and to antibody tests, which do not guarantee immunity to infection or disease.

The vaccination certificate should be portable, affordable, and linked safely and securely to the identity of the holder. Ideally, it will be internationally standardized with verifiable credentials and based on interoperable technologies. Forgery and personal data security are dominant concerns, but such problems are routinely solved for financial and other sensitive transactions.

Many issues surround the fair use of vaccination passports. The widely held view is that documents must avoid discrimination and inequity. Ideally, a passport would be exclusive only with respect to its primary purpose, which is to protect the health of individuals and others with whom they come into contact. But such exclusions inevitably raise barriers elsewhere. Some, such as restrictions on nonessential leisure activities, should be relatively easy to manage. The greatest risk is that people for whom vaccination is unacceptable, untested, inaccessible, or impossible are denied access to essential goods and services. This could happen where there is vaccine hesitancy or refusal among certain ethnic minorities; where there are no data on vaccine efficacy for people at risk, such as children and pregnant women; where migrants are undocumented and unreachable; where passports are exclusively digital, barring people without smartphones; and where people are not yet eligible for vaccination. These examples signal the need for alternatives and exemptions.

Some decisions about how to use passports will be made by public debate and consent, drawing on social and ethical norms. Others will be determined by domestic and international law. Some employers have already announced “no jab, no job” policies. In such cases, the freedom of choice for individual employees, set against a firm’s duty and preference for the care of all staff, might be tested in court.

COVID-19 is a new human disease. The challenges presented by vaccination passports are also new in detail, but mostly familiar in kind. Adding to current, imperfect certification procedures by diagnostic tests, vaccination passports are likely to be widely adopted during the pandemic and its probable sequel, endemic and episodic disease. The choice about how passports are used should be guided by exemplary science, appropriate technologies, and fair use for all.

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 17 March 2021
Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
:: Afghanistan: one cVDPV2 case and one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
:: Pakistan: three WPV1 and eight cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
:: Egypt: three cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
:: Nigeria: three cVDPV2 cases
:: South Sudan: four cVDPV2 cases
:: Senegal: one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
:: Sierra Leone: three cVDPV2 positive environmental samples

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WHO/OCHA Emergencies

Editor’s Note:
Continuing with this edition, we include information about the last apparent update evident on the WHO emergency country webpages, recognizing almost universal and significant interims since last update regardless of the level of the emergency listed.

WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 20 Mar 2021]

Democratic Republic of the Congo – No new digest announcements [Last apparent update: 12 Jan 2021]
Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 November 2020]
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 29 Jun 2020]
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 17 July 2020]
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 February 2020]
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 October 2020]
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2020]

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 20 Mar 2021]
Angola
:: The Government of Japan contributes US$ 1 million to UN agencies to support vulnerab…
16 March 2021

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 5 July 2020]
Burundi – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 04 July 2019]
Burkina Faso – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 10 mars 2021]
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019]
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 12 June 2018]
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019]
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 2 March 2020]
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 February 2020]
Libya – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 7 October 2019]
Malawi Floods – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update 05 March 2021]
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16-12-2020]
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 8 July 2019]
Mozambique – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 03 November 2020]
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 11 février 2021]
Niger– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update:06 mars 2021]occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 September 2019]
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 27 August 2019]
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017) – No new digest announcements
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 June 2020]
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 1 May 2019]
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 10 May 2019]

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 20 Mar 2021]

Chad – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2018]
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 25 novembre 2020]
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 06 March 2021]
Mali – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 May 2017]
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 20 July 2018]
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 October 2020]

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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

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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.
East Africa Locust Infestation
:: Desert Locust situation update 16 March 2021

COVID-19
:: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Weekly Epidemiological Update (16 March 2021)

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WHO & Regional Offices [to 20 Mar 2021]
19 March 2021 Statement
Statement of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) COVID-19 subcommittee on safety signals related to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
[See COVID above for detail]

18 March 2021 News release
Ageism is a global challenge: UN

18 March 2021 Departmental news
Reframing child and adolescent health for the SDG era

17 March 2021 Statement
WHO statement on AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine safety signals
[See COVID above for detail]

17 March 2021 Departmental news
WHO publishes new clinical and service delivery recommendations for HIV prevention, treatment and care

16 March 2021 News release
New research highlights risks of separating newborns from mothers during COVID-19 pandemic

16 March 2021 Departmental news
WHO and partners urge countries to fast-track implementation and scale-up of HIV self-testing and other innovative HIV testing approaches in Asia and the Pacific

15 March 2021 News release
COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund marks first anniversary and appeals for continued support

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Weekly Epidemiological Record, Vol. 96, No. 11, pp. 77–88 19 March 2021
:: Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2021–2022 northern hemisphere influenza season

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WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Nigerian health workers take country’s first COVID-19 vaccine 15 March 2021
:: What is Africa’s vaccine production capacity? 19 March 2021

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
No new digest content identified

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: 17 March 2021 News release
Disruptions in health services due to COVID-19 “may have contributed to an additional 239,000 child and maternal deaths in South Asia” – UN report

WHO European Region EURO
:: WHO engages health workers in Romania to reach out on the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines in pilot project 19-03-2021
:: Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 detected in Tajikistan 19-03-2021
:: Building a sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID-19 19-03-2021
:: WHO/Europe and ECDC launch the first joint COVID-19 Surveillance Bulletin 19-03-2021

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Teachers in Afghanistan to receive COVID-19 vaccine 16 March 2021
:: One year of COVID in Somalia 16 March 2021
:: Sustaining the fight against cholera in Yemen 15 March 2021

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified

CDC/ACIP [U.S.] [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News Releases, Announcements
CDC Updates Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools to Reflect New Evidence on Physical Distance in Classrooms
Friday, March 19, 2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is updating K–12 school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms.  CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings. CDC has updated its operational strategy to say:
:: In elementary schools, CDC recommends all students remain at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal — regardless of whether community transmission is low, moderate, substantial, or high.
:: In middle and high schools, CDC also recommends students should be at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal and in communities where transmission is low, moderate, or substantial.
:: Middle school students and high school students should be at least 6 feet apart in communities where transmission is high, if cohorting is not possible. Cohorting is when groups of students are kept together with the same peers and staff throughout the school day to reduce the risk for spread throughout the school.  This recommendation is because COVID-19 transmission dynamics are different in older students – that is, they are more likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and spread it than younger children…

CDC Announces $2.25 Billion to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities in Communities that are at High-Risk and Underserved
Wednesday, March 17, 2021

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, March 19, 2021
:: Association of Children’s Mode of School Instruction with Child and Parent Experiences and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic — COVID Experiences Survey, United States, October 8–November 13, 2020
:: Minimal SARS-CoV-2 Transmission After Implementation of a Comprehensive Mitigation Strategy at a School — New Jersey, August 20–November 27, 2020
:: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Incidence by Age, Sex, and Period Among Persons Aged <25 Years — 16 U.S. Jurisdictions, January 1–December 31, 2020 (Early Release March 10, 2021)
:: COVID-19 Vaccine Second-Dose Completion and Interval Between First and Second Doses Among Vaccinated Persons — United States, December 14, 2020−February 14, 2021 (Early Release March 15, 2021)
:: Effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Among Residents of Two Skilled Nursing Facilities Experiencing COVID-19 Outbreaks — Connecticut, December 2020–February 2021 (Early Release March 15, 2021)
:: Malaria Surveillance—United States, 2017

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)– CDC
Selected Resources
:: Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Sat, 20 Mar 2021 06:00:00 EST

Africa CDC [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
Statement to African Union Member States on the deployment of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine to the continent and concerns about adverse event reports coming from Europe
19 March 2021
[See COVID above for detail]

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

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
News
March 20: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On March 19, 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on the Chinese mainland reported 4 new cases of confirmed infections.

Expert calls for scientific origin-tracing of COVID-19
2021-03-19

Joint China-WHO press conference of WHO-convened Global Study of Origins of SARS-Cov-2
2021-03-15
Transcript from February 9th, 2021

China to provide vaccines to Olympic Games athletes
2021-03-15

National Medical Products Administration – PRC [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://english.nmpa.gov.cn/news.html
News
China approves new type of vaccine for emergency use against COVID-19
2021-03-17
China approved a recombinant protein subunit vaccine against COVID-19 for emergency use on March 17, its developer, the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Microbiology, said.
[See China above for detail]

Homegrown vaccines withstand coronavirus variants
2021-03-16
No known variants of the novel coronavirus have been found to weaken the effectiveness of the four homegrown vaccines approved for use in China, a senior drug and vaccine development expert said on March 15.

China has robust system of vaccine quality supervision, says official
2021-03-16
China has a robust vaccine quality supervision and management system that is recognized internationally, Yuan Lin, head of the Drug Supervision and Management Department of the National Medical Products Administration, said in a news briefing on March 15.

COVID-19 inoculation campaign speeding up
2021-03-16
China is working around the clock to build COVID-19 herd immunity through its orderly and smooth rollout of vaccines, with 64.98 million doses administered as of last week, officials said on Macrh 15.

Organization Announcements

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-pr ess/
News
No new digest content identified.

BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Pages/default.aspx
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
Press Releases and Statements
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 20 Mar 2021]
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 20 Mar 2021]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: New session recording – Center for Informed Consent Integrity – Webinar Series 17 March 2021 available here
Invited speakers Dr. Beate Aurich of the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) in Paris, France, and Dr. Eric Vermeulen of the Dutch Patient Association for Rare and Genetic Diseases (VSOP) in Soest, Netherlands, discussed their work overall and specifically associated with their article:
BMJ Paediatrcis, 29 November 2020
Informed consent for neonatal trials: practical points to consider and a check list
Beate Aurich, Eric Vermeulen, Valéry Elie, Mariette H E Driessens, Christine Kubiak, Donato Bonifazi, Evelyne Jacqz-Aigrain

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
CEPI and University of Hong Kong expand partnership to develop intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate
SLO/ HONG KONG, 18 March 2021 – CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) today announced an expanded partnership to further the development of HKU’s intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate, based on a live-attenuated influenza virus.
This partnership builds on CEPI’s initial investment of $620,000 in March 2020 which supported preclinical testing o f the vaccine candidate. Under the expanded partnership, CEPI will invest an additional $4.8m to fund the production of clinical trial materials, and the investigation of mucosal immune responses during a Phase 1 trial of the vaccine candidate, which is being supported by the Government of Hong Kong…

DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [to 20 Mar 2021
https://www.darpa.mil/
News
No new digest content identified.

Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://dukeghic.org/
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 20 Mar 2021]
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
No new digest content identified.

Emory Vaccine Center [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.

European Commission [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://europa.eu/rapid/search-result.htm?query=18&locale=en&page=1
Latest
Statement 18 March 2021
Statement following the European Medicines Agency review of the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca
[See COVID above for detail]

Press release 18 March 2021
Commission launches European Innovation Council to help turn scientific ideas into breakthrough innovations
The European Commission launched today, at an online event, the European Innovation Council (EIC) with a budget of over €10 billion (in current prices) for 2021-2027 to develop and expand breakthrough innovations.

Press release 17 March 2021
Coronavirus: Commission proposes a Digital Green Certificate
Today the European Commission is proposing to create a Digital Green Certificate to facilitate safe free movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Questions and answers 17 March 2021
Questions and Answers – Digital Green Certificate

Statement 16 March 2021
Commission Statement on BioNTech-Pfizer top-up for Quarter 2 deliveries

Statement 13 March 2021
Statement of the European Commission on the methodology used to determine the allocation of doses of vaccines under the Advance Purchase Agreements

European Medicines Agency [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases
News: COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca: benefits still outweigh the risks despite possible link to rare blood clots with low blood platelets (updated)
PRAC, Last updated: 19/03/2021
[See COVID above for detail]

News: Investigation of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and thromboembolic events continues (new)
PRAC, Last updated: 16/03/2021

News: EMA’s safety committee continues investigation of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and thromboembolic events – further update (new)
PRAC, Last updated: 15/03/2021

European Vaccine Initiative [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News
No new digest content identified.

FDA [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
Press Announcements /Selected Details
March 19, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 19, 2021

March 16, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 16, 2021
:: On March 15, 2021, the FDA launched the COVID-19 EUA FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard providing weekly updates of adverse event reports submitted to FAERS for drugs and therapeutic biological products used under an EUA during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
:: The FDA has posted translations of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine fact sheet for recipients and caregivers in languages including: Burmese, Chinese, French, Hindi and Russian. We will post additional language translations of the fact sheet for recipients and caregivers to this page as they become available.

FDA – COVID-19 Vaccines [to 20 Mar 2021]
www.fda.gov/covid19vaccines
News and Updates; Upcoming Events
House Subcommittee Hearing on COVID-19 Vaccinations
03/17/2021
FDA leadership will participate in the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing entitled, “Leading the Way Forward: Biden Administration Actions to Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations.”
View livestream and written testimony

Fondation Merieux [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
Mérieux Foundation event
Vaccine Acceptance webinars: COVAX introduction & acceptance
March 29, 2021 – Virtual Event
These webinars will bring together international experts to showcase examples of challenges and success stories reported in specific countries during the COVID-19 vaccine introduction, adoption and implementation and the related crisis management aspects.
Session 1: March 29, 2021, 8:00 am – 10:30 am (CEST – Paris time)
Session 2: March 29, 2021, 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (CEST – Paris time)
(Two separate sessions have been set up to facilitate worldwide connection).
To register for the virtual event please contact Marianne Gojon-Gerbelot.

Gavi [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
18 March 2021
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and USAID announce innovative collaboration to support health supply chain leaders in low- and middle-income countries

GHIT Fund [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 212 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
News
Gavi, the Global Fund and USAID announce innovative collaboration to support supply chain leaders
18 March 2021
Recognizing the critical role that health supply chain leaders and managers play in ensuring the availability of critical vaccines and health commodities, three donor agencies – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have established a new partnership to jointly offer an updated version of the Strategic Training Executive Program, known as STEP 2.0.

News
Nigeria and Global Fund Launch New Grants to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria
18 March 2021
Nigeria and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have launched three new grants to strengthen the fight against HIV, TB and malaria and build resilient and sustainable systems for health.

Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

Hilleman Laboratories [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.

Human Vaccines Project [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
HVP COVID Report
Issue 28: COVAX Aims to Provide Equitable Access to COVID Vaccines
Mar 18, 2021

IAVI [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
PRESS RELEASES/FEATURES
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.

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
*News
Press Releases/Announcements
No new digest content identified.

IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
Press Releases/Announcements
No new digest content identified.

IFRC [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Asia Pacific, Philippines, Vietnam
New report: Alarming levels of climate-related displacement
Kuala Lumpur, 16 March 2021 – A new report reveals 12.6 million people have been internally displaced around the world in the last six months mainly due to climate and weather-related disasters, according to data available through the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) report, Responding to Disasters and Displacement in a Changing Climate, comes hot on the heels of a record-breaking 26 climate-related disaster response operations launched across Asia and the Pacific in 2020…

Institut Pasteur [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
No new digest content identified.

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index
Media highlights [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

IVAC [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
Webinar: SARS-CoV-2 Variants and the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the U.S.
The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) will host a webinar on March 23, 2021 at 11am ET, “SARS-CoV-2 Variants and the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the U.S.”
Register Here
Description: Join us for a special webinar presentation about COVID-19 vaccine safety in the U.S., and the potential impact new variants will have on vaccine effectiveness. The speed and coordination of the response against COVID-19 and development of vaccines is unprecedented, but there are still unknowns and issues to overcome. In a moderated conversation hear from experts on safety monitoring, reporting, and challenges with emerging variants.

IVI [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News, Announcements, Events
IVI remembers Bagrey Ngwira
… As the Principal Investigator of IVI’s cholera surveillance study in Malawi since 2016, we knew Bagrey as an energetic leader and a sharp, thoughtful, and warm-hearted researcher who dedicated his life’s work to improving public health. His compassion for others shone through in his research priorities—which has included the prevention and control of cholera, HPV, Group B Strep, and more—and his relationships with everyone around him. We will miss him and continue our work to end cholera and other infectious diseases in his honor.

JEE Alliance [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements
Rohingya refugee crisis
Three questions on life for the Rohingya in Bangladesh
Interview 18 Mar 2021

Nigeria
Pulka, where water is the source of life… and disease
Project Update 16 Mar 2021

Ethiopia Tigray crisis
People left with few healthcare options in Tigray as facilities looted, destroyed
Press Release 15 Mar 2021

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
No new digest content identified.

NIH [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
NIH leaders on the future of precision medicine, healthcare transformation
March 18, 2021 — Authors explain seven opportunities to accelerate tailored medicine efforts and create a more equitable health landscape in the future… The commentary covers key areas including huge cohorts, artificial intelligence, routine inclusion of genomics as part of clinical testing, deeper investigation of the role of phenomics and environment in health and disease, and returning value across diverse populations.
The authors highlight the role of large cohorts, like the All of Us Research Program, and the immense potential of such resources that aim to bring together diverse streams of information spanning genomics, social determinants of health, environmental exposures, electronic health record data, and wearable device data. They note that these resources offer tremendous opportunities for discovery across every area of medicine, but that an “open science” approach is needed for researchers to combine data across cohorts to maximize their impact on a global scale.

UN OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.unocha.org/
Selected Research, Announcement
No new digest content identified.

PATH [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
Launching the PHC Tech Challenge – A global hunt for innovations to address primary health care challenges in India
March 22, 2021

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
19 March 2021
Education Plus—gender justice for adolescent girls and young women in Africa

17 March 2021
In Your Hands: Caribbean partners call for HIV self-testing during COVID-19

17 March 2021
UNAIDS renews partnership with the African Union for a stronger and more resilient AIDS response in Africa

17 March 2021
Global Partnership members commemorate Zero Discrimination Day around the world

16 March 2021
Monitoring HIV/TB services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

15 March 2021
Towards 10–10–10 in eastern Europe and central Asia

15 March 2021
Stranded in Nepal without HIV medicine

15 March 2021
Addressing inequalities can decrease HIV prevalence

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html
Latest from News Centre
No new digest content identified.

UNESCO [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Latest News
Global partnership offers course on journalistic coverage of COVID-19 vaccine
News 03/19/2021
Journalists, communicators and fact-checkers from around the world will be able to take a specialized Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled “Covering the COVID-19 Vaccine: what journalists need to know” from 29 March to 25 April.
The interactive course which initially will be offered free of charge in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish is a joint collaboration between the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin, co-funded by the European Union. Upon completion, the course will also be made available in a self-directed format in additional languages…

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected Announcements
High Commissioner’s Message on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Statement by Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
21 Mar 2021

UNICEF [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Press releases, Statements
Press release
03/17/2021
One in five children globally does not have enough water to meet their everyday needs – UNICEF
UNICEF launches new initiative, Water Security for All, to mobilize global support and resources to reach children in water vulnerable hotspots

Press release
03/17/2021
Disruptions in health services due to COVID-19 “may have contributed to an additional 239,000 child and maternal deaths in South Asia” – UN report
Health services must urgently be restored and strengthened to contain the pandemic’s impact on the most vulnerable families

Unitaid [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
No new digest content identified.

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
Coronavirus global impact
Launched April 2, 2020 and recurring every 3 days, Premise Data is utilizing its global network of Contributors to assess economic, social, and health sentiment surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Opinion
What can we learn from Covid-19 to address the climate crisis?
There are many lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic that can guide our response to the climate crisis, including the importance of science and leadership, and the cost of inaction.
Madeleine Thomson, Acting Head, Our Planet, Our Health

16 March 2021

The Wistar Institute [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News
Equity: COVID-19 Vaccines as a Global Public Good?
Mar 18, 2021
The outstanding scientific achievement of 2020 was the rapid development of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19. 2021’s challenge is to produce sufficient doses and immunize a planet of nearly 8 billion people. The global rollout has been called a “catastrophic moral failure” by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus for its glaring inequities, as rich countries snap up supply and poorer nations are forced to wait at the back of the queue.
This fifth and final instalment of Operation Vaccination focuses on equity in the global vaccination race. The post includes discussions about hoarding doses and vaccine nationalism, the role of COVAX in striving for a level playing field, the TRIPS waiver proposal to temporarily suspend intellectual property rights to improve manufacturing capacity, and the risks to all of us if current trends continue and the imbalance of access to COVID vaccines is not redressed.

WHO’s Response to WFPHA and SHEM Open Letter on Inequitable Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
Mar 15, 2021

World Bank [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
Strengthening the Role of Regional Public Health Institutions to Improve Cross-Border Disease Surveillance and Response in Eastern and Southern Africa
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and its partners, including the World Bank, today launched a new report to help strengthen the role of public health institutions in mitigating transnational threats of infectious diseases in Africa in general, and in Eastern and Southern Africa in particular.
Titled “Disease Surveillance, Emergency Preparedness and Response in Eastern and Southern Africa,” the new report financed by the Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility notes that while Africa’s integration efforts have created new economic opportunities, they have also heightened the risk posed by communicable diseases. Thus the need for strengthening regional disease surveillance systems and emergency-response capabilities across the continent. The report underscores the indispensable role of regional coordination in ensuring that outbreaks can be identified and addressed in every corner of the continent. To safeguard the health of Africa and the world, continental institutions must be able to swiftly detect and effectively address disease outbreaks anywhere before they become a threat everywhere…

Bangladesh: $500 Million World Bank Financing for COVID-19 Vaccination for 54 Million People
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 — The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $500 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA) to help Bangladesh vaccinate…
Date: March 18, 2021 Type: Press Release

Gaps Remain in Countries Readiness to Deploy COVID-19 Vaccines
Assessments by World Bank and partners provide insights into more than 120 countries’ readiness to safely distribute vaccines WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 – As countries undertake the largest vaccination…
Date: March 18, 2021 Type: Press Release
[See COVID above for detail]

New Grants to Spur Afghanistan COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
$113 million financing will help vaccinate more than 17 percent of Afghans  Washington, D.C., March 18, 2021— The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved $60 million from the International…
Date: March 18, 2021 Type: Press Release

Nepal Receives $75 million for COVID-19 Vaccines and Stronger Response to Pandemic
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2021 – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $75 million from the International Development Association (IDA) to support access to safe and effective COVID-19…
Date: March 18, 2021 Type: Press Release

World Customs Organization – WCO [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.wcoomd.org/
Latest News – Selected Items
No new digest content identified.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2021/
Press Releases
OIE-WAHIS: A new era for animal health data
At a time when the world is facing an unprecedented pandemic, the importance of animal disease surveillance has become evident. To support countries maintaining global transparency and reporting matters of animal and public health, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) launches the leading most technologically advanced reference platform for animal disease and veterinary capacities reporting – the World Animal Health Information System (OIE-WAHIS).
Paris, 18 March 2021 –  Since its creation in 1924, the OIE is the mandated international organisation collecting data on, observing and analysing animal diseases throughout the world. Through its current World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), the Organisation ensures the prompt dissemination of information on potentially devastating outbreaks and facilitates decision making in terms of international trade of animals and animal products by collecting, verifying and publishing official animal health information, following a standardised process, thus providing high quality, reliable data…
Website: https://wahis.oie.int/#/home

WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
No new digest content identified.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 20 Mar 2021]
Press Releases – Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (alliancerm.org)
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

BIO [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.

ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 20 Mar 2021]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

IFPMA [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
No new digest content identified.

PhRMA [to 20 Mar 2021]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
No new digest content identified.

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Original Research
Probability of Success and Timelines for the Development of Vaccines for Emerging and Reemerged Viral Infectious Diseases
FREE
Amanda MacPherson, BSc, Nora Hutchinson, MDCM, MPhil, Oliver Schneider, MDCM, … et al.
Pages:326–334

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Reviews
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19–Related Infections, Hospitalizations, and Deaths
A Systematic Review
FREE
Katherine Mackey, MD, MPP, Chelsea K. Ayers, MPH, Karli K. Kondo, PhD, Somnath Saha, MD, MPH, … et al.
Pages:362–373

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Medicine and Public Issues
Ethical Framework for Assessing Manual and Digital Contact Tracing for COVID-19
FREE
Bernard Lo, MD, Ida Sim, MD, PhD
Pages:395–400
… Public health interventions to control a contagious disease must balance benefiting the community and restricting individual liberty (¹). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged traditional balancing of these countervailing aims. Some opponents of wearing masks, restricting public gatherings, and closing businesses regard these measures as assaults on individual liberty, reject medical science, and downplay the threat of infections (², ³). Contact tracing presents particularly vexing challenges of balancing societal versus individual interests. We analyze major aspects of manual and technology-assisted contact tracing that raise the thorniest ethical issues…

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Ideas and Opinions
Waivers and Alterations of Research Informed Consent During the COVID-19 Pandemic
FREE
Emily A. Largent, JD, PhD, RN, Scott D. Halpern, MD, PhD, Holly Fernandez Lynch, JD, MBE
Pages:415–416
… As seen in the cases discussed below, studies that were or would have been eligible for consent exceptions before the pandemic may now have heightened risks, rendering exceptions no longer appropriate. Alternatively, studies previously ineligible for consent exceptions may now qualify because the pandemic has rendered what counts as minimal risk more expansive or because COVID-19 limits the practicability of doing research using traditional consent processes. Guidance is needed about how the circumstances of a pandemic influence the applicability of regulatory standards for consent exceptions….

Annals of Internal Medicine
March 2021 Volume 174, Issue 3
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Hydroxychloroquine as Postexposure Prophylaxis to Prevent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection- A Randomized Trial
FREE

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpregnancychildbirth/content
(Accessed 20 Mar 2021)

Maternal and neonatal data collection systems in low- and middle-income countries for maternal vaccines active safety surveillance systems: A scoping review
Most post-licensure vaccine pharmacovigilance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are passive reporting systems. These have limited utility for maternal immunization pharmacovigilance in LMIC settings …
Authors: Mabel Berrueta, Agustin Ciapponi, Ariel Bardach, Federico Rodriguez Cairoli, Fabricio J. Castellano, Xu Xiong, Andy Stergachis, Sabra Zaraa, Ajoke Sobanjo-ter Meulen and Pierre Buekens
Citation: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2021 21:217
Content type: Research article
Published on: 17 March 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 20 Mar 2021)

Factors associated with measles vaccination status in children under the age of three years in a post-soviet context: a cross-sectional study using the DHS VII in Armenia
The resurgence of measles globally and the increasing number of unvaccinated clusters call for studies exploring factors that influence measles vaccination uptake. Armenia is a middle-income post-Soviet countr…
Authors: Annabell C. Kantner, Sibylle Herzig van Wees, Erik M. G. Olsson and Shirin Ziaei
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:552
Content type: Research article
Published on: 20 March 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 20 Mar 2021)

Determinants of influenza vaccine uptake and willingness to be vaccinated by pharmacists among the active adult population in Hungary: a cross-sectional exploratory study
Many studies have addressed influenza vaccine uptake in risk-group populations (e.g. the elderly). However, it is also necessary to assess influenza vaccine uptake in the active adult population, since they ar…
Authors: Githa Fungie Galistiani, Mária Matuz, Nikolett Matuszka, Péter Doró, Krisztina Schváb, Zsófia Engi and Ria Benkő
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:521
Content type: Research article
Published on: 17 March 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 20 Mar 2021)

Differences between Frequentist and Bayesian inference in routine surveillance for influenza vaccine effectiveness: a test-negative case-control study
Routine influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) surveillance networks use frequentist methods to estimate VE. With data from more than a decade of VE surveillance from diverse global populations now available, us…
Authors: Michael L. Jackson, Jill Ferdinands, Mary Patricia Nowalk, Richard K. Zimmerman, Burney Kieke, Manjusha Gaglani, Kempapura Murthy, Joshua G. Petrie, Emily T. Martin, Jessie R. Chung, Brendan Flannery and Lisa A. Jackson
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:516
Content type: Research article
Published on: 16 March 2021

Cell
Mar 18, 2021 Volume 184 Issue 6 p1395-1650
https://www.cell.com/cell/issue?pii=S0092-8674(20)X0007-9

Perspectives
Featured Article
The ethical scientist in a time of uncertainty
Laurie Zoloth
Summary
All of science takes place amidst a world shaken by uncertainty, social and political upheaval, and challenges to truthful testimony. Just at the moment in which increasing control over biology has been theorized, our social world has become increasingly contentious and its values more divisive. Using the example of gene drives for malaria control to explore the problem of deep uncertainty in biomedical research, I argue that profound uncertainty is an essential feature. Applying the language and presumptions of the discipline of philosophical ethics, I describe three types of uncertainty that raise ethical challenges in scientific research. Rather than mitigate these challenges with excessive precautions and limits on progress, I suggest that researchers can cultivate classic values of veracity, courage, humility, and fidelity in their research allowing science to proceed ethically under conditions of deep uncertainty.

Cell
Mar 18, 2021 Volume 184 Issue 6 p1395-1650
https://www.cell.com/cell/issue?pii=S0092-8674(20)X0007-9

Heritable human genome editing: Research progress, ethical considerations, and hurdles to clinical practice
Jenna Turocy, Eli Y. Adashi, Dieter Egli
Our genomes at conception contribute substantially to our overall health, and heritable genome editing could provide many benefits by preventing disease from the beginning of life. Egli and colleagues review the scientific contributions to the field, the ethical challenges that cannot be overlooked, and the hurdles to be overcome prior to clinical practice.

Cell
Mar 18, 2021 Volume 184 Issue 6 p1395-1650
https://www.cell.com/cell/issue?pii=S0092-8674(20)X0007-9

Novel approaches for vaccine development
Makda S. Gebre, Luis A. Brito, Lisa H. Tostanoski, Darin K. Edwards, Andrea Carfi, Dan H. Barouch
Vaccines play a critical role in global health, and Gebre et al. review the current state of three vaccine development platforms (mRNA vaccines, vector-based vaccines, and materials science approaches to vaccination).

Current Genetic Medicine Reports
Volume 9, issue 1, March 2021
https://link.springer.com/journal/40142/volumes-and-issues/9-1

Bioinformatics (A Pittman, Section Editor)
Decoding Covid-19 with the SARS-CoV-2 Genome
Authors (first, second and last of 5)
Phoebe Ellis, Ferenc Somogyvári, Gary R. McLean
Published: 09 January 2021
Pages: 1 – 12
SARS-CoV-2, the recently emerged coronavirus (CoV) that is responsible for the current global pandemic Covid-19, first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. Here, we summarise details of the SARS-CoV-2 genome to assist understanding of the emergence, evolution and diagnosis of this deadly new virus.

Ethics & Human Research
Volume 43, Issue 2 Pages: 1-48 March–April 2021
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25782363/current

Research ethics and pandemics • IRBs and AI research
Articles
Free Access
The Ethics of Repurposing Previously Collected Research Biospecimens in an Infectious Disease Pandemic
Benjamin E. Berkman et al
Pages: 2-18
First Published: 23 February 2021

Ethics & Human Research
Volume 43, Issue 2 Pages: 1-48 March–April 2021
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25782363/current

Case Study
Unblinding in Randomized Controlled Trials: A Research Ethics Case
Ayesha Bhatia, Paul S. Appelbaum, Katherine L. Wisner
Pages: 28-34
First Published: 08 March 2021

Ethics & Human Research
Volume 43, Issue 2 Pages: 1-48 March–April 2021
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25782363/current

Articles
Governing AI‐Driven Health Research: Are IRBs Up to the Task?
Phoebe Friesen, et al.
Pages: 35-42
First Published: 08 March 2021
ABSTRACT
Many are calling for concrete mechanisms of oversight for health research involving artificial intelligence (AI). In response, institutional review boards (IRBs) are being turned to as a familiar model of governance. Here, we examine the IRB model as a form of ethics oversight for health research that uses AI. We consider the model’s origins, analyze the challenges IRBs are facing in the contexts of both industry and academia, and offer concrete recommendations for how these committees might be adapted in order to provide an effective mechanism of oversight for health‐related AI research.

Gates Open Research
https://gatesopenresearch.org/browse/articles
[Accessed 20 Mar 2021]

Open Letter metrics
Revised
Supporting communities of practice – A Journey to effective problem-solving [version 2; peer review: 2 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]
Christina Hanschke, James Baer, Alok Gangaramany, Janneke Verheijen, Nduku Kilonzo, Bryan Okiya, Leonard Kibe Ranji, Stephen Amolo Amolo, Simon Zwane, Rejoice Nkambule, Violet Buluma, Sylvia Ojoo, Susan Kim, Sharon Kibwana, Mark Dybul, Steve Kretschmer
Peer Reviewers Carlos Toledo; Julia Samuelson; Tracy Johnson
Funder: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
LATEST VERSION PUBLISHED 16 Mar 2021
Abstract
In contexts of scarce resources, varied assets, and diverse communities, engaging local stakeholders in the problem-solving process is critical to develop interventions for HIV prevention and treatment. Communities of practice (CoPs) – groups of people organized around a key purpose and a delivery point – can develop expertise in identifying their local community’s key challenges and selecting viable solutions. We propose a framework, adapted from the CoP model developed by Etienne Wenger, for systematically understanding the stages a CoP may go through as it develops its capacity to identify and solve problems and implement good practices.

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 20 Mar 2021]

Countries with delayed COVID-19 introduction – characteristics, drivers, gaps, and opportunities
Authors: Zheng Li, Cynthia Jones, Girum S. Ejigu, Nisha George, Amanda L. Geller, Gregory C. Chang, Alys Adamski, Ledor S. Igboh, Rebecca D. Merrill, Philip Ricks, Sara A. Mirza and Michael Lynch
Content type: Research
17 March 2021
…This analysis aimed to 1) assess characteristics, capability to detect and monitor COVID-19, and disease control measures in these 24 countries, 2) understand potential factors for the reported delayed COVID-19 introduction, and 3) identify gaps and opportunities for outbreak preparedness, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). We collected and analyzed publicly available information on country characteristics, COVID-19 testing, influenza surveillance, border measures, and preparedness activities in these countries. We also assessed the association between the temporal spread of COVID-19 in all countries with reported cases with globalization indicator and geographic location.

Humanitarian Exchange Magazine
Number 78, October 2020
https://odihpn.org/magazine/inclusion-of-persons-with-disabilities-in-humanitarian-action-what-now/

Disability inclusion in humanitarian action
by HPN October 2020
The theme of this edition of Humanitarian Exchange, co-edited with Sherin Alsheikh Ahmed from Islamic Relief Worldwide, is disability inclusion in humanitarian action. Persons with disabilities are not only disproportionately impacted by conflicts, disasters and other emergencies, but also face barriers to accessing humanitarian assistance. At the same time, global commitments and standards and the IASC Guidelines on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action all emphasise how persons with disabilities are also active agents of change. Disability and age-focused organisations have led on testing and demonstrating how inclusion can be done better. Yet despite this progress, challenges to effective inclusion remain.

As Kirstin Lange notes in the lead article, chief among these challenges is humanitarian agencies’ lack of engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities. Simione Bula, Elizabeth Morgan and Teresa Thomson look at disability inclusion in humanitarian response in the Pacific, and Kathy Al Jubeh and Alradi Abdalla argue for a ‘participation revolution’, building on learning from the gender movement. Tchaurea Fleury and Sulayman AbdulMumuni Ujah outline how the Bridge Article 11 training initiative is encouraging constructive exchange between humanitarian and disability actors. The lack of good, disaggregated data is highlighted by Sarah Collinson; Frances Hill, Jim Cranshaw and Carys Hughes emphasise the need for training resources in local languages and accessible formats; and Sophie Van Eetvelt and colleagues report on a review of the evidence on inclusion of people with disabilities and older people.

Rebecca Molyneux and co-authors analyse the findings of a review of a DFID programme in north-east Nigeria, while Carolin Funke highlights the importance of strategic partnerships between disability-focused organisations, drawing on her research in Cox’s Bazar. Sherin Alsheikh Ahmed describes Islamic Relief Worldwide’s approach to mainstreaming protection and inclusion, while Pauline Thivillier and Valentina Shafina outline IRC’s Client Responsive Programming. The edition ends with reflections by Mirela Turcanu and Yves Ngunzi Kahashi on CAFOD’s SADI approach.

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Review
Leveraging on the genomics and immunopathology of SARS-CoV-2 for vaccines development: prospects and challenges
Idris Nasir Abdullahi, et al
Pages: 620-637
Published online: 16 Sep 2020

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

article commentary
Considerations on the clinical development of COVID-19 vaccine from trial design perspectives
Zhiwei Jiang, Xuanyi Wang & Jielai Xia
Pages: 656-660
Published online: 29 Sep 2020

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

article commentary
COVID-19 outbreak: a potential threat to routine vaccination programme activities in Nigeria
Olorunfemi Akinbode Ogundele, Ayodeji Andrew Omotoso & Aderonke Tolulope Fagbemi
Pages: 661-663
Published online: 29 Sep 2020

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Modelling of optimal vaccination strategies in response to a bioterrorism associated smallpox outbreak
Valentina Costantino, Mohana Kunasekaran & Chandini Raina MacIntyre
Pages: 738-746
Published online: 02 Dec 2020

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Hypothetical assessment of efficiency, willingness-to-accept and willingness-to-pay for dengue vaccine and treatment: a contingent valuation survey in Bangladesh
K M Ariful Kabir, Aya Hagishima & Jun Tanimoto
Pages: 773-784
Published online: 21 Aug 2020

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Knowledge, attitude, perception of Muslim parents towards vaccination in Malaysia
Mohammed Tahir Ansari, Nurul Nadia Jamaluddin, Thiya Anissa Ramlan, Nurshahiera Zamri, Shahnaz Majeed, Vishal Badgujar, Farheen Sami, M Saquib Hasnain & Helvinder Kaur Balbir Singh
Pages: 785-790
Published online: 24 Aug 2020

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Human papillomavirus vaccination: coverage rate, knowledge, acceptance, and associated factors in college students in mainland China
Che Deng, Xiaoli Chen & Yanqun Liu
Pages: 828-835
Published online: 01 Sep 2020

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Rotavirus vaccination in the US: a systematic review of vaccination coverage and completion
Parinaz K. Ghaswalla, John D’Angelo & Remon Abu-Elyazeed
Pages: 872-879
Published online: 26 Aug 2020

JAMA
March 16, 2021, Vol 325, No. 11, Pages 1025-1118
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Viewpoint
COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnant and Lactating Women
Emily H. Adhikari, MD; Catherine Y. Spong, MD
free access has active quiz has multimedia has audio
JAMA. 2021;325(11):1039-1040. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.1658
This Viewpoint discusses the need for shared decision-making when counseling pregnant and nursing women about the unstudied benefits and risks COVID-19 vaccination, calling for rigorously designed studies with real-time, proactive data collection to establish evidence as quickly as possible about coronavirus vaccine safety in mothers and their infants.

Conversations with Dr Bauchner: Coronavirus Vaccination in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Individuals

JAMA
March 16, 2021, Vol 325, No. 11, Pages 1025-1118
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Invited Commentary
Protecting Pregnant Women and Their Infants From COVID-19: Clues From Maternal Viral Loads, Antibody Responses, and Placentas
Denise J. Jamieson, MD, MPH; Sonja A. Rasmussen, MD, MS

JAMA
March 16, 2021, Vol 325, No. 11, Pages 1025-1118
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Involving Pregnant Individuals in Clinical Research on COVID-19 Vaccines
Diana W. Bianchi, MD; Lisa Kaeser, JD; Alison N. Cernich, PhD
free access has multimedia has audio
JAMA. 2021;325(11):1041-1042. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.1865
This Viewpoint from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development emphasizes the need to use existing data sources and develop partnerships, infrastructure, and ethical and regulatory standards to generate data about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant individuals.

JAMA
March 16, 2021, Vol 325, No. 11, Pages 1025-1118
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Women’s Health
Pregnancy, Postpartum Care, and COVID-19 Vaccination in 2021
Sonja A. Rasmussen, MD, MS; Denise J. Jamieson, MD, MPH
free access has active quiz has multimedia has audio
JAMA. 2021;325(11):1099-1100. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.1683
This JAMA Insights review summarizes the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant and lactating women, its effects on perinatal outcomes, and compiles guidance from the CDC, FDA, and obstetrics-gynecology specialty organizations on the safety of coronavirus vaccines during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

JAMA
March 16, 2021, Vol 325, No. 11, Pages 1025-1118
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Reports of Anaphylaxis After Receipt of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in the US—December 14, 2020-January 18, 2021
Tom T. Shimabukuro, MD, MPH, MBA; Matthew Cole, MPH; John R. Su, MD, PhD, MPH
free access has active quiz has multimedia has audio
JAMA. 2021;325(11):1101-1102. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.1967
This JAMA Insights review provides clinical details of anaphylactic reactions reported to and verified by the CDC in the first month of use of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in the US, December 14, 2020-January 18, 2021.

JAMA Network
COVID-19 Update March 20, 2021

These articles on COVID-19 were published across the JAMA Network in the last week.

Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 223, Issue Supplement_1, 1 February 2021
https://academic.oup.com/jid/issue/223/Supplement_1

SUPPLEMENT – Challenges and Promising Approaches for HIV Remission
Articles
The Search for an HIV Cure: Where Do We Go From Here?
Jonathan Z Li, Rajesh T Gandhi
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 223, Issue Supplement_1, 1 February 2021, Pages S1–S3, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaa738

Journal of Public Health Policy
Volume 42, issue 1, March 2021
https://link.springer.com/journal/41271/volumes-and-issues/42-1

Original Article
Timeliness of childhood vaccinations in the Philippines
Authors (first, second and last of 8)
Peter Francis Raguindin, Merrylle Morales-Dizon, Anna Lena Lopez
Open Access
Published: 04 January 2021
Pages: 53 – 70

Journal of Public Health Policy
Volume 42, issue 1, March 2021
https://link.springer.com/journal/41271/volumes-and-issues/42-1

Balancing public health and civil liberties in times of pandemic
Marcin Orzechowski, Maximilian Schochow, Florian Steger
Content type: Viewpoint
Open Access
Published: 18 January 2021
Pages: 145 – 153

Nature
Volume 591 Issue 7850, 18 March 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/591/issues/7850

Editorial | 16 March 2021
Revamp of UK CRISPR regulation will require public trust
The United Kingdom is considering innovative ways of regulating gene editing in food and farming. Robust processes and public confidence will be vital for success.

Nature Human Behaviour
Volume 5 Issue 3, March 2021
https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/volumes/5/issues/3

Editorial | 19 March 2021
Scientific interactions in a virtual world
COVID-19 has forced a rethink of many practices we previously took for granted, and academic travel is no exception. Virtual conferences have demonstrated their promise for encouraging a more equitable and environmentally friendly future.

Nature Human Behaviour
Volume 5 Issue 3, March 2021
https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/volumes/5/issues/3

Comment | 15 March 2021
Changing scientific meetings for the better
Conferences are a pivotal part of the scientific enterprise, but large in-person meetings have several disadvantages. As the pandemic experience has shown, online meetings are a viable alternative. Accelerating efforts to improve conferences in virtual formats can lead to a more equitable and sustainable conference culture.
Sarvenaz Sarabipour, Aziz Khan  & Tomislav Mestrovic

Nature Medicine
Volume 27 Issue 3, March 2021
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/27/issues/3

Editorial | 15 March 2021
Preparing for the next pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has opened a window of opportunity for rethinking the way countries prepare for public-health crises. This window must not be wasted.

Nature Medicine
Volume 27 Issue 3, March 2021
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/27/issues/3

Comment | 15 March 2021
Promoting diagnostics as a global good
The COVID-19 pandemic has reasserted the central role of effective diagnostics in the response to outbreaks. But a lack of coordination still hampers widespread access to these critical tools. A diagnostics agenda for global health is urgently needed for the promotion of diagnostics as a global good and to ensure their delivery.
Catharina Boehme, Emma Hannay  & Madhukar Pai