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.

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
News
No new digest content identified.

BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.phe.gov/about/barda/Pages/default.aspx
News
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center
Press Releases and Statements
Press release
Jul 07, 2021
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman Announces Initial Plans to Evolve Governance as Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates Commit $15 Billion in New Resources to Deepen and Accelerate the Foundation’s Efforts to Address Inequity
Changes will expand the number of trustees to add diversity of perspectives, strengthen governance, and ensure the foundation is positioned to enhance its impact for years to come

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 10 Jul 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 10 Jul 2021]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: [NEW] Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – July 2021 is now posted here

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
CEPI to fund study of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in immunosuppressed and transplant patients, led by Oslo University Hospital
July 6, 2021; Oslo, Norway: The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) today announced that it will co-fund a study to assess the immune response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients aged 18 years or older who are immunosuppressed or who have received an organ transplant and are receiving immunosuppressive medication. CEPI will provide US$3.1 million (NOK26 million) in funding for this trial. An additional $3.6 million (NOK30 million) is provided by a consortium of leading Norwegian health organisations including the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Akershus University Hospital, Haukeland University Hospital, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, Oslo University Hospital, and the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Oslo. Oslo University Hospital will lead the study.

CIOMS – COUNCIL FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OF MEDICAL SCIENCES [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://cioms.ch/
News; Publications
No new digest content identified.

DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [to 10 Jul 2021
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
No new digest content identified.

Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://dukeghic.org/
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 10 Jul 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 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.

European Vaccine Initiative [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News
No new digest content identified

FDA [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
July 9, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: July 9, 2021

July 8, 2021 – Joint CDC and FDA Statement on Vaccine Boosters
[See COVID USA above for detail]

July 6, 2021 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: July 6, 2021
:: On Thursday, June 29, 2021, Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. and the Director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., discussed the updates on myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines during a stakeholder call with Vaccinate Your Family and pediatric and healthcare groups. To watch and listen to the call, visit FDA’s YouTube channelExternal Link Disclaimer.

Fondation Merieux [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
No new digest content identified

Gavi [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
No new digest content identified.

GHIT Fund [to 10 Jul 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
No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
No new digest content identified.

Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
Where to next? Crucial insights on trends and gaps for future research funding in the long battle against COVID-19
05/07/2021
Researchers and funders around the world can tap into the latest trends and gaps for future COVID-19 research to funnel resources towards greatest research needs.
…The UKCDR/GloPID-R COVID-19 Research Project Tracker continues to be one of the most comprehensive resources on COVID-19 research funding globally. It now contains over 11,397 funded research projects from more than 227 different research funders in 142 different countries, representing an investment of at least $4.8 billion (as of 2 July 2021)…

Hilleman Laboratories [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
Website reports “under maintenance” at inquiry

Human Vaccines Project [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
News webpage not responding at inquiry

IAVI [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
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.

ICRC [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases, Statements, Reports
The World Bank, ICRC and UNICEF launch a report on joining forces in humanitarian and development collaboration to improve responses to protracted crises
Water and sanitation are priorities in both humanitarian and development work, but evidence shows that a lack of collaboration in conflict and violence-affected contexts between humanitarian and development support agencies is increasing costs, reduc
09-07-2021 | News release

Bangladesh: ICRC donates body bags, PPE items to ensure dignified handling of COVID-19 deceased
To ensure the safety of those who handle the bodies, the ICRC donated 2,535 body bags and 73,293 items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to different agencies of first responders across Bangladesh.
05-07-2021 | Article

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
News
Global regulators and coalition of pharma and vaccine manufacturing associations come together to discuss COVID-19 pandemic response (July 2021)
[See COVID above for detail]

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

IFRC [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Global
IFRC warns human-caused climate change made record-breaking heatwave 150 times more likely, putting lives at risk
Geneva, 8 July 2021 – Recent rocketing temperatures are having a severe impact on millions of people and putting lives at risk, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has warned. Last week’s record-breaking heatwave …
8 July 2021

Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Delta fuels deadly COVID-19 surge amid crippling vaccine shortfalls
Kuala Lumpur/Dhaka/Geneva, 06 July 2021: Urgent action is needed to increase COVID-19 vaccine supplies for Bangladesh as hospitals reach capacity and oxygen supplies run short across the country.  The deadly Delta COVID-19 variant is spreading fast in …
6 July 2021

Institut Pasteur [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press Documents
No new digest content identified.

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News
IOM Launches Open South America Portal
2021-07-09 17:48
Buenos Aires – IOM, the International Organization for Migration, this week launched the Open South America Portal, a web platform providing migrants and stakeholders in the region with access to reliable and timely information on…

IVAC [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
No new digest content identified.

IVI [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News, Announcements, Events
IVI and KNUST establish collaborating center to conduct vaccine research and development for global health
July 5, 2021 – SEOUL, Republic of Korea and KUMASI, Ghana – The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) opened the KNUST-IVI Collaborating Center today with a ceremony at KNUST/Agogo Presbyterian Hospital.
The KNUST-IVI Collaborating Center will be a research and training site to implement ongoing and new collaborative projects, including disease surveillance, vaccine clinical development, vaccination campaigns, and vaccine effectiveness and health economics studies for infectious diseases prevalent to the region such as typhoid and invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella. The KNUST-IVI Collaborating Center is the first of its kind, initiated by IVI to enable joint research, development, and capacity-building activities to achieve regional health objectives as well as the UN’s global goals…

JEE Alliance [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Madagascar
Food assistance urgently needed as nutrition crisis grips southern Madagascar
Project Update 9 Jul 2021

Syria
Millions of Syrians will lose access to vital aid if northwest border closes
Project Update 8 Jul 2021

Ethiopia
MSF calls for Tigray murders investigation and safety for humanitarian workers
Press Release 7 Jul 2021

In Memoriam
María, Yohannes and Tedros, remembered by their colleagues
Voices from the Field 7 Jul 2021

Mediterranean migration
MSF is determined to return to sea to save lives after Geo Barents detained in Italy
Press Release 4 Jul 2021

National Academy of Medicine – USA [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://nam.edu/programs/
Selected News/Programs
G20 High Level Independent Panel Releases Report on Financing the Global Commons for Pandemic Preparedness and Response
July 9, 2021
[See COVID above for detail]

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
No new digest content identified.

NIH [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
NIH study associates COVID-19 surges with mortality increases for patients
July 8, 2021 — The analysis looked at data from 150,000 COVID-19 inpatients from 558 U.S. hospitals from March to August of 2020.

IH COVID-19 testing initiative funds additional research projects to safely return children to in-person school
July 2, 2021 — The awards are the second installment of the Safe Return to School Diagnostic Testing Initiative.

PATH [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
PATH welcomes Dr. Lutz Hegemann to the board of directors
July 7, 2021 – PATH’s board of directors is pleased to welcome Dr. Lutz Hegemann as its newest member. Dr. Hegemann will bring a unique mix of private-sector, research, and medical experience to the board.
“As we embark on the new PATH Strategy 2025, the board has a critical role in overseeing its implementation and supporting the global team in shaping the future of this organization,” said David King, chair of PATH’s board of directors. “We are fortunate to have Dr. Lutz join us at this pivotal moment. His expertise, experience, and perspective will be invaluable for PATH in the years ahead.”
Dr. Lutz Hegemann currently serves as the Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Global Health at Novartis International, where he is responsible for driving forward the corporate strategy of Novartis and integrating global health and environmental, social, and governance matters into the core of the business. He previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer for Global Health at Novartis. Dr. Hegemann has worked at Novartis since 2005 in roles of increasing responsibility…

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
8 July 2021
UNDP and UNAIDS support more than 300 pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV in Abidjan

8 July 2021
African first lady technical advisers align OAFLAD’s strategic plan with the new HIV targets

6 July 2021
UNAIDS saddened by the death of Phumzile Mabizela

5 July 2021
YouTube influencers campaign to increase PrEP uptake among Mandarin-speaking people in Australia

5 July 2021
Ending AIDS on wheels: a drive with Samuel Larkai

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
Data visualization brings to light COVID-19’s threats to forcibly displaced women and children
5 Jul 2021

UNICEF [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
Press release
07/09/2021
1.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrive in Afghanistan through COVAX global dose-sharing mechanism
KABUL, 9 July 2021 – More than 1.4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine arrived today in Afghanistan. Donated by the United States to COVAX, the 1,484,900 doses were delivered through the COVAX Facility’s dose-sharing scheme to the Government of Afghanistan.
This is the first of two vaccine consignments to arrive this month, bringing the total donation to around 3.3 million doses…

Press release
07/08/2021
UNICEF signs first COVID-19 vaccine agreement to supply African Union
The agreement will supply up to 220 million single-dose vaccines by 2022 as part of UNICEF’s broader support for the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) to help provide vaccines for the 55 AU Member States
[See COVID above for detail]

Unitaid [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
Unitaid statement on WHO recommendations for tocilizumab and sarilumab
Geneva, 7 July 2021 – Unitaid welcomes new recommendations released by the World Health Organisation for the clinical care package for patients with severe or critical COVID-19, adding two medicines (tocilizumab and sarilumab). Having more treatment options is clearly of huge benefit, especially given the current concerning epidemiological situation around the world.
Equitable access arrangements for medicines to treat patients with advanced COVID-19, and those for earlier stages of the disease, are key to fighting the pandemic. Access to COVID-19 (ACT) Accelerator partners are ready to support effective new therapeutic products for COVID-19, and we would welcome further details from Roche and Sanofi, respectively, on their plans for broad, sustainable access to these medicines to treat COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries.
In addition, these newly recommended medicines need to be used together with oxygen and corticosteroids, underlining the urgent need to increase access to medical oxygen and ensure adequate supplies of corticosteroids. The ACT-A Therapeutics pillar is already working to address this, with an advance purchase in 2020 of nearly 3 million doses of dexamethasone, and more recently the coordination of the COVID-19 Oxygen Emergency Taskforce.

Vaccine Equity Initiative [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 10 Jul 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 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News and reports
Opinion
Author – Beth Thompson
To avoid the next pandemic we must invest in global solutions
9 July 2021

The Wistar Institute [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News
Global Public Health Leaders Warn about Political Leadership that Harms
Jul 7, 2021
[See COVID above for detail]

World Bank [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
Responding to COVID-19 Across the Horn of Africa
In the Horn of Africa, conflicts and famine have triggered the displacement of millions of people within countries and across borders. Today, there are more than 2.7 million refugees and over six million…
Date: July 07, 2021 Type: Feature Story

Sri Lanka Gets First Batch of World Bank-financed COVID-19 Vaccines
COLOMBO, July 5, 2021—A consignment of Pfizer vaccines today arrived in Colombo, the first batch of 800,000 doses to be delivered in the next few weeks. A total of five million vaccines financed through…
Date: July 05, 2021 Type: Press Release

World Customs Organization – WCO [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.wcoomd.org/
Latest News – Selected Items
No new digest content identified.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2021/
Press Releases, Statements
Statements
Countries must prioritise veterinarian access to COVID-19 vaccines
9 July 2021
[See COVID above for detail]

Expert’s voice
Supporting countries to better prepare and respond to zoonotic diseases: reflection from the Tripartite
6 July 2021
Technical officers from the Tripartite Organizations: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO), discuss zoonotic diseases (those that can pass between humans and animals) and how to support countries with their disease control and prevention interventions…

WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
DG Okonjo-Iweala highlights vital role of trade for global food security
6 July 2021
Addressing the Global Dialogue on Trade, a 6 July event organized by the WTO Secretariat in collaboration with the United Nations Food Systems Summit, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala underlined the growing importance of international trade in building the food systems needed for the 21st century.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 10 Jul 2021]
Press Releases – Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (alliancerm.org)
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

BIO [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.

ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.

IFPMA [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
Global regulators and coalition of pharma and vaccine manufacturing associations come together to discuss COVID-19
06 July 2021
On 7 July 2021, the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) is hosting a (virtual) workshop titled ‘Enabling Manufacturing Capacity in the COVID-19 Pandemic’ [link] with representatives from the leading association bodies representing biotech firms, developing and industrialized countries vaccine manufacturers, as well as innovative biopharmaceutical, generic and biosimilar companies.
This first workshop with ICMRA members is an opportunity for the biopharmaceutical and vaccines industry to discuss and harmonize the regulatory strategies, approaches and tools that can enable pharmaceutical product manufacturers to increase manufacturing capacity even more rapidly for the production of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics to meet global demand. It will also focus on the considerable ongoing efforts already underway since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic to avoid or mitigate shortages of vaccines and therapeutics for non-COVID-19-related products…

International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – IAPO [to 10 Jul 2021]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
No new digest content identified.

PhRMA [to 10 Jul 2021]
http://www.phrma.org/
Latest News [Selected]
Data shows COVID-19 vaccines are creating a pathway to a strong U.S. recovery
July 2, 2021
The successful development and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines have given newfound hope in the U.S. that the pandemic may be waning.
Blog Post

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

AJOB Empirical Bioethics
Volume 12, 2020 Issue 3
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/uabr21/current

Article
Deliberations with American Indian and Alaska Native People about the Ethics of Genomics: An Adapted Model of Deliberation Used with Three Tribal Communities in the United States
Erika Blacksher, Vanessa Y. Hiratsuka, Jessica W. Blanchard, Justin R. Lund, Justin Reedy, Julie A. Beans, Bobby Saunkeah, Micheal Peercy, Christie Byars, Joseph Yracheta, Krystal S. Tsosie, Marcia O’Leary, Guthrie Ducheneaux & Paul G. Spicer
Pages: 164-178
Published online: 14 Jun 2021

AMA Journal of Ethics
Volume 23, Number 6: E435-504 June 2021
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/issue/transgenerational-trauma

Transgenerational Trauma
One thing that makes trauma transgenerational is narrative. Narrative, for example, is what makes a Confederate flag from 1865 flint for insurrection in 2021. Consequences of global and domestic insults, such as slavery and forced migration, have long ramified intergenerationally in communities, families, and individuals’ bodies. Legacies of trauma travel in stories across places and over time, and their effects include health status inequity and cumulative stress embodiment. Transmission of historically entrenched patterns of oppression also influence persons’ lived experiences of marginalization, convey health risk, and can play out during clinical encounters.

Artificial Intelligence – An International Journal
Volume 296 July 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/artificial-intelligence/vol/296/suppl/C

Research article Abstract only
What do we want from Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)? – A stakeholder perspective on XAI and a conceptual model guiding interdisciplinary XAI research
Markus Langer, Daniel Oster, Timo Speith, Holger Hermanns, … Kevin Baum
Article 103473

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 10 Jul 2021)

A realist systematic review of evidence from low- and middle-income countries of interventions to improve immunization data use
The use of routine immunization data by health care professionals in low- and middle-income countries remains an underutilized resource in decision-making. Despite the significant resources invested in develop…
Authors: Allison L. Osterman, Jessica C. Shearer and Nicole A. Salisbury
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2021 21:672
Content type: Research
Published on: 8 July 2021

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 10 Jul 2021)

The burden of hand, foot, and mouth disease among children under different vaccination scenarios in China: a dynamic modelling study
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common illness in young children. A monovalent vaccine has been developed in China protecting against enterovirus-71, bivalent vaccines preventing HFMD caused by two v…
Authors: Zhixi Liu, Jie Tian, Yue Wang, Yixuan Li, Jing Liu-Helmersson, Sharmistha Mishra, Abram L. Wagner, Yihan Lu and Weibing Wang
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2021 21:650
Content type: Research
Published on: 5 July 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 10 Jul 2021)

Effectiveness of a community-level social mobilization intervention in achieving the outcomes of polio vaccination campaigns during the post-polio-endemic period: Evidence from CORE Group polio project in Uttar Pradesh, India
A social mobilization (SM) initiative contributed to India’s success in polio elimination. This was the CORE Group Polio Project (CGPP) India, a partner of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) SM Network and which continued…
Authors: Manojkumar Choudhary, Roma Solomon, Jitendra Awale, Rina Dey, Jagajeet Prasad Singh and William Weiss
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:1371
Content type: Research article
Published on: 10 July 2021

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 10 Jul 2021)

The characteristics and trend of adverse events following immunization reported by information system in Jiangsu province, China, 2015–2018
Adverse events following immunization is an important factor influencing public trust in vaccination. Publicizing its incidence timely can increase public trust. The aim of this study is to describe the incide…
Authors: Ran Hu, Shanshan Peng, Yuanbao Liu, Fengyang Tang, Zhiguo Wang, Lei Zhang, Jun Gao and Hongxiong Guo
Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:1338
Content type: Research
Published on: 7 July 2021

BMJ Open
July 2021 – Volume 11 – 7
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/7

Original research: How do children and adolescents experience healthcare professionals? Scoping review and interpretive synthesis (9 July, 2021)
Gail Davison, Martina Ann Kelly, Richard Conn, Andrew Thompson, Tim Dornan

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 99, Number 7, July 2021, 477-540
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/issues/384766/

Editorials
COVID-19 outbreaks among isolated Amazonian indigenous people, Ecuador
Aquiles R Henriquez-Trujillo, Esteban Ortiz-Prado, Ismar A Rivera-Olivero, Nemonte Nenquimo, Andrés Tapia, Mitchell Anderson, Tannya Lozada, Miguel Angel Garcia-Bereguiain
Bull World Health Organ. 2021 Jul 1; 99(7): 478–478A. Published online 2021 Jul 1. doi: 10.2471/BLT.20.283028
PMCID: PMC8243033

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 99, Number 7, July 2021, 477-540
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/issues/384766/

Vaccine manufacturing capacity in low- and middle-income countries
Mohammed Imran Khan, Aamer Ikram, Hasan Bin Hamza
Bull World Health Organ. 2021 Jul 1; 99(7): 479–479A. Published online 2021 Jul 1. doi: 10.2471/BLT.20.273375
PMCID: PMC8243032

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 99, Number 7, July 2021, 477-540
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/issues/384766/

Perspectives
National focal points and implementation of the International Health Regulations
Kumanan Wilson, Sam Halabi, Helge Hollmeyer, Lawrence O Gostin, David P Fidler, Corinne Packer, Lindsay Wilson, Ronald Labonté
Bull World Health Organ. 2021 Jul 1; 99(7): 536–538. Published online 2021 May 4. doi: 10.2471/BLT.20.270116
PMCID: PMC8243029

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 99, Number 7, July 2021, 477-540
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/issues/384766/

Policy & Practice
Public health challenges and opportunities after COVID-19
Pier Luigi Sacco, Manlio De Domenico
Bull World Health Organ. 2021 Jul 1; 99(7): 529–535. Published online 2021 Apr 29. doi: 10.2471/BLT.20.267757
PMCID: PMC8243030

Cell
Jul 08, 2021 Volume 184 Issue 14 p3591-3842
https://www.cell.com/cell/current

Articles
Human population history at the crossroads of East and Southeast Asia since 11,000 years ago
Tianyi Wang, et al.
Genome-wide analysis of 31 ancient individuals from southern China (Guangxi and Fujian) reveals human population history at the crossroads of East and Southeast Asia from 500–11,000 years ago.
Highlights
Guangxi region in southern China had distinct East Asian ancestry 11 kya not found today
At least three distinct ancestries were in southern China and SE Asia prior to 10 kya
Three admixed ancestries were present in pre-agricultural Guangxi 9–6 kya
Tai-Kadai- and Hmong-Mien-related ancestry present in Guangxi by 1.5–0.5 kya

Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Volume 110, Issue 1 Pages: 1-262 July 2021
https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15326535/current

Perspectives
Open Access
Increasing Use of Compassionate Use/Managed Access Channels to Obtain Medicines for Use in COVID-19
Paul Aliu, Séverine Sarp, Paige Fitzsimmons
Pages: 26-28
First Published:16 December 2020

Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Volume 110, Issue 1 Pages: 1-262 July 2021
https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15326535/current

Reviews
White Paper
Open Access
Optimizing Pharmacology Studies in Pregnant and Lactating Women Using Lessons From HIV: A Consensus Statement
Ahizechukwu C. Eke, Adeniyi Olagunju, Jeremiah Momper, Martina Penazzato, Elaine J. Abrams, Brookie M. Best, Edmund V. Capparelli, Adrie Bekker, Yodit Belew, Jennifer J. Kiser, Kimberly Struble, Graham Taylor, Catriona Waitt, Mark Mirochnick, Tim R. Cressey, Angela Colbers, on behalf of the participants of the WHO-IMPAACT workshop on “Approaches to Optimize and Accelerate Pharmacokinetic Studies in Pregnant and Lactating Women”
Pages: 36-48
First Published:15 September 2020

Contemporary Clinical Trials
Volume 106 July 2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/contemporary-clinical-trials/vol/106/suppl/C

Research article Open access
Demographic diversity of participants in Pfizer sponsored clinical trials in the United States
Melinda Rottas, Peter Thadeio, Rachel Simons, Raven Houck, … Rod MacKenzie
Article 106421 melinda.m.rottas@pfizer.com

Highlights
• Limited data have previously been reported regarding clinical trial diversity from drug sponsors.
• Race, ethnicity, gender, and age data for participants in Pfizer US trials initiated between 2011 and 2020 are summarized.
• The results establish a baseline of clinical trial diversity to measure improvement over time.
• Future analyses will allow exploration of factors leading to and arising from disparities in clinical trial participation.
Abstract
The approval of new medicinal agents requires robust efficacy and safety clinical trial data demonstrated to be applicable to population subgroups. Limited data have previously been reported by drug sponsors on the topic of clinical trial diversity. In order to establish a baseline of diversity in our clinical trials that can be used by us and other sponsors, an analysis of clinical trial diversity was conducted covering race, ethnicity, sex, and age. This analysis includes Pfizer interventional clinical trials that initiated enrollment between 2011 through 2020. The data set comprises 213 trials with 103,103 US participants. The analysis demonstrated that overall trial participation of Black or African American individuals was at the US census level (14.3% vs 13.4%), participation of Hispanic or Latino individuals was below US census (15.9% vs 18.5%), and female participation was at US census (51.1% vs 50.8%). The analysis also examined the percentage of trials that achieved racial and ethnic distribution levels at or above census levels. Participant levels above census were achieved in 56.1% of Pfizer trials for Black or African American participants, 51.4% of trials for White participants, 16.0% of trials for Asian participants, 14.2% of trials for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander participants, 8.5% of trials for American Indian and Alaska Native participants, and 52.3% of trials for Hispanic or Latino participants. The results presented here provide a baseline upon which we can quantify the impact of our ongoing efforts to improve racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials.

The European Journal of Public Health
SUPPLEMENT – Volume 31, Issue Supplement_1, July 2021
https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/issue/31/Supplement_1

Supplement: E-Mental-Health: Exploring the Evidence Base and Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Internet-Based Interventions for the Prevention of Mental Health Conditions
Mental illness represents an enormous personal, social and societal burden for European citizens1 calling for the need to expand existing models of mental healthcare delivery. In Europe, the Internet is a key source of health information,2 and technology-enhanced (psychological) interventions such as Internet- and mobile-delivered applications (‘eHealth’3 and ‘m-Health’4) have become increasingly popular and studied. There is already strong evidence of the efficacy of online interventions for the prevention and treatment of several psychological disorders5,6 and meta-analyses show effect sizes similar to face-to-face interventions.7

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 10 Jul 2021]

From Ebola to COVID-19: emergency preparedness and response plans and actions in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Akin Abayomi, Mobolanle R. Balogun, Munir Bankole, Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas, Bamidele Mutiu, John Olawepo, Morakinyo Senjobi, Oluwakemi Odukoya, Lanre Aladetuyi, Chioma Ejekam, Akinsanya Folarin, Madonna Emmanuel, Funke Amodu, Adesoji Ologun, Abosede Olusanya, Moses Bakare…
Content type: Commentary
9 July 2021

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 10 Jul 2021]

Defending access to medicines in regional trade agreements: lessons from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership – a qualitative study of policy actors’ views
Authors: Belinda Townsend
Content type: Research
8 July 2021

Health Affairs
Vol. 40, No. 7 July 2021
https://www.healthaffairs.org/toc/hlthaff/current

July 2021 | Borders, Immigrants & Health
About one in seven residents of the US is an immigrant, and about fifteen million people live within 100 kilometers of the US-Mexico border. Disparities in health status exist between people born in the US and those who have immigrated. Immigration policy has been contentious throughout US history, and current policies in the US and Mexico have significant effects on the health and well-being of tens of millions of people. This thematic issue of Health Affairs focuses on immigrants and borders. The overview article by Arturo Vargas Bustamante and coauthors describes a range of health policy issues raised by the continuously shifting demography of US immigrants.

Humanitarian Exchange Magazine
Number 79, May 2021
https://odihpn.org/magazine/inclusion-of-persons-with-disabilities-in-humanitarian-action-what-now/

Localisation and local humanitarian action
by HPN October 2020
The theme of this edition of Humanitarian Exchange is localisation+ and local humanitarian action. Five years ago this week, donors, United Nations (UN) agencies,  non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) committed within the Grand Bargain to increase multi-year investments in the institutional capacities of local and national responders, and to provide at least 25% of humanitarian funding to them as directly as possible. Since then, there is increasing consensus at policy and normative level, underscored by the Covid-19 pandemic, that local leadership should be supported.  Localisation has gone from a fringe conversation among policy-makers and aid agencies in 2016 to a formal priority under the Grand Bargain. Wider global movements on anti-racism and decolonisation have also brought new momentum to critical reflections on where power, knowledge and capacity reside in the humanitarian system. Yet progress has been slow and major gaps remain between the rhetoric around humanitarian partnerships, funding and coordination and practices on the ground.

Infectious Diseases of Poverty
http://www.idpjournal.com/content
[Accessed 10 Jul 2021]

Safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Various modalities of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), based on different platforms and immunization procedures, have been successively approved for marketing worldwide. A comprehensive re…
Authors: Musha Chen, Yue Yuan, Yiguo Zhou, Zhaomin Deng, Jin Zhao, Fengling Feng, Huachun Zou and Caijun Sun
Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2021 10:94
Content type: Scoping Review
Published on: 5 July 2021

International Health
Volume 13, Issue 4, July 2021
https://academic.oup.com/inthealth/issue/13/4

COMMENTARIES
Research ethics during a pandemic (COVID-19)
Kheng-Wei Yeoh, Ketan Shah
The current pandemic with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a major global health crisis.1 This has put tremendous strain on healthcare systems around the world and naturally raises issues concerning the allocation of scarce resources. It presents a clear and urgent need for research into management of the disease in individuals and of the epidemic in populations. Addressing this need around the world raises practical and ethical issues for the scientific research…

International Human Rights Law Review
Volume 10 (2021): Issue 1 (Jun 2021)
https://brill.com/view/journals/hrlr/10/1/hrlr.10.issue-1.xml

Full Access
Statement on Universal Affordable Vaccination against Coronavirus Disease covid-19, International Cooperation and Intellectual Property
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Pages: 180–187
Online Publication Date: 31 May 2021
Abstract
Access to a vaccine against coronavirus disease (covid-19) that is safe, effective and based on the best scientific developments is an essential component of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the right of everyone to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications. States therefore have an obligation to take all the necessary measures, as a matter of priority and to the maximum of their available resources, to guarantee all persons access to vaccines against covid-19, without any discrimination. This statement builds on the previous statements of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 6 April 2020 on the coronavirus disease (covid-19) pandemic and economic, social and cultural rights (E/C.12/2020/1) and of 27 November 2020 on universal and equitable access to vaccines for the coronavirus disease (covid-19) (E/C.12/2020/2). It is intended to remind States of their obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in relation to universal access and affordability of vaccines against covid-19, particularly with regard to international cooperation and intellectual property

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health
Vol 8, No 5 (2021) May 2021
https://www.ijcmph.com/index.php/ijcmph/issue/view/76

Data Resource Profiles
Data Resource Profile: The Copenhagen Hospital Biobank (CHB)
Erik Sørensen, Lene Christiansen, Bartlomiej Wilkowski, Margit H Larsen, Kristoffer S Burgdorf …
International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 50, Issue 3, June 2021, Pages 719–720e, https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaa157
lene.christiansen.02@regionh.dk
Extract
Every year thousands of blood samples are drawn from patients admitted to Danish hospitals for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Traditionally, the leftover blood will be discarded after the required laboratory analyses are completed. However, such residual blood samples can be highly valuable for biomedical research, given the vast amount of clinical information these samples are often accompanied by—directly from the electronic patient record or through linkage to medical registers. To this end the Copenhagen Hospital Biobank (CHB) was established, with the overall aim to facilitate research in health and disease by enabling researchers’ access to a large resource of well-defined patient samples.

JAMA
July 6, 2021, Vol 326, No. 1, Pages 11-96
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Original Investigation
Effect of 2 Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines on Symptomatic COVID-19 Infection in AdultsA Randomized Clinical Trial
Nawal Al Kaabi, MBBS; Yuntao Zhang, PhD; Shengli Xia, BSc; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2021;326(1):35-45. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.8565
This interim analysis of an ongoing randomized trial evaluates the efficacy of 2 inactivated coronavirus vaccines for preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in healthy adults and adverse events after immunization.

JAMA
July 6, 2021, Vol 326, No. 1, Pages 11-96
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Effect of Bamlanivimab vs Placebo on Incidence of COVID-19 Among Residents and Staff of Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living FacilitiesA Randomized Clinical Trial
Myron S. Cohen, MD; Ajay Nirula, MD, PhD; Mark J. Mulligan, MD; et al.
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2021;326(1):46-55. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.8828
This randomized clinical trial assesses the effect of a single intravenous infusion of bamlanivimab vs placebo on incidence of COVID-19 among residents and staff of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.

JAMA
July 6, 2021, Vol 326, No. 1, Pages 11-96
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Viewpoint
COVID-19 Vaccination of Health Care Personnel as a Condition of EmploymentA Logical Addition to Institutional Safety Programs
Thomas R. Talbot, MD, MPH
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2021;326(1):23-24. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.8901
This Viewpoint uses requirements for health care worker (HCW) influenza vaccination as a condition of employment to consider whether HCW COVID-19 vaccination should be mandated as a component of patient and health care safety.

JAMA
July 6, 2021, Vol 326, No. 1, Pages 11-96
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/currentissue

Mandatory SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations in K-12 Schools, Colleges/Universities, and Businesses
Lawrence O. Gostin, JD; Jana Shaw, MD, MPH; Daniel A. Salmon, PhD, MPH
free access has active quiz
JAMA. 2021;326(1):25-26. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.9342
This Viewpoint examines the epidemiologic, public health, and legal considerations for mandatory SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations in primary and secondary schools, colleges/universities, and businesses in the US.

JAMA Network
COVID-19 Update July 10, 2021

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

Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved (JHCPU)
Volume 32, Number 2, May 2021 Supplement
https://muse.jhu.edu/issue/44396

Table of Contents
Overview of the Issue
Kevin B. Johnson, Tiffani J. Bright, Cheryl R. Clark
…The importance of techquity—defined as the strategic development and deployment of technology in health care and health to advance health equity—was even more apparent after the events of 2020. COVID-19 upended access to care and illuminated the impact of structural racism as a cause for a widening gap of access during the pandemic. Black Lives Matter became more than a trending hashtag on Twitter, or a movement resulting in peaceful protests and calls for policy reform: it put additional focus on the issue of race as a social and not a biological construct and called into question the rationale for common practices in health care that were triggered by race. A notable example was the emerging realization that kidney function assessment was tied to race and hardwired into many of our electronic health records. The real-world evidence around our lack of techquity was incontrovertible.
This Supplemental Issue of JHCPU provides articles that describe challenges to techquity, frameworks to improve the role of technology in care, and examples of how technology can transform health, public health, and health care…

Journal of Travel Medicine
Volume 28, Issue 5, July 2021
https://academic.oup.com/jtm/issue

Review
Editor’s Choice
Non-human primate and human malaria: past, present and future
Spinello Antinori, MD, Cecilia Bonazzetti, MD, Andrea Giacomelli, MD, Mario Corbellino, MD, Massimo Galli, MD …

Journal of Travel Medicine
Volume 28, Issue 5, July 2021
https://academic.oup.com/jtm/issue

Original Articles
Trends of the global, regional and national incidence of malaria in 204 countries from 1990 to 2019 and implications for malaria prevention
Qiao Liu, MD, Wenzhan Jing, PhD Candidate, Liangyu Kang, MD, Jue Liu, Min Liu

Journal of Travel Medicine
Volume 28, Issue 5, July 2021
https://academic.oup.com/jtm/issue

Efficacy of one-dose intramuscular rabies vaccine as pre-exposure prophylaxis in travellers
Deborah J Mills, MBBS, Colleen L Lau, MBBS, Christine Mills, BSc, Luis Furuya-Kanamori, PhD

The Lancet
Jul 10, 2021 Volume 398 Number 10295 p93-184
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Editorial
COVID-19 in Latin America—emergency and opportunity
The Lancet
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 25% of recent global infections occurring in the region. Of the top ten countries with the highest death rate globally, eight are from LAC. The deaths from COVID-19 in the region stand at nearly 1.3 million people, but the pandemic will continue to drive excess mortality because of disrupted health services, economic instability, and deepening of existing inequalities. In addition, countries with high levels of infection can result in the emergence of more transmissible and vaccine-resistant variants. The region has not garnered global attention and now it faces new challenges that will likely worsen the situation and pose a threat to the rest of the world.

The relentlessness of the pandemic is exhausting public health interventions to contain viral spread in LAC countries, which are highly populated and have informal economies. Despite the persistent political instability in the region, the pandemic has further increased the frustration over entrenched inequities and corruption, and countries such as Peru and Brazil are currently facing civil unrest. There is distrust in governments, and more alarmingly, a widespread absence of social cohesion in the region, which hampers compliance to public health measures. Concomitantly, several variants are spreading in the region. The well known variant of concern, gamma (P.1), initially found in Brazil, has now spread to neighbouring countries and has become dominant in Uruguay. Lambda (C.37), first detected in Peru and currently considered a variant of interest, now makes up 80% of infections in Peru. More worryingly, the highly transmissible delta (B.1.617.2) variant now spreading in Europe has also been detected in at least 16 countries in LAC and there is already community transmission.

Mass vaccination is urgently required. However, only 11% of the entire population of LAC have been fully vaccinated, and although Chile has achieved a vaccination rate of more than 65%, in other countries such as Honduras and Guatemala it is less than 1%. LAC has an impressive track record in existing vaccination programmes, with low vaccine hesitancy. The bottleneck with the COVID-19 vaccine is a major limiting factor. Confronted with the global shortage, individual countries have little influence or will to secure vaccines. Less wealthy countries such as Colombia and Paraguay are relying on COVAX. But vaccine delivery to LAC is too slow to control the high infection and death rates. Regardless, COVAX distributes doses until all countries reach a 20% vaccination rate, independent of their existing epidemiology. There are also bilateral donations, but mostly driven by geopolitical motivations. Vaccines should be prioritised for the most affected countries with lower vaccination rates in LAC.

Presently, LAC urgently needs the global community to help control the pandemic in the region, but that should not stop the region from building internal capacity to manage the pandemic. Expanding local vaccine manufacturing to other countries besides Brazil and replicating COVID-19 vaccine hubs such as the one established by the South Africa consortium supported by WHO would be a start. Genome sequencing, which is essential to monitor the surge and spread of different variants, is scarcely available in the region, but PAHO has set up the COVID-19 Genomic Surveillance Regional Network to strengthen the genome sequencing capacity. According to researchers in the region, recovery and pandemic preparedness requires countries to become more self-sufficient in the production of vaccines, tests, personal protective equipment, and genome sequencing.Given the persistent political instability and poor leadership in some countries in LAC, the region would benefit from non-governmental leadership led by civil-society organisations or professional groups to push for the right to health and hold governments accountable.

Strong collaboration of countries in the region is needed and has failed catastrophically so far. In Oct, 2020, Foreign Affairs Ministers from the region signed a declaration calling for solidarity, multilateralism, and international cooperation, which has yet to be actioned. Prompted by flaws in the pandemic response, the inter-American dialogue, a network of global leaders launched a health task force, which is due to publish a White Paper in July to improve cooperation in future health emergencies in LAC. Region-led initiatives could have the potential for lasting change by developing health programmes and technological infrastructures to increase resilience and equity. The current dire situation in LAC should prompt serious reflection about the failings of regional entities such as PAHO. A much better co-ordinated response across the region is urgently needed.

The Lancet
Jul 10, 2021 Volume 398 Number 10295 p93-184
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Comment
Epidemiology, not geopolitics, should guide COVID-19 vaccine donations
Thomas J Bollyky, Christopher J L Murray, Robert C Reiner Jr

The Lancet
Jul 10, 2021 Volume 398 Number 10295 p93-184
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Report of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response: making COVID-19 the last pandemic
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Helen Clark

The Lancet
Jul 10, 2021 Volume 398 Number 10295 p93-184
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Articles
Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 booster in ChAdOx1-S-primed participants (CombiVacS): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial
Alberto M Borobia, et al. on behalf of the CombiVacS Study Group
Background
To date, no immunological data on COVID-19 heterologous vaccination schedules in humans have been reported. We assessed the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 (Comirnaty, BioNTech, Mainz, Germany) administered as second dose in participants primed with ChAdOx1-S (Vaxzevria, AstraZeneca, Oxford, UK).
Methods
We did a phase 2, open-label, randomised, controlled trial on adults aged 18–60 years, vaccinated with a single dose of ChAdOx1-S 8–12 weeks before screening, and no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Participants were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive either BNT162b2 (0·3 mL) via a single intramuscular injection (intervention group) or continue observation (control group). The primary outcome was 14-day immunogenicity, measured by immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike protein and receptor binding domain (RBD). Antibody functionality was assessed using a pseudovirus neutralisation assay, and cellular immune response using an interferon-γ immunoassay. The safety outcome was 7-day reactogenicity, measured as solicited local and systemic adverse events. The primary analysis included all participants who received at least one dose of BNT162b2 and who had at least one efficacy evaluation after baseline. The safety analysis included all participants who received BNT162b2. This study is registered with EudraCT (2021-001978-37) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04860739), and is ongoing.
Findings
Between April 24 and 30, 2021, 676 individuals were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=450) or control group (n=226) at five university hospitals in Spain (mean age 44 years [SD 9]; 382 [57%] women and 294 [43%] men). 663 (98%) participants (n=441 intervention, n=222 control) completed the study up to day 14. In the intervention group, geometric mean titres of RBD antibodies increased from 71·46 BAU/mL (95% CI 59·84–85·33) at baseline to 7756·68 BAU/mL (7371·53–8161·96) at day 14 (p<0·0001). IgG against trimeric spike protein increased from 98·40 BAU/mL (95% CI 85·69–112·99) to 3684·87 BAU/mL (3429·87–3958·83). The interventional:control ratio was 77·69 (95% CI 59·57–101·32) for RBD protein and 36·41 (29·31–45·23) for trimeric spike protein IgG. Reactions were mild (n=1210 [68%]) or moderate (n=530 [30%]), with injection site pain (n=395 [88%]), induration (n=159 [35%]), headache (n=199 [44%]), and myalgia (n=194 [43%]) the most commonly reported adverse events. No serious adverse events were reported. Interpretation
BNT162b2 given as a second dose in individuals prime vaccinated with ChAdOx1-S induced a robust immune response, with an acceptable and manageable reactogenicity profile.

Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

Human data
Computational social science is a burgeoning field of research that uses analysis of huge data sets to tackle social questions. Digital devices now give real-time access to a wealth of information on our movements, purchases and social interactions online — information that offers unprecedented power to track trends, make predictions and inform decisions. In a special issue this week, Nature probes the possibilities of — and challenges faced by — this growing field. From modelling the dynamics of infectious disease to assessing potential bias in data sets, researchers face huge opportunities to answer key societal questions — as long as they can also maintain the delicate balance of ensuring the quality and privacy of the data being used.

Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

Editorial | 01 July 2021
The powers and perils of using digital data to understand human behaviour
Computational social science is a powerful research tool. But it needs its different disciplines to find a common language.

Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

Perspective | 30 June 2021
Integrating explanation and prediction in computational social science
The combination of computational and social sciences requires the integration of explanatory and predictive approaches into ‘integrative modelling’, according to Hofman and colleagues.
Jake M. Hofman, Duncan J. Watts, Tal Yarkoni

Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

Special: Computational social science
Perspective | 30 June 2021

Meaningful measures of human society in the twenty-first century
Approaches for the management, use and analysis of large-scale behavioural datasets that were not originally intended or created for research are described.
David Lazer, Eszter Hargittai, Jason Radford

Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

\\Special: Computational social science
Perspective | 30 June 2021

Perspective | 30 June 2021
Measuring algorithmically infused societies
This Perspective discusses the challenges for social science practices imposed by the ubiquity of algorithms and large-scale measurement and what should—and should not—be measured in societies pervaded by algorithms.
Claudia Wagner, Markus Strohmaier, Tina Eliassi-Rad

Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.

Special: Computational social science
Perspective | 30 June 2021

Perspective | 30 June 2021
Thinking clearly about social aspects of infectious disease transmission
The use of new datastreams and local knowledge to shed light on social aspects of disease transmission will allow more accurate modelling and prediction of epidemics.
Caroline Buckee, Abdisalan Noor, Lisa Sattenspiel

Nature
Volume 595 Issue 7866, 8 July 2021
https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/595/issues/7866

Special: Computational social science
Perspective | 30 June 2021

Perspective | 30 June 2021
Human social sensing is an untapped resource for computational social science
The ability of people to understand the thoughts and actions of others—known as social sensing—can be combined with computational social science to advance research into human sociality.
Mirta Galesic, Wändi Bruine de Bruin, Tamara van der Does

New England Journal of Medicine
July 8, 2021 Vol. 385 No. 2
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Perspective
Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in BIPOC Communities — Toward Trustworthiness, Partnership, and Reciprocity S.C. Quinn and M.P. Andrasik

New England Journal of Medicine
July 8, 2021 Vol. 385 No. 2
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Beyond the First Dose — Covid-19 Vaccine Follow-through and Continued Protective Measures J.L. Goldfarb, S. Kreps, J.S. Brownstein, and D.L. Kriner

New England Journal of Medicine
July 8, 2021 Vol. 385 No. 2
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Special Report
SARS-CoV-2 Variants and VaccinesP.R. Krause and Others
Abstract
Viral variants of concern may emerge with dangerous resistance to the immunity generated by the current vaccines to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Moreover, if some variants of concern have increased transmissibility or virulence, the importance of efficient public health measures and vaccination programs will increase. The global response must be both timely and science based.