Announcements

 
Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group    [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
BMGF – Gates Foundation  [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
FEBRUARY 24, 2020
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Commits $10 Million to Support Global Response on East Africa Locust Invasion
SEATTLE February 24, 2020 – The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced today that it is contributing $10 million to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to support its work with governments in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, to combat a locust infestation in East Africa that is posing a significant threat to food production and livelihoods in the region. The foundation is joining several other donors in responding to FAO’s urgent appeal to contain the crisis.
 
 
Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute    [to 29 Feb 2020]
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 29 Feb 2020]
https://carb-x.org/
CARB-X is a non-profit public-private partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research to tackle the global rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria.
02.25.2020  |
CARB-X funds Peptilogics to develop a new class of antibiotics to treat serious superbug infections associated with implants
CARB-X is awarding Peptilogics, headquartered in Pittsburgh, USA, up to US$2.56 million in non-dilutive funding to develop a new class of peptide antibiotics with broad activity against drug-resistant bacteria.  The company could receive up to $9.61 million more in additional funding if the project achieves certain development milestones, for a potential total of up to $12.17 million.
 
 
CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations  [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://cepi.net/
News
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI)  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://clintonhealthaccess.org/
News & Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
EDCTP    [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
Latest news
No new digest content identified.
 
 
 
Emory Vaccine Center    [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
European Medicines Agency  [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases
News: Meeting highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) 24-27 February 2020
CHMP, Last updated: 28/02/2020
 
 
European Vaccine Initiative  [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
No new digest content identified.

FDA [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
Press Announcements
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Issues New Policy to Help Expedite Availability of Diagnostics
Feb 29, 2020, 10:33 ET
…The new policy is for certain laboratories that develop and begin to use validated COVID-19 diagnostics before the FDA has completed review of their Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) requests. The FDA can issue an EUA to permit the use, based on scientific data, of certain medical products that may be effective in diagnosing, treating or preventing a disease or condition when there is a determination, by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), that there is a public health emergency or a significant potential for a public health emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of U.S. citizens, and a declaration that circumstances exist justifying the medical products’ emergency use.
On Feb. 4, 2020, the Secretary of HHS determined that there is a public health emergency and that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of the COVID-19 outbreak. Rapid detection of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. requires wide availability of diagnostic testing to control the emergence of a rapidly spreading, severe illness. The FDA has authorized one EUA for COVID-19 that is in use by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and some public health labs    across the country.
The guidance issued today describes a policy enabling laboratories to immediately use tests they developed and validated in order to achieve more rapid testing capacity in the U.S…
 
 
February 27, 2020 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Supply Chain Update
…Since January 24, the FDA has been in touch with more than 180 manufacturers of human drugs, not only to remind them of applicable legal requirements for notifying the FDA of any anticipated supply disruptions, but also asking them to evaluate their entire supply chain, including active pharmaceutical ingredients (the main ingredient in the drug and part that produces the intended effects, e.g., acetaminophen) and other components manufactured in China.
Also, as part of our efforts, the FDA has identified about 20 other drugs, which solely source their active pharmaceutical ingredients or finished drug products from China. We have been in contact with those firms to assess whether they face any drug shortage risks due to the outbreak. None of these firms have reported any shortage to date. Also, these drugs are considered non-critical drugs.
We will remain in contact with manufacturers so that we can continue to assist them with any potential issues in the fastest way…
 
 
February 24, 2020 – Coronavirus Update: FDA steps to ensure quality of foreign products
 
 
Fondation Merieux  [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
Mérieux Foundation co-organized event
5th Meeting of the GTFCC Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Working Group
March 3 – 4, 2020 –   Dar es Salam (Tanzania)
 
 
Gavi [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.gavi.org/
25 February 2020
DRC: vaccination sessions increase by 50% in vulnerable provinces since 2018
:: In the nine provinces where half of all the DRC’s under-immunised children live, there are now 24,000 routine vaccination sessions per month
:: New technology enabling health workers to monitor key indicators in real time has contributed to the dramatic increase
:: Progress comes at a time when the country is battling outbreaks of Ebola, measles and cholera, among other diseases
 
 
GHIT Fund   [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 2012 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that No new digest content identified.
 
 
Global Fund  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
Updates
Search for Independent Board Committee Members
26 February 2020
The Global Fund Board is looking for three independent experts to serve as non-voting members of Global Fund Board standing committees for 2020-2022. Financial audit, forensics investigations and ethics experts are invited to submit applications to serve on the Audit and Finance Committee and the Ethics and Governance Committee. The application deadline is 27 March 2020.
 
 
Updates
Search for Chief Financial Officer and Head of Health Finance
25 February 2020
 
 
Hilleman Laboratories   [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Human Vaccines Project   [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IAVI  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
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
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
06 Feb 2020
IFFIm Vaccine Bond issuance named 2019 “Deal of the Year” by mtn-i
London, 6 February 2020 — IFFIm, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB) and the Toronto-Dominion Bank have been awarded SRI “Deal of the Year” by news, data and analytics publisher mtn-i for a July 2019 Vaccine Bond issuance that raised funding to research and develop new vaccines.
The award was given in the SRI: Green/Social category for IFFIm’s July 2019 issuance that raised 600 million Norwegian krone (US$ 65 million) for CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. CEPI is a public private initiative that accelerates development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and enables equitable access to these vaccines during outbreaks. These bonds provided immediate funding to combat diseases like MERS, Nipah virus and Lassa fever.
The transaction allowed Norway to accelerate its multi-year pledge to CEPI by leveraging IFFIm’s access to the capital markets. Norway is a donor to IFFIm, Gavi and CEPI…
 
 
IFRC   [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
DPRK
Red Cross granted exemption from UN sanctions to provide humanitarian aid in DPRK
Pyongyang/Kuala Lumpur/Geneva, 24 February 2020 – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socieities (IFRC) has been granted an exemption to United Nations sanctions, imposed on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 (2006) and subsequent resolutions, allowing for the provision of life-saving support to protect people from the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.
The potential for an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea poses a threat to millions of people who are already in need of humanitarian assistance.
Xavier Castellanos, IFRC’s Asia Pacific Regional Director said: “We know that there is urgent need of personal protective gear and testing kits, items vital to prepare for a possible outbreak. This exemption is a life-saving intervention and an important measure to ensure that sanctions do not bear a negative impact on the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”
 
 
IVAC  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IVI   [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News & Announcements
Korea should join efforts in vaccine development to prevent pandemics
by Jerome H. Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)
Feb 26,2020
Originally published in the JoongAng Ilbo (Korean language) and Korea JoongAng Daily (English language)
 
 
JEE Alliance  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières  [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Syria
MSF to scale up response in Idlib, Syria as tensions reach a new peak
Statement 28 Feb 2020

Mediterranean migration
Ocean Viking arbitrarily quarantined by Italian authorities over COVID…
Project Update 28 Feb 2020
As Italy was hit by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak late last week, the Ocean Viking, the search and rescue ship operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and SOS MEDITERRANEE, was put under quarantine following the disembarkation of 276 people rescued at sea in the prior days.
The Ocean Viking has complied with all measures and has now been anchored off Sicily for five days. It is increasingly clear that quarantine restrictions are being discriminatorily applied only to search and rescue vessels.
“Quarantining the Ocean Viking is equivalent to stopping an ambulance in the middle of an emergency,” said Michael Fark, MSF head of mission for Search and Rescue. “This is a discriminatory action – the only vessels that have been put into quarantine are those conducting rescues.”
In the past 48 hours we have had reports of boats in distress in the central Mediterranean. We are deeply worried about the fate of people travelling in them…
 
 
National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
NVAC 2020 Meetings
June 9-10, 2020 NVAC Meeting
September 23-24, 2020 Meeting (Virtual)
 
 
NIH  [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
Selected News Releases
COVID-19 a Reminder of the Challenge of Emerging Infectious Diseases
February 28, 2020 — The respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus poses complex challenges to the global public health, research and medical communities.

NIH announces $1 million prize competition to target global disease diagnostics
February 26, 2020 — Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to offer supplementary support for designs that can be developed into products on a rapid timeframe.

NIH clinical trial of remdesivir to treat COVID-19 begins
February 25, 2020 — Study enrolling hospitalized adults with COVID-19 in Nebraska.

A randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the investigational antiviral remdesivir in hospitalized adults diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has begun at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha. The trial regulatory sponsor is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. This is the first clinical trial in the United States to evaluate an experimental treatment for COVID-19, the respiratory disease first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China…
 
 
PATH  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Selected Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Sabin Vaccine Institute  [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
Sabin Vaccine Institute Launches Vaccine Acceptance and Demand Program — Now recruiting for a number of positions: 
Senior Manager, Vaccine Acceptance
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand  Location: Washington, DC
Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand
Reports to: President, Global Immunization   Location: Washington, DC
Senior Manager, Social Media Research
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand   Location: Washington, DC
Senior Manager, Immunization Advocates
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand   Location: Washington, DC
 
 
UNAIDS [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
March 1, 2020
ZERO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS
On Zero Discrimination Day this year, UNAIDS is challenging the discrimination faced by women and girls in all their diversity and raising awareness and mobilizing action to promote equality and empowerment for women and girls.

24 February 2020
Investing in HIV really does pay off

UNICEF  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press release
Statement
UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore: Briefing to the Security Council on the situation for children in Syria
This is a summary of what was said by Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s Security Council briefing at United Nations in New York
27/02/2020

Statement
Remarks by Afshan Khan, UNICEF Regional Director, On behalf of Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director
Human Rights Council Panel Geneva, Switzerland February 24, 2020  [Children’s rights are human rights]
25/02/2020
 
 
Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN)  [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
Announcements
Sabin Vaccine Institute Launches Vaccine Acceptance and Demand Program — Now recruiting for a number of positions: 
Senior Manager, Vaccine Acceptance
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand  Location: Washington, DC
Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand
Reports to: President, Global Immunization   Location: Washington, DC
Senior Manager, Social Media Research
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand   Location: Washington, DC
Senior Manager, Immunization Advocates
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand   Location: Washington, DC
Sabin Vaccine Institute Launches Vaccine Acceptance and Demand Program — Now recruiting for a number of positions: 
Senior Manager, Vaccine Acceptance
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand Location: Washington, DC
Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand
Reports to: President, Global Immunization Location: Washington, DC
Senior Manager, Social Media Research
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand Location: Washington, DC
Senior Manager, Immunization Advocates
Reports to: Vice President, Vaccine Acceptance and Demand Location: Washington, DC
 
 
Vaccine Confidence Project [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
Latest News & Archive
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
Newsletter February 2020
Announcements: Updated Q&A sheets, new videos, and Dr. Offit interview
 
 
Wellcome Trust [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Opinion | 27 February 2020
Global institutions must act urgently and decisively to tackle COVID-19
Jeremy Farrar, Director Wellcome Trust
The COVID-19 outbreak is not just a public health crisis, it’s rapidly becoming a global crisis – of health, economics and politics.
[See Emergencies above]
 
 
The Wistar Institute [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2020/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
BIO [to 29 Feb 2020]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases
BIO Asia Conference in Tokyo Cancelled Amid
COVID-19 Outbreak
Washington, DC – February 21, 2020 – The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) announced today, it is canceling the annual BIO Asia conference in Tokyo scheduled for March 10-11. The decision was based on the global impact of COVID-19 and Japanese government recommendations.
“Our attendees’ health and safety are our utmost priority,” said Jim Greenwood, BIO President & CEO. “We offer our support and sympathy to all of those who’ve been impacted by the virus around the world.”…
 
 
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News
Mini E-workshop on Vaccine Safety monitoring and Pharmacovigilance tools
16 March 2020 to 18 March 2020 / International (Webex)
 
 
IFPMA [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
No new digest content identified.
 
 
PhRMA [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
Rare Disease Day 2020: Progress toward cures
Richard Moscicki, M.D.   |     February 24, 2020
Stephen J. Ubl   |     February 20, 2020
Today kicks off Rare Disease Week, an annual opportunity to celebrate the incredible progress that has been made to treat rare diseases and reflect on the need for continued research and development (R&D) to address unmet medical needs. While categorized as rare, 30 million Americans, or 10% of the population, are still impacted by one of 7,000 rare diseases.
Conquering rare diseases presents a unique scientific challenge for researchers and requires collaboration among stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Although advances in pediatric research have improved the lives of infants, children, adolescents and society at large, tremendous unmet needs remain. Currently just 5% of rare diseases, including those that impact children, have an available treatment option. America’s biopharmaceutical companies have more than 560 medicines in development for rare diseases and more that 770 medicines have been approved to treat rare diseases over the past 35 years. Last year, America’s biopharmaceutical companies made significant progress toward this commitment with 21 novel medicines approved to treat rare diseases…

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

Artificial Intelligence – An International Journal
Volume 281 April 2020
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/artificial-intelligence/vol/281/suppl/C

Research article Abstract only
Ethical approaches and autonomous systems
T.J.M. Bench-Capon
Article 103239
Abstract
In this paper we consider how the three main approaches to ethics – deontology, consequentialism and virtue ethics – relate to the implementation of ethical agents. We provide a description of each approach and how agents might be implemented by designers following the different approaches. Although there are numerous examples of agents implemented within the consequentialist and deontological approaches, this is not so for virtue ethics. We therefore propose a novel means of implementing agents within the virtue ethics approach. It is seen that each approach has its own particular strengths and weaknesses when considered as the basis for implementing ethical agents, and that the different approaches are appropriate to different kinds of system.

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 29 Feb 2020)

Can the prophylactic quadrivalent HPV vaccine be used as a therapeutic agent in women with CIN? A randomized trial
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most significant risk factors for cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine has a very significant impact on the incidence of cervical cancer. The present study aimed to investi…
Authors: Mojgan Karimi-Zarchi, Leila Allahqoli, Ameneh Nehmati, Abolfazl Mehdizadeh Kashi, Shokouh Taghipour-Zahir and Ibrahim Alkatout
Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:274
Content type: Research article
Published on: 27 February 2020

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 29 Feb 2020)

Impact of mother’s education on full immunization of children aged 12–23 months in Eritrea: population and health survey 2010 data analysis
Although vaccination coverage in Eritrea has improved in recent years, some children are still missing out, and it’s important to identify risk factors for lower coverage in order to target campaigns and inter…

Authors: Fitsum Kibreab, Sonia Lewycka and Andebrhan Tewelde
Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:267
Content type: Research article
Published on: 22 February 2020

The CRISPR Journal
Volume 3, Issue 1 / February 2020
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/crispr/3/1

Editorial
Ushering in the Next CRISPR Decade
Rodolphe Barrangou
Page:2
Published Online:17 February 2020

The CRISPR Journal
Volume 3, Issue 1 / February 2020
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/crispr/3/1

Perspectives
Ethical Considerations in Therapeutic Clinical Trials Involving Novel Human Germline-Editing Technology
Carolyn Brokowski and Mazhar Adli
Pages:18–26
Published Online:17 February 2020
https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2019.0051
Abstract
Much of the international community opposes editing the human germline. Yet, given enough experience to become better acquainted with strengths and limitations, prominent international figures are cautiously optimistic about using CRISPR-like novel technologies for clinical applications. Not only might such applications be morally (ethically) permissible, but clinical trials for therapeutic aims could be necessary. Here, we assess critical dimensions of early-phase trials deploying germline-editing technologies for “bench-to-bedside” translation. While assuming no overarching position favoring or opposing such research, our discussion primarily focuses on normative considerations. First, we evaluate the imperative of conducting trials to produce reliable, reproducible knowledge and advancement, if possible, for human diseases that are incurable and/or whose treatments are deficient. Second, we address complexities in assessing risk and potential-benefit profiles. Third, we review the moral foundations of trial participation through well-established and accepted bioethical principles: autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and distributive justice. Finally, we raise critical questions about the scope of regulatory authority and investigator and funder accountability for these applications that could have everlasting impacts.

The CRISPR Journal
Volume 3, Issue 1 / February 2020
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/crispr/3/1

Open Access
Procreative Non-Maleficence: A South African Human Rights Perspective on Heritable Human Genome Editing
Donrich Thaldar and Bonginkosi Shozi
Pages:32–36
Published Online:17 February 2020
https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2019.0036

The CRISPR Journal
Volume 3, Issue 1 / February 2020
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/crispr/3/1

Ordo-Responsibility for Germline Gene Editing
Robert Ranisch, Tina Rudolph, Hans-Joachim Cremer, and Nikolaus Knoepffler
Pages:37–43
Published Online:17 February 2020
https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2019.0040

The CRISPR Journal
Volume 3, Issue 1 / February 2020
https://www.liebertpub.com/toc/crispr/3/1

Research Articlen Open Access
Germline Genome Editing Research: What Are Gamete Donors (Not) Informed About in Consent Forms?
Emilia Niemiec and Heidi Carmen Howard
Pages:52–63
Published Online:17 February 2020
https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2019.0043

Genome Medicine
https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles
[Accessed 29 Feb 2020]

Large-scale public data reuse to model immunotherapy response and resistance
Authors: Jingxin Fu, Karen Li, Wubing Zhang, Changxin Wan, Jing Zhang, Peng Jiang and X. Shirley Liu
Citation: Genome Medicine 2020 12:21
Content type: Database
Published on: 26 February 2020
Abstract
Despite growing numbers of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) trials with available omics data, it remains challenging to evaluate the robustness of ICB response and immune evasion mechanisms comprehensively. To address these challenges, we integrated large-scale omics data and biomarkers on published ICB trials, non-immunotherapy tumor profiles, and CRISPR screens on a web platform TIDE (http://tide.dfci.harvard.edu). We processed the omics data for over 33K samples in 188 tumor cohorts from public databases, 998 tumors from 12 ICB clinical studies, and eight CRISPR screens that identified gene modulators of the anticancer immune response. Integrating these data on the TIDE web platform with three interactive analysis modules, we demonstrate the utility of public data reuse in hypothesis generation, biomarker optimization, and patient stratification.

Global Public Health
Volume 15, 2020 Issue 3
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rgph20/current

Article
Medical populism and immunisation programmes: Illustrative examples and consequences for public health
Gideon Lasco & Heidi J. Larson
Pages: 334-344
Published online: 20 Oct 2019
ABSTRACT
Various factors have been implicated in vaccine hesitancy and loss of vaccine confidence, but the specific ways and particular moments in which immunisation programmes and vaccine scares are politicised, exacerbating negative attitudes about vaccines and leading to retrogressive policies, have been relatively under-examined. This paper applies the concept of ‘medical populism’ [Lasco, G., & Curato, N. (2019). Medical populism. Social Science & Medicine, 221(1), 1–8. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.12.006] to examine these under-studied dynamics, looking at political actors and how they ‘construct antagonistic relations between “the people” whose lives have been put at risk by “the establishment”’ in the performance of vaccine-related crises. Four illustrative cases – from Nigeria, Italy, Ukraine, and the Philippines – are presented to demonstrate the descriptive and analytic value of medical populism beyond the framing and characterisation of the politics of health. The study underscores the need to understand people’s perceptions and ‘explanatory models’ of vaccines and vaccine failures, to look at the political milieux that underpin immunisation programmes, and to anticipate and address knowledge claims made by political actors.

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 29 Feb 2020]

Leaving no one behind: lessons from implementation of policies for universal HIV treatment to universal health coverage
Authors: Yibeltal Assefa, Peter S. Hill, Wim Van Damme, Judith Dean and Charles F. Gilks
Content type: Research
24 February 2020

Infectious Diseases of Poverty
http://www.idpjournal.com/content
[Accessed 29 Feb 2020]

A mathematical model for simulating the phase-based transmissibility of a novel coronavirus
Authors: Tian-Mu Chen, Jia Rui, Qiu-Peng Wang, Ze-Yu Zhao, Jing-An Cui and Ling Yin
Content type: Research Article
28 February 2020

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health
Vol 7, No 3 (2020) March 2020
https://www.ijcmph.com/index.php/ijcmph/issue/view/60

Original Research Articles
Not covered enough: inadequate age appropriate immunisation in urban slums of Delhi: a community based cross sectional survey
Sonali Randhawa, Shomik Ray

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health
Vol 7, No 3 (2020) March 2020
https://www.ijcmph.com/index.php/ijcmph/issue/view/60

Assessment of immunization among newborns: comparison between children delivered vaginally and by cesarean section
Arvinder Pal Singh Narula, Prakash Prabhakarrao Doke, Varsha Mahesh Vaidya, Archana Vasantrao Patil, Tushar Madhavrao Panchanadikar, Girija Narendrakumar Wagh

JAMA
February 25, 2020, Vol 323, No. 8, Pages 691-800
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Viewpoint
Coronavirus Infections—More Than Just the Common Cold
Catharine I. Paules, MD; Hilary D. Marston, MD, MPH; Anthony S. Fauci, MD
free access has active quiz has multimedia has audio
JAMA. 2020;323(8):707-708. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.0757
In this Viewpoint Anthony Fauci and colleagues review the emergence of pathogenic human coronaviruses (SARS-Cov and MERS-CoV) as background for discussing a rapidly spreading novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in 2019 in China and the public health strategies necessary to contain the threat.
Audio Interview: Coronavirus Infections—More Than Just the Common Cold
Clinical Review Audio: Dr Anthony Fauci: What Clinicians Need to Know About Coronavirus (CME)
Audio Interview: The 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak – Update From NIAID’s Anthony Fauci, MD
Audio Interview: COVID-19 Update From China

JAMA
February 25, 2020, Vol 323, No. 8, Pages 691-800
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

The Novel Coronavirus Originating in Wuhan, ChinaChallenges for Global Health Governance
Alexandra L. Phelan, SJD, LLM; Rebecca Katz, PhD, MPH; Lawrence O. Gostin, JD
free access has active quiz has multimedia has audio
JAMA. 2020;323(8):709-710. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.1097
In this Viewpoint, Gostin and colleagues review the emerging novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, discuss the public health benefits and risks of the Chinese government’s large city quarantines, and call for WHO leadership to coordinate a global coordinated response that could contain this and prevent similar future outbreaks.
Clinical Review Audio: Dr Anthony Fauci: What Clinicians Need to Know About Coronavirus (CME)
Audio Interview: COVID-19 Update From China

Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
Volume 15 Issue 1-2, February-April 2020
http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jre/current
Special Issue: Ethical Issues in Social Media Research
Ethics Review of Social Media Research
Ethical Considerations in Using Social Media to Engage Research Participants: Perspectives of Australian Researchers and Ethics Committee Members
Stacey Hokke, Naomi J. Hackworth, Shannon K. Bennetts, Jan M. Nicholson, Patrick Keyzer, Jayne Lucke, Lawrie Zion, Sharinne B. Crawford
First Published June 14, 2019; pp. 12–27

Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
Volume 15 Issue 1-2, February-April 2020
http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jre/current
Special Issue: Ethical Issues in Social Media Research
Ethics Review of Social Media Research

Reasoning “Uncharted Territory”: Notions of Expertise Within Ethics Review Panels Assessing Research Use of Social Media
Chelsea Sellers, Gabrielle Samuel, Gemma Derrick

First Published December 12, 2019; pp. 28–39

Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
Volume 15 Issue 1-2, February-April 2020
http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jre/current
Special Issue: Ethical Issues in Social Media Research
Ethics Review of Social Media Research

Linking Survey and Twitter Data: Informed Consent, Disclosure, Security, and Archiving
Luke Sloan, Curtis Jessop, Tarek Al Baghal, Matthew Williams

First Published June 21, 2019; pp. 63–76

Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine
Volume 13, Issue 1 Pages: 1-88 February 2020
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/17565391/current

ARTICLES
Preliminary prediction of the basic reproduction number of the Wuhan novel coronavirus 2019‐nCoV
Tao Zhou et al
Pages: 3-7 First Published: 12 February 2020

Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine
Volume 13, Issue 1 Pages: 1-88 February 2020
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/17565391/current

REVIEWS
Open Access
Brief introduction of medical database and data mining technology in big data era
Jin Yang et al
Pages: 57-69
First Published: 22 February 2020

The Lancet
Feb 29, 2020 Volume 395 Number 10225 p659-754, e41
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Editorial
Rare diseases need sustainable options
The Lancet

The Lancet
Feb 29, 2020 Volume 395 Number 10225 p659-754, e41
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Comment
Do not violate the International Health Regulations during the COVID-19 outbreak
Roojin Habibi, et al

The Lancet
Feb 29, 2020 Volume 395 Number 10225 p659-754, e41
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Articles
Nowcasting and forecasting the potential domestic and international spread of the 2019-nCoV outbreak originating in Wuhan, China: a modelling study
Joseph T Wu, Kathy Leung, Gabriel M Leung

New England Journal of Medicine
February 27, 2020 Vol. 382 No. 9
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Perspective
Influenza in U.S. Detention Centers — The Desperate Need for Immunization
C. Foppiano Palacios, J.J. Openshaw, and M.A. Travassos

New England Journal of Medicine
February 27, 2020 Vol. 382 No. 9
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Perspective
Transforming Global Health with AI
M.C. Mehta, I.T. Katz, and A.K. Jha
Artificial intelligence could revolutionize health and health care in low- and middle-income countries by addressing the large knowledge and judgment gaps that make care delivery poor. But for AI to fulfill this promise, some key challenges will need to be addressed.

Public Health
Volume 179 Pages A1-A2, 1-198 (February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/public-health/vol/179/suppl/C

Research article Abstract only
Factors associated with Tdap vaccination receipt during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study
D.P. Wales, S. Khan, D. Suresh, A. Ata, B. Morris
Pages 38-44

Systematic Reviews
https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles
[Accessed 29 Feb 2020]

Benefits and harms of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines: systematic review with meta-analyses of trial data from clinical study reports
To assess the benefits and harms of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.
Authors: Lars Jørgensen, Peter C. Gøtzsche and Tom Jefferson
Citation: Systematic Reviews 2020 9:43
Content type: Research
Published on: 28 February 2020

Systematic Reviews
https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles
[Accessed 29 Feb 2020]

Benefits and harms of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines: comparison of trial data from clinical study reports with corresponding trial register entries and journal publications
No study has looked at differences of pooled estimates—such as meta-analyses—of corresponding study documents of the same intervention. In this study, we compared meta-analyses of human papillomavirus (HPV) va…
Authors: Lars Jørgensen, Peter C. Gøtzsche and Tom Jefferson
Citation: Systematic Reviews 2020 9:42
Content type: Research
Published on: 28 February 2020

Systematic Reviews
https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles
[Accessed 29 Feb 2020]

What the systematic review of HPV vaccine clinical study reports does, and does not, reveal: commentary on Jørgensen et al.
Authors: Hilda Bastian
Citation: Systematic Reviews 2020 9:41
Content type: Commentary
Published on: 28 February 2020

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 9 Pages 2115-2272 (24 February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/9

Review article Abstract only
Performance of the United States Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP): 1988–2019
Kimberly M. Thompson, Walter A. Orenstein, Alan R. Hinman
Pages 2136-2143

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 9 Pages 2115-2272 (24 February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/9

Review article Open access
Finding equipoise: CEPI revises its equitable access policy
Brenda Huneycutt, Nicole Lurie, Sara Rotenberg, Richard Wilder, Richard Hatchett
Pages 2144-2148
Abstract
Launched at Davos in January 2017 with funding from sovereign investors and philanthropic institutions, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organisations whose mission is to stimulate, finance and co-ordinate vaccine development against diseases with epidemic potential in cases where market incentives fail. As of December 2019, CEPI has committed to investing up to $706 million in vaccine development. This includes 19 vaccine candidates against its priority pathogens (Lassa fever virus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Nipah virus, Chikungunya, Rift Valley fever) and three vaccine platforms to develop vaccines against Disease X, a novel or unanticipated pathogen.
As an entity largely supported by public funds, ensuring equitable access to vaccines whose development it supports in low- and middle-income countries is CEPI’s primary focus. CEPI developed an initial equitable access policy shortly after its formation, with key stakeholders expressing strong views about its content and prescriptive nature. The CEPI board instructed that it be revisited after a year. This paper describes the process of revising the policy, and how key issues were resolved. CEPI will continue to take an iterative, rather than prescriptive, approach to its policy—one that reflects the needs of multiple stakeholders and ensures it can meet its equitable access goals.

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 9 Pages 2115-2272 (24 February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/9

Research article Abstract only
Men having sex with men and the HPV vaccine in France: A low vaccine coverage that may be due to its infrequent proposal by physicians
Benoit Petit, Olivier Epaulard
Pages 2160-2165

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 9 Pages 2115-2272 (24 February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/9

Research article Abstract only
Vaccine hesitancy towards childhood immunisation amongst urban pregnant mothers in Malaysia
Aida Kalok, Sweet Yi Esther Loh, Kah Teik Chew, Nor Haslinda Abdul Aziz, … Zaleha Abdullah Mahdy
Pages 2183-2189

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 9 Pages 2115-2272 (24 February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/9

Research article Abstract only
Survey of influenza vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among pregnant women in the 2016–17 season
Jennifer P. King, Kayla E. Hanson, James G. Donahue, Jason M. Glanz, … Edward A. Belongia
Pages 2202-2208

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 9 Pages 2115-2272 (24 February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/9

Research article Abstract only
The effect of performance-based financing on child vaccinations in northern Nigeria
Ryoko Sato, Abdullahi Belel
Pages 2209-2215

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 9 Pages 2115-2272 (24 February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/9

Research article Abstract only
An investment case for maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination
Sarah K. Laing, Ulla Griffiths, Azhar Abid Raza, Flint Zulu, … Sachiko Ozawa
Pages 2241-2249

Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 29 Feb 2020)

Open Access Article
Will We Have a Cohort of Healthcare Workers Full Vaccinated against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella?
by Andrea Trevisan , Chiara Bertoncello , Elisa Artuso , Clara Frasson , Laura Lago , Davide De Nuzzo , Annamaria Nicolli and Stefano Maso
Vaccines 2020, 8(1), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8010104 – 27 Feb 2020
Abstract
Healthcare workers are a population exposed to several infectious diseases, and an immunization programme is essential for the maintenance of good vaccination coverage to protect workers and patients. A population of 10,653 students attending degree courses at Padua Medical School (medicine and surgery, dentistry and health professions) was screened for vaccination coverage and antibody titres against rubella, mumps, and measles. The students were subdivided into five age classes according to their date of birth: those born before 1980, between 1980 and 1985, between 1986 and 1990, between 1991 and 1995, and after 1995. Vaccination coverage was very low in students born before 1980, but the rate of positive antibody titre was high due to infection in infancy. Increasing date of birth showed increased vaccination coverage. In contrast, immune coverage was high for rubella (more than 90%) but not for mumps and measles (approximately 80%). An “anomaly” was observed for mumps and measles in the cohort born between 1991 and 1995, probably due to the trivalent vaccine formulation. Students born after 1990 showed vaccination coverage that exceeded 90%. It is therefore very likely that we will have a future generation of healthcare workers with optimal vaccination coverage.

Value in Health
February 2020 Volume 23, Issue 2, p139-276
https://www.valueinhealthjournal.com/issue/S1098-3015(20)X0003-9

Commentary
Value-Based Pharmaceutical Contracts: Value for Whom?
Joseph T. Kannarkat, Chester B. Good, Natasha Parekh
p154–156
Published online: December 5, 2019
Highlights
:: The nature of who benefits from value-based pharmaceutical contracts (VBPCs) is unclear.
:: VBPCs are reimbursement agreements between healthcare payers and pharmaceutical manufacturers that tie price, amount, or nature of drug reimbursements to value-based outcomes.
:: We discuss how VBPCs compare with value-based payer–provider arrangements in terms of performance-based reimbursements and alignment of incentives.
:: We examine how VBPCs can affect costs, clinical outcomes, and access to medications.
:: We recommend a patient-outcome centered approach for developing VBPCs and tying VBPCs to overarching drug cost reduction strategies.
Abstract
Value-based pharmaceutical contracts (VBPCs) are performance-based reimbursement agreements between healthcare payers and pharmaceutical manufacturers in which the price, amount, or nature of reimbursement is tied to value-based outcomes. VBPCs are often complex, and the nature of who benefits and in what ways can be unclear. We discuss how VBPCs compare with value-based payer–provider arrangements in terms of performance-based reimbursements and alignment of incentives. In addition, we examine how VBPCs can affect costs, clinical outcomes, and access to medications. Because these contracts are unlikely to reduce costs in isolation, we recommend taking a patient-centered approach when developing VBPCs and tying VBPCs to more overarching payer drug cost reduction strategies.

From Google Scholar & other sources: Selected Journal Articles, Newsletters, Dissertations, Theses, Commentary

No new digest content identified.

Media/Policy Watch
This watch section is intended to alert readers to substantive news, analysis and opinion from the general media and selected think tanks and similar organizations on vaccines, immunization, global public health and related themes. Media Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues CVEP is actively tracking. This section will grow from an initial base of newspapers, magazines and blog sources, and is segregated from Journal Watch above which scans the peer-reviewed journal ecology.
We acknowledge the Western/Northern bias in this initial selection of titles and invite suggestions for expanded coverage. We are conservative in our outlook in adding news sources which largely report on primary content we are already covering above. Many electronic media sources have tiered, fee-based subscription models for access. We will provide full-text where content is published without restriction, but most publications require registration and some subscription level.

The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
Ideas
Democracies Are Better at Fighting Outbreaks
China’s harsh response to the coronavirus has influential admirers, but Western nations recognize that public health fundamentally depends on public trust.
February 24, 2020
Ariana A. Berengaut
Penn Biden Center’s director of programs, partnerships, and strategic planning

Health
You’re Likely to Get the Coronavirus
Most cases are not life-threatening, which is also what makes the virus a historic challenge to contain.
James Hamblin
February 24, 2020

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
Health
Coronavirus: Where are we with a vaccine?
By James Gallagher Health and science correspondent
27 February 2020

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
Lunch with the FT
Ebola co-discoverer Peter Piot on how to respond to the coronavirus
February 28 2020

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Feb 28, 2020
Bill Gates: Governments Should Invest Billions To Battle ‘Once-In-A-Century’ Pathogen
“That’s the scale of investment required to solve the problem.”
By Lisette Voytko Forbes Staff

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
How Hackers and Spies Could Sabotage the Coronavirus Fight
Intelligence services have a long history of manipulating information on health issues, and an epidemic is especially tempting for interference. Why aren’t we better prepared?
Argument | Bruce Schneier, Margaret Bourdeaux

The West Is About to Fail the Coronavirus Test
China made huge mistakes managing the outbreak. The rest of the world may not do any better.
Argument | Melissa Chan, Ethan Guillén

Virus Travel Bans Are Inevitable But Ineffective
Experts can’t stop restrictions, but they can mitigate them.
Argument | Mara Pillinger

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
Health
Who’s on the U.S. Coronavirus Task Force
Several of the nation’s top health officials are among those sitting on an advisory panel formed by President Trump.
29 Feb 2020

Sunday Review
We’ve Ignored the Warnings About Global Pandemics
Now, after many fire drills, the world may be facing a real fire.
By The Editorial Board

Business
Japan’s Leader Announces $2.5B Package to Help Fight Virus
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday announced a 270 billion yen ($2.5 billion) emergency economic package to help fight the coronavirus as he sought the public’s support for his government’s fight against the outbreak.
By The Associated Press

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
Azar Says U.S.-Funded Drug, Vaccine Must Be Accessible (Feb 29, 202012:30 p.m. NY)
Any drug or vaccine developed by companies with help from the government must be financially accessible for people, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told Congress Thursday.
“I have directed my teams that if we do any joint venture with a private enterprise that we’re cofunding the research and development program that we would ensure there’s access to the fruits of that, whether vaccine or therapeutics,” Azar said at a congressional hearing. The U.S. government is collaborating with pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms to develop vaccines and drugs for the coronavirus.
Azar’s comments are a shift from remarks Wednesday, when he said, “we would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable, but we can’t control that price, because we need the private sector to invest. Price controls won’t get us there.”…

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
[No new relevant content]

Center for Global Development [to 29 Feb 2020]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Selected Publications, News and Events
February 28, 2020
The Impact of Coronavirus on China’s SMEs: Findings from the Enterprise Survey for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in China
Since the coronavirus outbreak began in January, Chinese business activity has been severely slowed, affecting China’s position in the global industrial supply chain. The Enterprise Survey for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in China (ESIEC) launched a survey on the “condition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) amidst the coronavirus outbreak.”
Rouchen Dai , Junpeng Hu and Xiaobo Zhang

February 28, 2020
Reconciling SME Production in China with Coronavirus Control
With the steady decline in new confirmed cases of coronavirus in China beyond Hubei Province, public scrutiny has increasingly shifted to the economy affected by the outbreak, particularly the impact on the plethora of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). An earlier CGD note explored the impact of coronavirus on SMEs using data from the Enterprise Survey for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in China (ESIEC) and follow-up interviews. In this accompanying note, we consider how SMEs can resume production without compromising epidemic control.
Xiaobo Zhang and Ruixin Wang

February 26, 2020
China’s “Counterpart Assistance” Approach to Coronavirus: Lessons from the Wenchuan Earthquake Response
In early 2020, a new type of coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) emerged suddenly and spread steadily from China’s Wuhan City, Hubei Province, disrupting China’s social order. The epicenter of the epidemic, Hubei Province lacked medical personnel and epidemic prevention supplies; assistance was urgently needed. This note identifies the Chinese government’s “counterpart aid” strategy in response to the epidemic and explores the strategy’s utility, drawing on earlier experiences with disaster response.
Xiaobo Zhang and Lihe Xu

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
Podcast Episode
COVID-19: New Reality
February 26, 2020 | H. Andrew Schwartz, J. Stephen Morrison, Jude Blanchette, Stephanie Segal
In this episode, Andrew invites CSIS’s Steve Morrison, Jude Blanchette, and Stephanie Segal to discuss how the coronavirus outbreak, also known as COVID-19, is directly affecting the global…

Transcript
COVID-19: New Reality
February 27, 2020

Report
Sustaining U.S. Support for Gavi: A Critical Global Health Security and Development Partner
February 24, 2020 | Katherine Bliss As Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, seeks funding to support its ambitious new 2021-2025 work plan, the United States should take steps to reinforce its longstanding support of the Alliance and help ensure continued progress on critical health security and development goals.

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
February 27, 2020
Coronavirus
What You Need to Know About the Coronavirus Outbreak
A new coronavirus that originated in China has sparked fears of a potential pandemic, as health experts seek to answer questions about how it spreads.
Backgrounder by Claire Felter and Lindsay Maizland

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 29 Feb 2020
[No new relevant content]

Emergencies

Editor’s Note:
While we have concentrated the most current key reports just below, COVID-19 announcements, analysis and commentary will be found throughout this issue, in all sections.
Beyond the considerable continuing coverage in the global general media:
Daily WHO situation reports here: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports
WHO Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) daily press briefings here: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/media-resources/press-briefings

Coronavirus [COVID-19]
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Situation report – 33 [WHO]

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
22 February 2020
[Excerpts]
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
Globally :: 77,794 laboratory-confirmed [599 new]
[Week ago: 49,053 laboratory-confirmed [2056 new]]
China :: 76,392 laboratory-confirmed [397 new]
:: 2,348 deaths [109 new]
Outside of China
:: 1,402 laboratory-confirmed [58 new]
:: 28 countries
:: 11 deaths [1 new]

WHO RISK ASSESSMENT
China – Very High
Regional Level – High
Global Level – High

HIGHLIGHTS
:: Two new countries (Lebanon and Israel) reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
:: The role of environmental contamination in the transmission of COVID-19 is not yet clear. On 18 February, a new protocol entitled “Surface sampling of coronavirus disease (COVID-19): A practical “how to” protocol for health care and public health professionals” was published. This protocol was designed to determine viable virus presence and persistence on fomites in various locations where a COVID-19 patient is receiving care or isolated, and to understand how fomites may play a role in the transmission of the virus.
:: The WHO Director-General briefed the emergency ministerial meeting on COVID-19 organized by the African Union and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Details can be found here.

::::::

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
Selected News & Announcements
Feb 22: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Feb 21, 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 397 new cases of confirmed infections, 1,361 new cases of suspected infections, and 109 deaths.
[See Emergencies above for detail]

China races to develop vaccines against coronavirus
2020-02-21
BEIJING — Chinese scientists are racing to develop vaccines against the novel coronavirus by adopting five technological approaches, a senior National Health Commission official said on Feb 21.
“Some projects have entered the stage of animal testing,” Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the commission, told a news conference on China’s fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak.
“Under the premise of ensuring safety, effectiveness and accessibility (of vaccines), (we) foresee that as soon as from April to May this year some vaccines could enter clinical trials, or under specific conditions, could be applied for emergency use,” he said.
“Our goal is that if required by the outbreak situation, the emergency use of vaccines, as well as the emergency review and approval process, can be activated in accordance with laws,” the official said.

::::::

Johnson & Johnson to Expand Partnership with U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to Accelerate the Discovery of Potential COVID-19 Treatments
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Feb. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced that its Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies will expand its existing partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, to seek treatment solutions for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (also known as 2019-nCoV). This latest collaboration will enhance Janssen’s ongoing work with global partners to screen a library of existing antiviral molecules, with the aim of identifying compounds with promising antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2.
The expanded partnership with BARDA builds on Johnson & Johnson’s multipronged response to the COVID-19 outbreak. These efforts, in addition to the ongoing development of a potential vaccine candidate, bring hope of finding a solution against COVID-19 for communities in greatest need in China and around the world…

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

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

WHO Director General – Speeches

Emergency Ministerial meeting on COVID-19 organized by the African Union and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
22 February 2020
Your Excellency Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Commissioner Amira El Fadil, WHO Regional Director Dr Matshidiso Moeti and Director John Nkengasong,
[Excerpts]
Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
…It’s hard to believe that only 52 days ago, WHO’s country office in China was notified of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan city.

In just seven weeks, this outbreak has captured the world’s attention, and rightly so, because it has the potential to cause severe political, social and economic upheaval.  

…The data from China continue to show a decline in new cases. This is welcome news, but it must be interpreted very cautiously. It’s far too early to make predictions about this outbreak.
Outside China, there are now 1200 cases in 26 countries, with 8 deaths. As you know, there is one confirmed case on the African continent, in Egypt.

Several African countries have tested suspected cases of COVID-19, but fortunately they have been found negative.

Although the total number of cases outside China remains relatively small, we are concerned about the number of cases with no clear epidemiological link, such as travel history to China or contact with a confirmed case.

We are especially concerned about the increase in cases in the Islamic Republic of Iran, where there are now 18 cases and four deaths in just the past two days. WHO has supplied testing kits to Iran, and we will continue to provide further support in the coming days and weeks. What has been reported from South Korea and Italy yesterday is also a matter of concern and how the virus is now spreading to other parts of the world. But in addition to that, as I said earlier in my press conference, the window of opportunity is narrowing. This meeting, I hope, will help us come together as a continent in attacking this virus.

As you know, a WHO-led international team of experts – including a representative from the Nigerian CDC, our colleague Chikwe Ihekweazu, has been on the ground in China for the past week, visiting three provinces, and is today traveling to the epicenter in Wuhan.

With every day that passes, we know a little bit more about this virus, and the disease it causes.

We know that more than 80% of patients have mild disease and will recover. But the other 20% of patients have severe or critical disease, ranging from shortness of breath to septic shock and multi-organ failure. These patients require intensive care, using equipment such as respiratory support machines that are, as you know, in short supply in many African countries. And that’s a cause for concern.

In 2% of reported cases, the virus is fatal, and the risk of death increases the older a patient is, and with underlying health conditions. We see relatively few cases among children. More research, of course, is needed to understand why.

Our biggest concern continues to be the potential for COVID-19 to spread in countries with weaker health systems. And I said earlier, our Africa regional office in partnership with the Africa CDC — we’re working hard to prepare countries in Africa for the potential arrival of the virus.

…WHO has identified 13 priority countries in Africa because of their direct links to China or their high volume of travel with China. As my sister Tshidi said, an increasing number of African countries are now able to test for COVID-19 with laboratory test kits supplied by WHO, compared with only one just a couple of weeks ago.

Some countries in Africa, including DRC, are also leveraging the capacity they have built up to test for Ebola, to test for COVID-19. This is a great example of how investing in health systems can pay dividends for health security.

We have also shipped more than 30,000 sets of personal protective equipment to several countries in Africa, and we’re ready to ship almost 60,000 more sets to 19 countries in the coming weeks.

We’re working with manufacturers of personal protective equipment to address the severe disruption in the market for masks, gloves, gowns and other PPE, to ensure we can protect health workers.

During the past month about 11,000 African health workers have been trained using WHO’s online courses on COVID-19, which are available free of charge in English, French and other languages at OpenWHO.org.

We’re also providing advice to countries on how to do screening, testing, contact tracing and treatment.

Last week we brought the international research community together to identify research priorities, especially in the areas of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.

Two weeks ago, I briefed the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and we agreed to activate the United Nations Crisis Management Team, led by Dr Mike Ryan, to enable WHO to focus on the health response while other agencies bring their expertise to bear on the social, economic and developmental implications of the outbreak.

We have also held two calls with UN resident coordinators all over the world, to brief them on the actions they can take to prepare their countries and ensure the United Nations system is working as one. And I hope, your excellencies, ministers, that you will work with our resident coordinators and WHO representatives to respond in a very coordinated fashion at country level.

The increasing signs of transmission outside China show that the window of opportunity we have for containing this virus is narrowing.

We are calling on all countries to invest urgently in preparedness. We have to take advantage of the window of opportunity we have, to attack  the virus outbreak with a sense of urgency.

Thank you all for your attention to this issue. I assure you that WHO is committed to working with all African countries to do everything we can to prevent transmission and detect and treat cases as early as possible.

Emergencies

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

Ebola Outbreak in DRC 80: 16 February 2020
[Excerpts]
Situation Update
This week, the incidence of Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases continued to be low (Figure 1). From 10 to 16 February 2020, one new confirmed case was reported in Beni Health Zone, North Kivu Province in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The case was reported on 11 February 2020, and was listed and followed as a contact at the time of detection, with known epidemiological links. Early detection of cases reduces the probability of transmission of EVD in the community and significantly improves the clinical outcome for the patients…

While we are cautiously optimistic about the overall trend and reduced geographic spread of the outbreak, the security situation in several EVD-affected health areas remain volatile, and the risk of spread within Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries remains high. Given delays in isolation of some cases in recent weeks and continued reports of nosocomial transmission, we expect to see additional cases in the coming weeks. It is critical that response teams rapidly detect, investigate and follow-up all cases and their contracts…

…Conclusion
While there is room for cautious optimism around the low number of new confirmed cases reported in recent weeks, the situation remains fragile and further cases should be expected. It is important to ensure continued access and heightened vigilance for response activities, including early case identification, contact tracing, and improving infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities.

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WHO & Regional Offices [to 22 Feb 2020]
19 February 2020 News release
World failing to provide children with a healthy life and a climate fit for their future: WHO-UNICEF-Lancet

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Weekly Epidemiological Record, 21 February 2020, vol. 95, 08 (pp. 69–76)
:: Progress towards measles elimination – China, January 2013–June 2019
:: COVID-19 update

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WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: WHO pledges to support African countries on joint coronavirus disease preparedness a…
22 February 2020
:: Polio-Nigeria leaves no stone unturned, targets over 55 million children in house-to…
20 February 2020

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: Update on COVID-19 in the Region of the Americas
Washington, DC, February 20, 2020 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has announced a total of 23 confirmed cases of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in the Region of the Americas. As of 18 February, all cases were reported in the United States (15) and Canada (8)…

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
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WHO European Region EURO
:: Towards an agreement for improving access to high-cost medicines 21-02-2020

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Polio eradication on United Nations Secretary General’s agenda during Pakistan visit
18 February 2020

WHO Western Pacific Region
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CDC/ACIP [to 22 Feb 2020]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
ACIP Meetings
Next ACIP Meeting: February 26-27, 2020
Agenda (Draft) pdf icon[2 pages]

Latest News Releases
:: Transcript for CDC Telebriefing: Update on COVID-19 Friday, February 21, 2020

MMWR News Synopsis Friday, February 21, 2020
Interim Estimates of 2019–20 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness — United States, February 2020
CDC preliminary vaccine effectiveness estimates indicate that the 2019-20 flu vaccine is providing substantial protective benefit, particularly among children, who were hard hit by flu this season. Flu vaccines are reducing doctor visits associated with flu illness by 45% overall and 55% in children. CDC’s interim flu vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates show that the flu vaccine has reduced doctor visits associated with flu illness by almost half (VE = 45%) so far this season. This is consistent with estimates of flu vaccine effectiveness from previous seasons that ranged from 40%-60% when flu vaccine viruses were similar to circulating flu viruses. Vaccination is providing substantial protection (VE = 55%) for children, who have been particularly hard hit by flu this season.