Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 21 Dec 2019
[No new relevant content]

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Accessed 21 Dec 2019
[No new relevant content]

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 21 Dec 2019
Report
Ensuring Healthy Populations through a New Era of Global Immunization
December 20, 2019 | By Nellie Bristol

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 21 Dec 2019
[No new relevant content]

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=pre ss-release
December 19, 2019 Issue Brief
The Current Ebola Outbreak and the U.S. Role: An Explainer
An outbreak of Ebola is currently ongoing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), now the second largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded. This Issue Brief gives an overview of the current situation, explains the U.S. role in responding to the outbreak, and answers key questions about the broader global response.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

WHO commemorates the 40th anniversary of smallpox eradication
Historic milestone underscores urgent need to invest in global health security and universal health coverage
13 December 2019 News release Geneva, Switzerland
The World Health Organization commemorated the 40th anniversary of smallpox eradication today, recognizing the historic moment on 9 December 1979 when the end of smallpox was confirmed to have been eradicated. Five months later, in May 1980, the 33rd World Health Assembly issued its official declaration that ‘the world and all its peoples have won freedom from smallpox’.

A plaque marking the end of a scourge that had afflicted millions for thousands of years was unveiled at WHO headquarters in Geneva in the very same meeting room where, four decades earlier, the 19 members of the Global Commission for the Certification of Smallpox Eradication certified that smallpox had been eradicated from the world.

Speaking at the event attended by country representatives, UN representatives and WHO staff who worked on smallpox, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Today, smallpox is the only human disease ever eradicated, a testimony to what we can achieve when all nations work together.

“When it comes to epidemic disease, we have a shared responsibility and a shared destiny.  With this plaque, we commemorate the heroes around the world who came together to fight smallpox and worked to keep future generations safe.”

Until it was wiped out, smallpox had plagued humanity for at least 3000 years, killing 300 million people in the 20th century alone. The last known endemic case of smallpox was reported and the outbreak promptly contained in Somalia in 1977.

The successful smallpox eradication programme yielded vital knowledge and tools for the field of disease surveillance, the benefits of ring vaccination and the importance of health promotion in fighting diseases such as poliomyelitis and the Ebola virus. It also laid the foundation for stronger national immunization programmes worldwide, underpinning the establishment of primary health care in many countries and creating momentum toward Universal Health Coverage.

Today’s commemoration kicks off a year-long campaign in which WHO and partners will mark the eradication of smallpox and raise awareness about the need to continue the fight against polio and other diseases and accelerate investments in global health security. A smallpox eradication exhibition will be unveiled at the World Health Assembly in May 2020 and is expected to travel to other events, including the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Sanofi awarded $226 million by US government to expand pandemic influenza preparedness
SWIFTWATER, Pa., Dec. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines global business unit of Sanofi, has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase the company’s domestic pandemic influenza vaccine production capabilities based in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania.

The contract is supported by federal funds from the Biomedical Advance Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at HHS.

“We are pleased to be taking this critical next step in our longstanding relationship with BARDA, which will enable us to significantly enhance flu vaccine supply under pandemic influenza scenarios,” said David Loew, Executive Vice President, Vaccines at Sanofi. “We are deeply committed to advancing influenza vaccine technology and manufacturing, and our public and private partnerships are an important part of these ongoing efforts to help protect people from influenza.”

“The question is not if, but when the next influenza pandemic will occur, carrying potentially devastating consequences for public health and the U.S. economy,” said BARDA Director Rick Bright, Ph.D. “As the recent presidential executive order on pandemic preparedness emphasized, technology to produce effective vaccines quickly and safely in the United States can improve access, protect more people sooner and, ultimately, strengthen national and global health security. Public-private partnerships, such as this one with Sanofi Pasteur, are essential in moving such technology forward.”…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Receives Support to Strengthen Continental and Regional Infectious-Disease Detection and Response Systems
The World Bank provides $250 million to Ethiopia, Zambia, and the African Union to combat epidemics and advance critical public health priorities
WASHINGTON, December 10, 2019— The Board of the World Bank Group has approved a total of $250 million in International Development Association (IDA) credits and grants to help the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Zambia, and the African Union (AU) counter the spread of infectious diseases and address key regional and continental public health issues.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Regional Investment Financing Project (ACDCP) will strengthen disease surveillance, prevention, and emergency-response systems across the African continent. The project will finance the establishment of laboratories, transnational surveillance networks, emergency-response mechanisms, and other public health assets designed to manage diseases on a regional and continental scale. It will support the development of guidelines and standards to improve coordination between the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Secretariat and national public health institutions across the continent and facilitate the sharing of public health assets and the exchange of vital data on infectious diseases…

The ACDCP’s benefits will extend far beyond Ethiopia and Zambia, as national health authorities and Africa CDC institutions in both countries will play a key role in addressing the incidence and spread of infectious diseases across eastern and southern Africa. Strengthening epidemic preparedness and response capacities in Ethiopia and Zambia will help protect vulnerable populations in neighboring countries, including refugees and displaced groups in border areas…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Immunization Agenda 2030

Terms of Reference for Consultant – IA2030 Project Management
Universal Health Coverage and the Life Course (UHC-LC)
Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB)
Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)
Deadline for application: 1 January 2020

Purpose of the Consultancy
The purpose of this consultancy is to support the project management work of the “Immunization Agenda 2030: A Global Strategy to Leave No One Behind” (IA2030). The consultancy is proposed for a duration of six months (from early January 2020 through 30 June 2020), with the option to be renewed for an additional semester.

1. RFP Background
Immunization Agenda 2030
With the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) soon coming to an end, a new vision and strategy for vaccines and immunization for the coming decade has been in development over the past year. With this objective in mind, and at the request of the Regional Offices and partner organizations, WHO convened a technical consultation process over the course of 2019, to generate the post-2020 vaccines and immunization vision and strategy, which resulted in the development of “Immunization Agenda 2030: A Global Strategy to Leave No One Behind” (IA2030).

The IA2030 vision and strategy has been “co-created” through an iterative process, with extensive engagement of global, regional and country stakeholders. It builds on the lessons-learned from GVAP, but also responds to the new global context and addresses emerging challenges. IA2030 was endorsed by SAGE on 9 October 2019. The aim is to present the new vision and strategy for endorsement to the 73rd World Health Assembly, in May 2020.

The IA2030 core document is the first step. It will be complemented by a set of technical documents (technical “annexes”), fleshing out each strategic priority and guiding implementation of the IA2030 Strategic Framework. These will co-exist with other technical documents on an online resource repository. More importantly, the vision and strategy will need to be turned into practice through operational plans at the regional and country level, a governance mechanism and a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework. Communications and advocacy will be a critical enabling component to ensure continued visibility and momentum throughout the decade.
Please refer to the Annex for more information on the workstreams.

Project Management Background
The project is overseen by a small core project team, made up WHO headquarters as the Secretariat, and partner agencies (WHO, UNICEF, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Wellcome Trust and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, CSO constituency). At the WHO Secretariat, the Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB) provides overall supervision and strategic direction to the project, supported by one full time and three part time (10-50%) technical staff…more at title link above

Emergencies

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

Ebola Outbreak in DRC 71: 10 December 2019
Situation Update
In the week of 2 to 8 December 2019, eleven new confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases were reported from four health zones in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in Democratic Republic of the Congo… As of 8 December 2019, a total of 3324 EVD cases were reported, including 3206 confirmed and 118 probable cases, of which 2209 cases died (overall case fatality ratio 66%). Of the total confirmed and probable cases, 56% (1873) were female, 28% (939) were children aged less than 18 years, and 5% (164) were healthcare workers…

…Vaccines
:: From 8 August 2018 to 10 December 2019, 256 381 persons were vaccinated with the rVSV-ZEBOV-GP Ebola vaccine.

:: Vaccination with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (Ad26.ZEBOV/MVA-BN-Filo) continued in the Karisimbi Health Zone, with 1300 people vaccinated as of 10 December 2019 since its introduction on 14 November 2019.

:: In the last 21 days (date of confirmation 17 November – 9 December 2019), there have been 12 rings opened covered the 35 reported cases.

::::::

Johnson & Johnson Announces Commitment to Support Republic of Rwanda’s Preparedness Against Ebola Outbreak
Up to 200,000 Regimens of Janssen’s Investigational Ebola Vaccine to be Supplied to Rwanda for Use in Border Region near Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Dec. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced that its Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies will provide up to 200,000 Ebola vaccine regimens to the Republic of Rwanda. This commitment will support a new immunization program led by the Rwanda Government that aims to help protect the country’s citizens from the Ebola outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The first batches of Janssen vaccine have been delivered to the country, and further shipments are being organized.
On July 17, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the DRC Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). More than 3,300 cases, including more than 2,200 deaths, have been reported to date, making the outbreak second only to the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, and raising concerns about its potential to cross international borders. In October, the Johnson & Johnson announced that the DRC would begin using the Janssen investigational vaccine as part of an expanded response to the outbreak.
“Johnson & Johnson recognizes the Rwandan Government’s decision to proactively deploy Janssen’s investigational Ebola vaccine to help prevent the spread of the disease into the country,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Scientific Officer of Johnson & Johnson. “We stand ready to support Rwanda’s initiative on epidemic preparedness.”…

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

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 11 December 2019

Summary of new viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
:: Pakistan — three WPV1 cases, nine WPV1 positive environmental samples and nine cVDPV2 positive environmental samples;
:: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) — three cVDPV2 cases;
:: Angola — 12 cVDPV2 cases and two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples;
:: Ethiopia — two cVDPV2 cases;
: Malaysia — one cVDPV1 case;
:: Philippines — one cVDPV1 case and three cVDPV2 cases

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

Editor’s Note:
WHO has posted a refreshed emergencies page which presents an updated listing of Grade 3,2,1 emergencies as below.

WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 14 Dec 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: Ebola Outbreak in DRC 71: 10 December 2019

Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 14 Dec 2019]

Iraq
:: Iraqi cancer data for 2017‒2018 announced  9 December 2019 ‒ Recently announced data from Iraq’s national cancer registry indicate that there are over 31,500 cancer and tumor-related cases in Iraq as of 2017‒2018. Cancer is considered one of the leading causes of mortality in the country, contributing to an estimated 11% of total deaths…

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Angola – No new digest announcements identified
Burkina Faso [in French] – No new digest announcements identified
Burundi – No new digest announcements identified
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
HIV in Pakistan – No new digest announcements identified
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified
Libya – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – No new digest announcements identified
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 14 Dec 2019]

Djibouti
:: Djibouti mène une campagne de vaccination de masse pour protéger les enfants contre la poliomyélite tandis que des flambées sévissent dans la Corne de l’Afrique
5 décembre 2018 – L’analyse préliminaire des données de la campagne indique le succès d’une tournée de vaccination dans un pays exempt de poliomyélite confronté à un risque d’importation.
Au cours de la dernière semaine du mois d’octobre, le ministère de la Santé de Djibouti, en collaboration avec l’OMS, l’UNICEF et d’autres partenaires, a mené avec succès les premières journées nationales de vaccination antipoliomyélitique conduites dans le pays depuis 2015…

Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

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

UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
Editor’s Note:
Ebola in the DRC has bene added as a OCHA “Corporate Emergency” this week:
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth
:: 10 Dec 2019 Kassala, Sudan: Life with hard choices

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC
:: République démocratique du Congo Rapport de situation, 13 décembre 2019
FAITS SAILLANTS (13 déc. 2019)
:: Au moins 600 000 personnes sont estimées être affectées par des inondations dans 12 provinces, causées par des pluies diluviennes survenues en octobre
:: Des besoins importants sont rapportés, en particulier dans les secteurs de l’eau, hygiène assainissement, abris/ articles ménagers essentiels, sécurité alimentaire et santé
:: La réponse à l’impact de ces inondations est coordonnée par le Gouvernement de la RDC au niveau central et provincial, avec l’appui des acteurs humanitaires.
:: Des activités d’assistance sont en cours ou en préparation par les acteurs humanitaires dans 8 des12 provinces affectées, mais de nombreux besoins ne sont pas couverts.
:: Alors que la décrue a commencé, il est essentiel de privilégier une approche visant à soutenir les mécanismes de résilience de la population déjà existants

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

WHO & Regional Offices [to 14 Dec 2019]

WHO commemorates the 40th anniversary of smallpox eradication
Historic milestone underscores urgent need to invest in global health security and universal health coverage
13 December 2019 News release Geneva, Switzerland
[See Milestones above for detail]

WHO gets new advice on curbing deadly noncommunicable diseases
10 December 2019 News release Muscat, Oman
World leaders and health experts, today, handed 8 recommendations to WHO’s Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, that could save millions of lives and promote mental health. The WHO Independent High-level Commission on noncommunicable diseases was convened by Dr Tedros in October 2017 to identify innovative ways to curb the world’s leading causes of death: cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes, respiratory diseases and mental health conditions.

The Commission highlighted that noncommunicable diseases still account for more than 70% of deaths and stressed that, “progress against NCDs and mental health conditions must be greatly accelerated if the 2030 Agenda is to succeed.” It also noted that many countries face challenges and need more support to implement solutions.

The report laid out a set of 8 recommendations for WHO:
:: Encourage Heads of State and Government to fulfil their commitment to provide strategic leadership by involving all relevant government departments, businesses, civil society groups as well as health professionals and people at risk from or suffering from NCDs and mental health conditions.
:: Support countries in efforts to empower individuals to make healthy choices, including by ensuring that the environment is conducive to living a healthy life, and that people receive the information they need to make healthy choices.
:: Encourage countries to invest in the prevention and control of NCDs and mental health conditions as a key opportunity to enhance human capital and accelerate economic growth.
:: Advise countries to include services to prevent and treat NCDs and mental health as essential components of Universal Health Coverage.
:: Ensure that no one falls into poverty because they have to pay for health care out of their own pockets through the provision of adequate social protection for everyone.
:: Increase engagement with businesses and provide technical support to Member States so they can mount effective national responses to NCDs and mental health conditions.
:: Encourage governments to promote meaningful engagement with civil society.
:: Advocate for the establishment of a multi-donor trust fund to support countries in activities to reduce NCDs and promote mental health.

::::::

Weekly Epidemiological Record, 13 December 2019, vol. 94, 50 (pp. 601–612)
:: Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases: numbers of people treated in 2018y

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
No new digest content identified.

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: Countries must reduce barriers to access and increase financing in primary care to ensure Universal Health in the Americas. (12/12/2019)
:: Projects in Colombia and Peru win Social Innovation in Health prizes (12/09/2019)

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: WHO congratulates Sri Lanka for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Syphilis
10 December 2019 News release

WHO European Region EURO
No new digest content identified.

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Early Warning Alert and Response Network launched in Djibouti to detect epidemic-prone diseases 11 December 2019
:: Saving Somali children from vaccine-preventable diseases 8 December 2019

WHO Western Pacific Region
:: 14 October 2019 | Feature story Addressing the needs of ageing populations
:: 12 December 2019 News release WHO hosts dialogue on climate change and health
:: 11 October 2019 News release Region’s leaders discuss need to protect health in relation to climate change and the environment

CDC/ACIP [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html

MMWR News Synopsis for Friday, December 13, 2019
Recommendations and Reports:
Use of Anthrax Vaccine in the United States Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2019
Today’s report summarizes safety and estimated efficacy data and updates 2009 recommendations from the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding use of anthrax vaccine in the United States. The report also includes several changes from previous guidance that might be used to guide bioterrorism preparedness planning efforts. These updated recommendations increase the capacity and ease of use of the vaccine in an event where large scale vaccination might be needed.
Today’s report summarizes vaccine safety and estimated efficacy data, and updates CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations regarding use of anthrax vaccine in the United States. Changes from previous guidance include: 1) extending the booster dose interval for pre-exposure vaccination from 1 to 3 years for people who are not at high risk for exposure to anthrax; 2) recommending intramuscular vaccine administration during an emergency response if the subcutaneous route poses significant challenges; 3) recommendations on dose-sparing vaccine regimens; and 4) clarification on how long antimicrobial therapy is needed when used with vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis. These updated recommendations can be used to guide preparedness planning for a widespread release of B. anthracis spores, and increase capacity and ease of use of the vaccine in an event where large scale vaccination is needed.

Africa CDC [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

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

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
No new digest content identified.

Announcements

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group    [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
No new digest content identified.

 
 
BMGF – Gates Foundation  [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute    [to 14 Dec 2019]
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 14 Dec 2019]
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.
No new digest content identified.
 
 
 
CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations  [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://cepi.net/
Latest news
No new digest content identified.
 
 Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI)  [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://clintonhealthaccess.org/
News & Press Releases
December 9, 2019

CHAI Board announces appointment of Dr. Iain Barton as CEO in 2020

Ira C. Magaziner will continue to work with CHAI as a senior advisor and help drive new CHAI initiatives.

The Board of The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Iain Barton as CEO of CHAI to succeed Ira C. Magaziner who has led the organization since its founding in 2002. After Ira steps down as CEO on May 1, 2020, he has agreed to continue to work with CHAI for the foreseeable future as a senior advisor to Iain and to drive selected new programs.

In making the announcement, CHAI Board Chair Dr. Tachi Yamada said, “We are excited by the appointment of Iain as CEO of CHAI and the experience and creativity that he promises to bring to CHAI from his background as a physician and as an entrepreneur in African markets. We are also delighted that CHAI will continue to benefit from Ira’s vision and leadership.”…
 
 
EDCTP    [to 14 Dec 2019]
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
11 December 2019
PanACEA 2: New TB drug tested in patients for the first time in South Africa
The new promising tuberculosis drug BTZ-043 has been administered to patients for the first time in Cape Town, South Africa. This clinical study which is led by Professor Michael Hoeslcher of the Tropical Institute at the Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians…
 
 
Emory Vaccine Center    [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
European Medicines Agency  [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases

News: Meeting highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP)
9-12 December 2019
CHMP, Last updated: 13/12/2019
 
 
European Vaccine Initiative  [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
FDA [to 14 Dec 2019]https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htmAnnouncements
No new digest content identified.

 
Fondation Merieux [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
20 – 22 Jan 2020
Mérieux Foundation co-organized event
Dengue pre-vaccination screening strategies workshop
Les Pensières Center for Global Health, Veyrier-du-Lac (France)
 
 
Gavi [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.gavi.org/
No new digest content identified.
GHIT Fund [to 14 Dec 2019]
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 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
Funding Model
Applicant Handbook and Resources for the 2020-2022 Funding Cycle
13 December 2019
 
 
Funding Model
Essential Data for Applicants
12 December 2019
 
 
Funding Model
Webinars on the 2020-2022 Funding Cycle
11 December 2019
 
 
Hilleman Laboratories [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Human Vaccines Project [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IAVI [to 14 Dec 2019]
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/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/library/news/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFRC [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Global
Red Cross Red Crescent Conference: Over 160 States gather to address world’s most pressing humanitarian issues
Geneva, 12 December 2019– Representatives from 168 States joined 187 Red Cross Red Crescent Societies, at the International Conference in Geneva which closed today. The International Conference, held every four years since 1867, brings together States … A summary of all the Resolutions approved today can be found here
12 December 2019
 
 
Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia
Immediate action needed as millions face hunger in Southern Africa, warns the Red Cross
Pretoria/Nairobi/Geneva, 12 December 2019 – Hunger is threatening the lives of 11 million people in Southern Africa due to deepening drought and in the region. Red Cross teams across Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia are scali …
12 December 2019
 
 
IVAC [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IVI [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News & Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
JEE Alliance [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
No new digest content identified.
 
 
National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
NVAC 2020 Meetings
February 13-14, 2020 NVAC Meeting
June 9-10, 2020 NVAC Meeting
September 23-24, 2020 Meeting (Virtual)
 
 
NIH [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
Selected News Releases
NIH Renews Funding for the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group
December 13, 2019 — Network Leads Clinical Trials that Address Antibacterial Resistance Threats
 
 
Efforts to end the HIV epidemic must not ignore people already living with HIV
December 11, 2019 — NIH experts highlight importance of addressing HIV-associated comorbidities.
 
 
Vesicles released by bacteria may reduce the spread of HIV in human tissue
December 11, 2019 — NIH study may inform ways to reduce male-to-female HIV transmission.
 
 
NIH strategic plan details pathway to achieving Hepatitis B cure
December 10, 2019 — Plan outlines efforts to intensify ongoing HBV research.
 
 
PATH [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Selected Announcements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
UNAIDS [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
9 December 2019
Barriers to PrEP must be removed
Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has shown considerable impact in reducing new HIV infections when provided as an additional HIV prevention choice to gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people and sex workers.
PrEP is now being rolled out in sub-Saharan Africa for serodiscordant couples and adolescent girls and young women who are at higher risk of HIV infection. Uptake is high when community-level stigma and misconceptions are addressed, when women and girls are provided with accurate and relevant messaging about PrEP and when PrEP is framed as an empowering prevention method and a positive life choice.
However, further global expansion of PrEP requires countries to address regulatory issues and other barriers that are stopping people who want to use PrEP from doing so.

UNICEF [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Reports
Statement
The United Nations Network on Migration Commemorates First Anniversary of the Adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
11/12/2019

Press release
Despite significant increase in birth registration, a quarter of the world’s children remain ‘invisible’
Proportion of registered births increased almost 20 per cent over past decade, yet 166 million children under-five have never been officially recorded
10/12/2019

Press release
COP25: UNICEF Global Chief of Communication Paloma Escudero remarks at high-level UNICEF-OHCHR event
As prepared
09/12/2019
 
 
Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
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Vaccine Confidence Project [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
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Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Wellcome Trust [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Opinion | 11 December 2019
Redefining public engagement with science
by Carla Ross, Research and Evidence Lead Wellcome
Actively involving the public in research can help researchers solve challenges and makes engagement more purposeful for everyone.
 
 
Explainer | 10 December 2019
How to write persuasively about drug-resistant infections
If you’re an advocate, policy maker or expert working on drug-resistant infections, you often need to write convincingly to make your audience understand and care about the issue. Here are some practical examples to help you do that.
 
 
The Wistar Institute [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
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World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2019/
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ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
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BIO [to 14 Dec 2019]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Release
Senate Confirms Dr. Hahn to Lead the Food and Drug Administration
December 12, 2019
Former Congressman Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Stephen Hahn to serve as the next commissioner of the FDA:
“The Food and Drug Administration plays a critical role in helping to ensure patients and consumers have access to the innovative medicines our scientists and researchers discover, as well as to the next wave of food-related biotechnology innovation. We congratulate Dr. Hahn on his confirmation, and we look forward to working with him and the entire FDA team to ensure the American people continue to benefit from the power and promise of biotechnology.”
 
 
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News
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IFPMA [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
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PhRMA [to 14 Dec 2019]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
Press Release
R&D Focus: Four ways the biopharmaceutical industry leads in delivering new treatments and cures
December 9, 2019 In recent years, rapid advances in scientific discovery have ushered in a new era of medicine, transforming our ability to treat, and in some cases cure, some of the most challenging diseases, including cancer, rare diseases and autoimmune conditions. These advancements are due to the productivity of the United States’ biomedical research ecosystem, which is sustained by a policy framework that is designed to support and advance America’s leadership in the innovation of new medicines. Central to the success of this ecosystem is the leadership that comes from America’s biopharmaceutical research companies…

Journal Watch
Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review continues its weekly scanning of key peer-reviewed journals to identify and cite articles, commentary and editorials, books reviews and other content supporting our focu-s on vaccine ethics and policy. Journal Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues the Center is actively tracking. We selectively provide full text of some editorial and comment articles that are specifically relevant to our work. Successful access to some of the links provided may require subscription or other access arrangement unique to the publisher.
If you would like to suggest other journal titles to include in this service, please contact David Curry at: david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 14 Dec 2019)

The trend of full vaccination coverage in infants and inequalities by wealth quintile and maternal education: analysis from four recent demographic and health surveys in Nepal
Despite policy intention to reach disadvantaged populations, inequalities in health care resource use and health outcomes persist in Nepal. The current study aimed to investigate the trend of full vaccination …
Authors: Kiran Acharya, Yuba Raj Paudel and Dinesh Dharel
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1673
Content type: Research article
Published on: 12 December 2019

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 14 Dec 2019)

Lessons learned from engaging communities for Ebola vaccine trials in Sierra Leone: reciprocity, relatability, relationships and respect (the four R’s)
Building trust and engaging the community are important for biomedical trials. This was core to the set up and delivery of the EBOVAC-Salone and PREVAC Ebola vaccine trials in Sierra Leone during and following…
Authors: Sara Dada, Gillian McKay, Ana Mateus and Shelley Lees
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1665
Content type: Research article
Published on: 11 December 2019

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 14 Dec 2019)

Factors associated with the uptake of newly introduced childhood vaccinations in Ethiopia: the cases of rotavirus and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines
Childhood immunization programmes have made substantial contributions to lowering the burden of disease among children in developing countries, however a large proportion of children still remain unimmunized. …
Authors: Abrham Wondimu, Qi Cao, Jan C. Wilschut and Maarten J. Postma
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1656
Content type: Research article
Published on: 10 December 2019

Clinical Trials
Volume 16 Issue 6, December 2019
https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ctja/16/6

Ethics
Public views regarding the responsibility of patients, clinicians, and institutions to participate in research in the United States
Kevin P Weinfurt, Li Lin, Jeremy Sugarman
First Published July 1, 2019; pp. 574–579
Abstract
Background
The need for more and better evidence to inform clinical decision making among all stakeholders has fueled calls for creating learning healthcare systems. The successful realization of a learning healthcare system seems to assume that various parties have a responsibility to participate in learning activities, including research. The objective of this study was to determine whether members of the general public perceive an ethical responsibility to participate in pragmatic clinical research that would be inherent to a learning health system.
Methods
A total of 2994 English-speaking adults completed a nationally representative online survey.
Results
About two-thirds of respondents were relatively neutral regarding a responsibility for themselves and others to participate in research; the remainder felt that they and others did not have a responsibility to participate in research.
Conclusions
Efforts to justify and develop a robust learning health system in an ethically acceptable fashion need to take these findings into account.

Clinical Trials
Volume 16 Issue 6, December 2019
https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ctja/16/6

Stepped-wedge trials should be classified as research for the purpose of ethical review
Karla Hemming, Monica Taljaard, Tom Marshall, Cory E Goldstein, Charles Weijer

First Published December 9, 2019; pp. 580–588

Current Genetic Medicine Reports
Volume 7, Issue 4, December 2019
https://link.springer.com/journal/40142/7/4

Epigenetics and Epigenomics (C Bell, Section Editor)
Topical Collection
Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence in Advancing Precision Medicine
Fabian V. Filipp
We critically evaluate the future potential of machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), and artificial intelligence (AI) in precision medicine. The goal of this work is to show progress in ML in digital health, to exemplify future needs and trends, and to identify any essential prerequisites of AI and ML for precision health.

Developing World Bioethics
Volume 19, Issue 4 Pages: 187-247 December 2019
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14718847/current

ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Perceived challenges in the informed consent process: Mismatches between enrollers and researchers at a South African clinical research site
Megan Scott, Jennifer Watermeyer, Samantha Nolle, Claire Penn
Pages: 206-214
First Published: 29 January 2019

Health and Human Rights
Volume 21, Issue 2, December 2019
https://www.hhrjournal.org/volume-21-issue-2-december-2019/

General Papers
EDITORIAL  25 Years: Exploring the Health and Human Rights Journey
Carmel Williams, Joseph J. Amon, Mary T. Bassett, Ana V. Diez Roux, and Paul E. Farmer

Health Economics, Policy and Law 
Volume 15 – Issue 1 – January 2020
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/health-economics-policy-and-law/latest-issue

Articles
Fairness in drug prices: do economists think differently from the public?
Antonio J. Trujillo, Taruja Karmarkar, Caleb Alexander, William Padula, Jeremy Greene, Gerard Anderson
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 December 2018, pp. 18-29

Health Policy and Planning
Volume 34, Issue Supplement_3, December 2019
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/issue/34/Supplement_3

Access to Medicines through Health Systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Editorial
The State of Health Policy and Systems Research: Reflections From the 2018 5th Global Symposium
Kara Hanson, Kumanan Rasanathan, Asha George
Health Policy Plan, Volume 34, Issue Supplement_2, November 2019, Pages ii1–ii3, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czz113

Health Policy and Planning
Volume 34, Issue Supplement_3, December 2019
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/issue/34/Supplement_3

Supplement Articles
Methodological gaps and opportunities for studying multisectoral collaboration for health in low- and middle-income countries
Douglas Glandon, Shinjini Mondal, Ida Okeyo, Shehla Zaidi, Mishal S Khan …
Health Policy Plan, Volume 34, Issue Supplement_2, November 2019, Pages ii7–ii17, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czz116

Health Policy and Planning
Volume 34, Issue Supplement_3, December 2019
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/issue/34/Supplement_3

Use of evidence and negotiation in the review of national standard treatment guidelines and essential medicines list: experience from Ghana
Augustina Koduah, Brian A Asare, Edith Gavor, Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt, Edith Andrews Annan
Health Policy Plan, Volume 34, Issue Supplement_2, November 2019, Pages ii104–ii120, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czz107

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 12, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Vaccines don’t save lives. Vaccinations save lives
Walter Orenstein
Pages: 2786-2789
Published online: 08 Nov 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 12, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Vaccination timeliness and delay in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review of the literature, 2007-2017
Nina B. Masters, Abram L. Wagner & Matthew L. Boulton
Pages: 2790-2805
Published online: 12 Jun 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 12, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Challenges facing vaccinators in the 21st century: results from a focus group qualitative study
Frédérique Wiot, Jane Shirley, Anna Prugnola, Alberta Di Pasquale & Roy Philip
Pages: 2806-2815
Published online: 09 Jul 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 12, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Cost-effectiveness of workplace vaccination against measles
Luca Coppeta, Luca Morucci, Antonio Pietroiusti & Andrea Magrini
Pages: 2847-2850
Published online: 24 Jul 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 12, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
Post-vaccination campaign coverage evaluation of oral cholera vaccine, oral polio vaccine and measles–rubella vaccine among Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh
Ashraful Islam Khan, Md. Taufiqul Islam, Shah Alam Siddique, Shakil Ahmed, Nurnabi Sheikh, Ashraf Uddin Siddik, Muhammad Shariful Islam & Firdausi Qadri
Pages: 2882-2886
Published online: 23 Aug 2019

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 15, Issue 12, 2019
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current

Article
The factors associated with maternal consent to human papillomavirus vaccination among adolescents in Israel
Rana Shibli & Shmuel Rishpon
Pages: 3009-3015
Published online: 24 Jul 2019

Infectious Diseases of Poverty
http://www.idpjournal.com/content
[Accessed 14 Dec 2019]

Reduction patterns of Japanese encephalitis incidence following vaccine introduction into long-term expanded program on immunization in Yunnan Province, China
Authors: Xiao-Ting Hu, Qiong-Fen Li, Chao Ma, Zhi-Xian Zhao, Li-Fang He, Ting-Ting Tang, Wen Yu and Philip Owiti

Content type: Research Article
10 December 2019

The Lancet
Dec 14, 2019 Volume 394 Number 10215 p2125-2200
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Editorial
The elusive end to HIV in the USA
The Lancet

The Lancet
Dec 14, 2019 Volume 394 Number 10215 p2125-2200
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

2020: a crucial year for neglected tropical diseases
The Lancet

The Milbank Quarterly
A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population Health and Health Policy

Volume 97, Issue 4 Pages: 881-1242 December 2019
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14680009/current
Opinions
New Drugs, New Ideas: Payment Policy Innovations for High‐Cost Pharmaceuticals
BRIAN J. MILLER, GAIL WILENSKY
Pages: 922-925
First Published: 30 September 2019

The Milbank Quarterly
A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population Health and Health Policy

Original Scholarship
Childhood Vaccination Mandates: Scope, Sanctions, Severity, Selectivity, and Salience
KATIE ATTWELL, MARK C. NAVIN
Pages: 978-1014
First Published: 16 September 2019
Policy Points
:: We offer the first systematic conceptual framework for analyzing the operation of mandatory vaccination policies.
:: Our multicomponent framework facilitates synthesis judgments on single issues of pressing concern to policymakers, in particular, how mandatory vaccination policies motivate people to vaccinate.
:: We consider the impact of each component of our framework on persons who remain unvaccinated for different reasons, including complacency, social disadvantage, and more or less committed forms of refusal.

New England Journal of Medicine
December 12, 2019 Vol. 381 No. 24
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Original Articles
A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Ebola Virus Disease Therapeutics
Both MAb114 and REGN-EB3 were superior to ZMapp in reducing mortality from EVD. Scientifically and ethically sound clinical research can be conducted during disease outbreaks and can help inform the outbreak response.
Sabue Mulangu, M.D., et al and the PALM Writing Group for the PALM Consortium Study Team

Pediatrics
December 01, 2019; Volume 144, Issue 6
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/6?current-issue=y

Articles
Measles Antibody Levels in Young Infants
Michelle Science, Rachel Savage, Alberto Severini, Elizabeth McLachlan, Stephanie L. Hughes, Callum Arnold, Susan Richardson, Natasha Crowcroft, Shelley Deeks, Scott Halperin, Kevin Brown, Todd Hatchette, Jonathan Gubbay, Tony Mazzulli, Shelly Bolotin
Pediatrics, Dec 2019, 144 (6) e20190630

Pediatrics
December 01, 2019; Volume 144, Issue 6
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/6?current-issue=y

Safety of the 9-Valent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
Tom T. Shimabukuro, John R. Su, Paige L. Marquez, Adamma Mba-Jonas, Jorge E. Arana, Maria V. Cano
Pediatrics, Dec 2019, 144 (6) e20191791

Pediatrics
December 01, 2019; Volume 144, Issue 6
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/6?current-issue=y

Near Real-Time Surveillance to Assess the Safety of the 9-Valent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
James G. Donahue, Burney A. Kieke, Edwin M. Lewis, Eric S. Weintraub, Kayla E. Hanson, David L. McClure, Elizabeth R. Vickers, Julianne Gee, Matthew F. Daley, Frank DeStefano, Rulin C. Hechter, Lisa A. Jackson, Nicola P. Klein, Allison L. Naleway, Jennifer C. Nelson, Edward A. Belongia
Pediatrics, Dec 2019, 144 (6) e20191808

Pediatrics
December 01, 2019; Volume 144, Issue 6
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/6?current-issue=y

Religious Vaccine Exemptions in Kindergartners: 2011–2018
Joshua T.B. Williams, John Rice, Matt Cox-Martin, Elizabeth A. Bayliss, Sean T. O’Leary
Pediatrics, Dec 2019, 144 (6) e20192710

Pediatrics
December 01, 2019; Volume 144, Issue 6
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/6?current-issue=y

Commentaries
Protecting Young Infants From Measles
Huong Q. McLean, Walter A. Orenstein
Pediatrics, Dec 2019, 144 (6) e20192541

Pediatrics
December 01, 2019; Volume 144, Issue 6
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/6?current-issue=y

Special Articles
The Rights of Children for Optimal Development and Nurturing Care
Julie Uchitel, Errol Alden, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Jeffrey Goldhagen, Aditee Pradhan Narayan, Shanti Raman, Nick Spencer, Donald Wertlieb, Jane Wettach, Sue Woolfenden, Mohamad A. Mikati
Pediatrics, Dec 2019, 144 (6) e20190487

PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 14 Dec 2019)

Research Article
The projected impact of geographic targeting of oral cholera vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa: A modeling study
Elizabeth C. Lee, Andrew S. Azman, Joshua Kaminsky, Sean M. Moore, Heather S. McKay, Justin Lessler
| published 11 Dec 2019 PLOS Medicine
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003003

Public Health Ethics
Volume 12, Issue 3, November 2019
http://phe.oxfordjournals.org/content/current

Original Articles
Public Health and the Virtues of Responsibility, Compassion and Humility
Jessica Nihlén Fahlquist
Public Health Ethics, Volume 12, Issue 3, November 2019, Pages 213–224, https://doi.org/10.1093/phe/phz007
Abstract
In contrast to medical care, which is focused on the individual patient, public health is focused on collective health. This article argues that, in order to better protect the individual, discussions of public health would benefit from incorporating the insights of virtue ethics. There are three reasons to for this. First, the collective focus may cause neglect of the effects of public health policy on the interests and rights of individuals and minorities. Second, whereas the one-on-one encounters in medical care facilitate a compassionate and caring attitude, public health involves a distance between professionals and the public. Therefore, public health professionals must use imagination and care to evaluate the effects of policies on individuals. Third, the relationship between public health professionals and the people who are affected by the policies they design is characterized by power asymmetry, demanding a high level of responsibility from those who wield them.
Against this background, it is argued that public health professionals should develop the virtues of responsibility, compassion and humility. The examples provided, i.e. breastfeeding information and vaccination policy, illustrate the importance of these virtues, which needed for normative as well as instrumental reasons, i.e. as a way to restore trust.

Public Health Ethics
Volume 12, Issue 3, November 2019
http://phe.oxfordjournals.org/content/current

Authority and the Future of Consent in Population-Level Biomedical Research
Mark Sheehan, Rachel Thompson, Jon Fistein, Jim Davies, Michael Dunn …
Public Health Ethics, Volume 12, Issue 3, November 2019, Pages 225–236, https://doi.org/10.1093/phe/phz015
Abstract
Population-level biomedical research has become crucial to the health system’s ability to improve the health of the population. This form of research raises a number of well-documented ethical concerns, perhaps the most significant of which is the inability of the researcher to obtain fully informed specific consent from participants. Two proposed technical solutions to this problem of consent in large-scale biomedical research that have become increasingly popular are meta-consent and dynamic consent. We critically examine the ethical and practical credentials of these proposals and find them lacking. We suggest that the consent problem is not solved by adopting a technology driven approach grounded in a notion of ‘specific’ consent but by taking seriously the role of research governance in combination with broader conceptions of consent. In our view, these approaches misconstrue the rightful location of authority in the way in which population-level biomedical research activities are structured and organized. We conclude by showing how and why the authority for determining the nature and shape of choice making about participation ought not to lie with individual participants, but rather with the researchers and the research governance process, and that this necessarily leads to the endorsement of a fully articulated broad consent approach.

Public Health Ethics
Volume 12, Issue 3, November 2019
http://phe.oxfordjournals.org/content/current

Vaccination, Risks, and Freedom: The Seat Belt Analogy
Alberto Giubilini, Julian Savulescu
Public Health Ethics, Volume 12, Issue 3, November 2019, Pages 237–249, https://doi.org/10.1093/phe/phz014

Science
13 December 2019 Vol 366, Issue 6471
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

Editorial
Protect global collaboration
By Alan I. Leshner
Science13 Dec 2019 : 1291
Summary
Organized intellectual espionage is a concept that may not seem relevant to most American scientists because such instances are extremely rare, like most cases of scientific misconduct. But this type of theft from research institutions in the United States, although infrequent and isolated, is very real and very serious. It compromises the scientific values that uphold the openness of academic institutions in the United States as well as the nation’s security. Over the past decade, U.S. academic, security, and intelligence communities have identified an increasing number of instances of such misconduct by foreign nations, primarily China but also Russia and Iran. As policies to aggressively deter these occurrences are under vigorous discussion, the scientific community needs to step up and participate in designing the legal path forward, no matter how unpalatable that might seem. Otherwise, scientists will simply be left accepting the cards dealt to them regarding openness and collaboration, which could be even more distasteful.

Travel Medicine and Infectious Diseases
Volume 32 November–December 2019

Research article Abstract only
International mass gatherings and travel-associated illness: A GeoSentinel cross-sectional, observational study
Philippe Gautret, Kristina M. Angelo, Hilmir Asgeirsson, Alexandre Duvignaud, … Rainer Weber
Article 101504

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

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