Africa CDC [to 14 Sep 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/
Selected Updates and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

Announcements

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

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 14 Sep 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 Sep 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.
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Website not responding at inquiry

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://cepi.net/
No new digest content identified.

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://clintonhealthaccess.org/about/
News & Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 14 Sep 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
No new digest content identified.

Emory Vaccine Center [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Website not responding at inquiry

European Medicines Agency [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News and press releases
No new digest content identified.

European Vaccine Initiative [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
Latest news
International partnership to advance the clinical development of a new vaccine against Shigella and ETEC
10 September 2019
Horizon2020 award to consortium will support the testing of an innovative live attenuated vaccine in phase I clinical trials in Europe and Bangladesh
Under coordination by EVI, the SHIGETECVAX consortium, made up of partners including EVI, EveliQure, icddr,b, University of Gothenburg, and PATH, will be advancing a radically new approach for a vaccine against Shigella and ETEC, developed by EveliQure Biotechnologies.
To read the full news release, please click this link

FDA [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
No new digest content identified.

Fondation Merieux [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
No new digest content identified.

Gavi [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.gavi.org/
Latest news
Gavi receives the 2019 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award
Award given for saving millions of lives by providing sustained access to childhood vaccines around the globe
10 September 2019
{See Milestones above for detail]

Vaccine Manufacturer GS1 Compliance
09 September 2019
Starting 1 October 2019, for vaccine tenders backed by Gavi financing issued by UNICEF, it will be a requirement to have GS1 barcoding on the secondary packaging by latest 31 December 2021.

GHIT Fund [to 14 Sep 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 devastate the world’s poorest people. Other funders include six Japanese pharmaceutical
No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
Updates
General Assembly of the United Nations 74th Session
09 September 2019

Updates
Global Fund Strategic Review 2020
09 September 2019
…The Global Fund seeks qualified consultants/firms/consortia to perform the review, starting in October 2019. Detailed information and instructions are in the request for proposals TGF-19-076 [ download in English ] . The closing date is 4 October 2019.

Hilleman Laboratories [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.

Human Vaccines Project [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

IAVI [to 14 Sep 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
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/library/news/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.

IFRC [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.

IVAC [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates
No new digest content identified.

IVI [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News & Announcements
No new digest content identified.

JEE Alliance [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.msf.org/
Mediterranean migration
Ocean Viking survivors to disembark in Lampedusa six days after the first survivo…
Press Release 14 Sep 2019

Rohingya refugee crisis
ASEAN should show true leadership on Rohingya, Myanmar
Op-Ed 13 Sep 2019

DRC Ebola outbreaks
Crisis update – August 2019
Crisis Update 13 Sep 2019

Iraq
Mosul’s expectant mothers just can’t wait
Project Update 11 Sep 2019

France
Unaccompanied minors, symbols of a policy of mistreatment
Report 10 Sep 2019

France
Rejected and traumatised: Unaccompanied minors arriving in France
Project Update 10 Sep 2019

About MSF
Dr Christos Christou new International President of MSF
Statement 9 Sep 2019

NIH [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
Selected News Releases
NIAID officials call for innovative research on sexually transmitted infections
September 9, 2019 — Globally, more than 1 million new STI cases are diagnosed each day.

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.oic-oci.org/home/?lan=en
Selected Press Releases
OIC Participates in Polio Eradication Islamic Advisory Group
The Sixth Annual Meeting of the Islamic Advisory Group for Polio Eradication (IAG) was held in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, on 4 September 2019, under the patronage of His Eminence the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-sharief. The Meeting was attended by Members of IAG, including representatives from the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, Islamic Development Bank Group, World Health Organization and UNICEF. Representatives of priority countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia) also attended the meeting that reviewed progress made in the fight against polio and discussed a plan for future activities of IAG….
05/09/2019

PATH [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Selected Announcements
PATH partners with Bayer Foundation to fight malaria in Senegal
September 13, 2019 by PATH
PATH received a EUR 750,000 grant from the Bayer Foundation to develop a community champion and outreach program in Senegal. This funding is part of Bayer’s ongoing EUR 20 million program, which aims to support social innovation for nearly 100 million smallholder farmers and their family members by 2030.

Kenya joins Malawi and Ghana to roll out the world’s first malaria vaccine
Seattle, WA, September 13, 2019 – PATH congratulates Kenya as it joins Ghana and Malawi in providing the world’s first malaria vaccine to children through routine immunization. With the start of vaccination in Kenya, the World Health Organization (WHO)-coordinated Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) is now fully underway…

ProMED [Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases] [to 14 Sep 2019]
International Society for Infectious Diseases
https://www.promedmail.org/announcements/
Selected Announcements/Posts
No new digest content identified.

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
10 September 2019
UNAIDS still ahead in implementing UN-SWAP

10 September 2019
Ending AIDS is everyone’s business

10 September 2019
Five years on: 300 Fast-Track cities come together

UNICEF [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Reports
Press release
Mozambique: Children living in storm-affected areas face worsening food insecurity and nutrition crisis six months after Cyclone Idai
UNICEF projects more than 38,000 children could become severely malnourished by early 2020
14/09/2019

Press release
Hurricane Dorian: Bahamas Government and UNICEF to bring 10,000 displaced children back to school
12/09/2019

Press release
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore on child deaths in Gaza
12/09/2019

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
Most Recent Articles
Measles Outbreaks and Flu Vaccine Season
Published on Sep 03, 2019
This article includes videos and downloadable resources about measles and influenza infections and the vaccines that help to prevent them.

Wellcome Trust [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Opinion | 11 September 2019
How can we improve equity in science education?
by Anita Krishnamurthi

Opinion | 11 September 2019
The generosity of 500,000 healthy volunteers could help us all
by Sara Marshall

Opinion | 10 September 2019
Why we need to reimagine how we do research
by Jeremy Farrar
The emphasis on excellence in the research system is stifling diverse thinking and positive behaviours. As a community we can rethink our approach to research culture.

Opinion | 10 September 2019
Why are we seeing spikes in measles compared to other infectious diseases?
by Charlie Weller

The Wistar Institute [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Release Sep. 12, 2019
Major Grant Awarded to Wistar Supports Development of a Novel Therapeutic Approach for Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria
PHILADELPHIA — (September 12, 2019) — The Wistar Institute has received a grant of approximately $4.6 million from the National Institutes of Health in support of innovative research to tackle antibiotic resistance.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2019/
10/09/19
European politicians and scientists join forces to face ASF
Today in Sofia, Bulgaria, high level representatives, including The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis, the OIE Director General Dr Monique Eloit and five Agriculture Ministers1of the Balkan countries, joined the openingof the Standing Group of Experts on African swine fever(ASF)in Europe organized by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This mobilisation is a strong signal of support for the work done by veterinary experts to find adequate solutions to stop the spread of ASF in the European region…

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
https://www.bio.org/insights/press-release
No new digest content identified.

BIO [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.bio.org/insights/press-release
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
Events
DCVMN 20th Annual General Meeting
21 October 2019 to 23 October 2019
Rio de Janeiro / Brazil

IFPMA [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
Statements
New report provides a policy framework to support countries in implementing an effective life-course approach
09 September 2019

Industry and Stakeholders reaffirm their commitment to ensuring ethics and integrity across health systems
09 September 2019

PhRMA [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
Press Release
Bristol-Myers Squibb CEO Giovanni Caforio Becomes PhRMA Board Chairman
Washington, D.C. (September 4, 2019)—The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is pleased to announce that Giovanni Caforio, M.D., chairman and CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb has assumed the role of chairman of the PhRMA board of directors.
Prior to today’s announcement, Caforio held the position of chairman-elect and before that, the position of treasurer for the PhRMA Board. Caforio succeeds Olivier Brandicourt, CEO, Sanofi, who announced his retirement from Sanofi effective September 1, 2019…

Industry Watch [to 14 Sep 2019]
Selected Announcements
:: Pfizer Announces Positive Preliminary Results from a Proof-of-Concept Phase 2 Study (B7471003) of its 20-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Candidate Being Investigated for the Prevention of Invasive Disease and Otitis Media in Healthy Infants
Additionally, Pfizer Has Completed Enrollment of its Phase 3 Studies (NCT03828617, NCT03835975 and NCT03760146) for its 20-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Candidate Being Investigated for the Prevention of Invasive Disease and Pneumonia in Adults Aged 18 Years and Older
September 09, 2019 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 101, Issue 3, 2019
http://www.ajtmh.org/content/journals/14761645/101/3

Articles
Epidemic Situation of Tuberculosis in Prisons in the Central Region of China
Yeqing Tong, Shunli Jiang, Xuhua Guan, Shuanyi Hou, Kun Cai, Yemeng Tong, Li Cai, Jiafa Liu and Qing Lu
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.18-0987

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 101, Issue 3, 2019
http://www.ajtmh.org/content/journals/14761645/101/3

Associations between Public Awareness, Local Precipitation, and Cholera in Yemen in 2017
Shi Zhao, Salihu S. Musa, Jing Qin and Daihai He
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.18-1016

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 14 Sep 2019)

Research article
|   14 September 2019
Lessons from a training needs assessment to strengthen the capacity of routine immunization service providers in Nigeria
Health workers (HWs) providing routine immunization (RI) services play a crucial role in influencing vaccine uptake, a key determinant of improved immunization coverage. Over the years, Training Needs Assessme…
Authors: Linda Arogundade, Titilola Akinwumi, Shola Molemodile, Ebubechi Nwaononiwu, Joshua Ezika, Inuwa Yau and Chizoba Wonodi

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 14 Sep 2019)

Research article
Vaccination uptake among Australian early childhood education staff: assessing perceptions, behaviours and workplace practices
Early Childhood Education Centre (ECEC) staff are strongly recommended to receive several immunizations including influenza and pertussis. However, evidence regarding the uptake is either old or lacking across…
Authors: Holly Seale, Stephanie Dwyer, Alamgir Kabir and Rajneesh Kaur
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2019 19:805
Published on: 14 September 2019

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

Research article
Hepatitis B vaccination coverage across India: exploring the spatial heterogeneity and contextual determinants
Although hepatitis B vaccinations have been integrated in the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) in India over a decade, only half of the children are immunized against hepatitis B. The national average in h…
Authors: Junaid Khan, Apurba Shil and Sanjay K. Mohanty
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1263
Published on: 12 September 2019

Clinical Trials
Volume 16 Issue 5, October 2019
https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ctja/16/5

Ethics
Risk to bystanders in clinical trials: A symposium
Nir Eyal
First Published August 1, 2019; pp. 447–449
Abstract
This symposium takes a critical look at the ethics of impact on “bystanders” to clinical research. By that we mean study non-participants who nevertheless are at risk of being affected by the study in some way. This introduction suggests some questions to consider while reading through the symposium contributions, and gives a précis of each.

Clinical Trials
Volume 16 Issue 5, October 2019
https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ctja/16/5

Policy
Open science: The open clinical trials data journey
Frank Rockhold, Christina Bromley, Erin K Wagner, Marc Buyse
First Published July 26, 2019; pp. 539–546
Abstract
Open data sharing and access has the potential to promote transparency and reproducibility in research, contribute to education and training, and prompt innovative secondary research. Yet, there are many reasons why researchers don’t share their data. These include, among others, time and resource constraints, patient data privacy issues, lack of access to appropriate funding, insufficient recognition of the data originators’ contribution, and the concern that commercial or academic competitors may benefit from analyses based on shared data. Nevertheless, there is a positive interest within and across the research and patient communities to create shared data resources. In this perspective, we will try to highlight the spectrum of “openness” and “data access” that exists at present and highlight the strengths and weakness of current data access platforms, present current examples of data sharing platforms, and propose guidelines to revise current data sharing practices going forward.

Clinical Trials
Volume 16 Issue 5, October 2019
https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ctja/16/5

Transparency and objectivity in governance of clinical trials data sharing: Current practices and approaches
Mahsa Shabani, Mojisola Obasa

First Published July 26, 2019; pp. 547–551
Abstract
Sharing metadata, individual participant data and summary data, as a complement to results dissemination and trial registration requirements, is perceived to be advantageous by enabling faster and more accurate meta-analyses and reducing the need for additional trials. To date, various models of data access have been utilized in order to manage clinical trials data sharing and access in line with the rights and interests of sponsors, researchers and patients involved in clinical trials. In order to ensure responsible data sharing, the data access review process should be developed in a way that ensures fairness, transparency and objectivity. In this article, we critically review some examples of current governance models in clinical trials data sharing and suggest approaches to ensure the objectivity of the data access review process.

Current Genetic Medicine Reports
Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2019
https://link.springer.com/journal/40142/7/3

Counseling and Testing (C Reiser and C Walton, Section Editors)
Topical Collection
Biobanks in the Era of Genomic Data
Biobank research brings together participants, their samples and data, and researchers to provide a productive and efficient resource that advances discovery, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This mini-review addresses the importance of governance issues regarding consent, privacy and confidentiality, data sharing, and return of results in biobanks that utilize genomic sequencing data.
Juliann Savatt, Cassandra J. Pisieczko, Yanfei Zhang

Developing World Bioethics
Volume 19, Issue 3 Pages: 123-185 September 2019
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14718847/current

ARTICLES
‘Bioethical Realism’: A Framework for Implementing Universal Research Ethics
Implementation of existing ethical guidelines for international collaborative medical and health research is still largely controversial in sub‐Saharan Africa for two major reasons: One, they are seen as foreign and allegedly inconsistent with what has been described as an ‘African worldview’, hence, demand for their strict implementations reeks of ‘bioethical imperialism’. Two, they have other discernible inadequacies – lack of sufficient detail, apparent as well as real ambiguities, vagueness and contradictions. Similar charges exist(ed) in other non‐Western societies. Consequently, these guidelines have been correctly judged as an inadequate response to the complex and ever shifting dilemmas met by researchers and research regulators in the field. This paper proposes a framework for effective implementation of existing guidelines without much worry about bioethical imperialism and other inadequacies…
John Barugahare
Pages: 128-138
First Published: 06 August 2018

Developing World Bioethics
Volume 19, Issue 3 Pages: 123-185 September 2019
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14718847/current

Putting placebo‐controlled trials in developing countries to the interpersonal justifiability test
Jamie Webb

Pages: 139-147
First Published: 18 September 2018

EMBO Reports
Volume 20 Issue 9 1 September 2019
https://www.embopress.org/toc/14693178/current

Science & Society 5 August 2019
Characterizing scientific failure : Putting the replication crisis in context
Stephan Guttinger, Alan C Love
A better understanding of the nature and causes of failure in research could inform policies to improve the reproducibility of biomedical research.

Health Research Policy and Systems
http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content
[Accessed 14 Sep 2019]

Review
|   13 September 2019
The unpredictable journeys of spreading, sustaining and scaling healthcare innovations: a scoping review
Innovation has the potential to improve the quality of care and health service delivery, but maximising the reach and impact of innovation to achieve large-scale health system transformation remains understudied. Interest is growing in three processes of the innovation journey within health systems, namely the spread, sustainability and scale-up (3S) of innovation. Recent reviews examine what we know about these processes. However, there is little research on how to support and operationalise the 3S. This study aims to improve our understanding of the 3S of healthcare innovations
Authors: Élizabeth Côté-Boileau, Jean-Louis Denis, Bill Callery and Meghan Sabean

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

Commentary
|   13 September 2019
The role of multilateral organizations and governments in advancing social innovation in health care delivery
Despite great medical advances and scientific progress over the past century, one billion people globally still lack access to basic health care services. In the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development social innovation models aim to provide effective solutions that bridge the health care delivery gap, address equity and create social value. This commentary highlights the roles of multilateral organizations and governments in creating an enabling environment where social innovations can more effectively integrate into health systems to maximize their impact on beneficiaries.
Authors: Beatrice Halpaap, Rosanna W. Peeling and François Bonnici

JAMA
September 10, 2019, Vol 322, No. 10, Pages 903-1022
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Research Letter
Prevalence of Oral HPV Infection in Unvaccinated Men and Women in the United States, 2009-2016
Anil K. Chaturvedi, PhD; Barry I. Graubard, PhD; Tatevik Broutian, PhD; et al.
JAMA. 2019;322(10):977-979. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.10508
To estimate changes in oral human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence attributable to vaccination vs herd immunity, this national survey study uses National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to compare oral HPV prevalence for 4 types targeted by HPV vaccine and 33 nonvaccine types in unvaccinated US adults aged 18 to 59 years from 2009 to 2016.

JAMA
September 10, 2019, Vol 322, No. 10, Pages 903-1022
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Viewpoint
Scientific Discovery and the Future of Medicine
Accelerating the Science of SCD Therapies—Is a Cure Possible?
Edward J. Benz Jr, MD; Traci Heath Mondoro, PhD; Gary H. Gibbons, MD
JAMA. 2019;322(10):921-922. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.11419
This Viewpoint reviews the molecular basis of sickle cell disease (SCD), the history of treatments for the disease, and recent progress toward curative therapies including HSCT and gene therapy and editing, emphasizing that research and innovation needs to take into account patient priorities and perspectives given the history of research mistreatment of minority groups most affected by SCD.

JAMA
September 10, 2019, Vol 322, No. 10, Pages 903-1022
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Viewpoint
Scientific Discovery and the Future of Medicine
Accelerating the Science of SCD Therapies—Is a Cure Possible?
Edward J. Benz Jr, MD; Traci Heath Mondoro, PhD; Gary H. Gibbons, MD
JAMA. 2019;322(10):921-922. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.11419
This Viewpoint reviews the molecular basis of sickle cell disease (SCD), the history of treatments for the disease, and recent progress toward curative therapies including HSCT and gene therapy and editing, emphasizing that research and innovation needs to take into account patient priorities and perspectives given the history of research mistreatment of minority groups most affected by SCD.

JAMA
September 10, 2019, Vol 322, No. 10, Pages 903-1022
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

CAR T-Cell TherapyA Microcosm for the Challenges Ahead in Medicare
Caron Jacobson, MD; Amy Emmert, MScPH; Meredith B. Rosenthal, PhD
JAMA. 2019;322(10):923-924. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.10194
This Viewpoint discusses existing mechanisms of Medicare reimbursement for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, which at US $375 000 to $475 000 per treatment is prohibitively expensive, and proposes ways to mitigate the challenges of covering the therapy appropriately and equitably for those who need it while realistically managing cost constraints.

JBI Database of Systematic Review and Implementation Reports
September 2019 – Volume 17 – Issue 9
http://journals.lww.com/jbisrir/Pages/currenttoc.aspx

EDITORIALS
Prioritizing impact to improve health services and reduce inequities in rural, remote and very remote locations
Carey, Timothy A.
JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports. 17(9):1729-1730, September 2019.

Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
Volume 14 Issue 4, October 2019
http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jre/current

Empirical studies on informed consent
Concise Consent Forms Appreciated—Still Not Comprehended: Applying Revised Common Rule Guidelines in Online Studies
Evan K. Perrault, Seth P. McCullock
First Published June 6, 2019; pp. 299–306

Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
Volume 14 Issue 4, October 2019
http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jre/current

Empirical studies of IRB/REC functioning
Improving Compliance With Institutional Review Board Continuing Review Requirements
Min-Fu Tsan, Yen Nguyen
First Published March 20, 2019; pp. 365–37

Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
Volume 14 Issue 4, October 2019
http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jre/current

Attitudes Regarding Enrollment in a Genetic Research Project: An Informed Consent Simulation Study Comparing Views of People With Depression, Diabetes, and Neither Condition
Jane Paik Kim, Katie Ryan, Laura Weiss Roberts

Journal of Medical Ethics
September 2019 – Volume 45 – 9
http://jme.bmj.com/content/current

Original research
Meeting the needs of underserved populations: setting the agenda for more inclusive citizen science of medicine (12 July, 2019)
In its expansion to genomic, epidemiological and biomedical research, citizen science has been promoted as contributing to the democratisation of medical research and healthcare. At the same time, it has been criticised for reinforcing patterns of exclusion in health and biomedicine, and sometimes even creating new ones. Although citizen science has the potential to make biomedical research more inclusive, the benefits of current citizen science initiatives are not equally accessible for all people—in particular those who are resource-poor, located outside of traditional networks of healthcare services, or members of minorities and marginalised groups.
Amelia Fiske, Barbara Prainsack, Alena Buyx

Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice
https://joppp.biomedcentral.com/
[Accessed 14 Sep 2019]

Review
|   11 September 2019
Regulatory framework in Pakistan: situation analysis of medicine quality and future recommendations
Quality issues in pharmaceuticals are identified as a huge global and public health problem, especially with reference to low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan. The 2011 “Fake Drug Crisis” acted as a driving force to reform the regulatory structures of the country and for establishing the autonomous “Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan”. Despite the fact that Pakistan possesses a huge pharmaceutical industry, there is a severe dearth of published literature and scientific evidence for the country regarding medicine quality and the prevalence of counterfeit and low-quality products, respectively.
Authors: Huma Rasheed, Ludwig Hoellein, Khalid Saeed Bukhari and Ulrike Holzgrabe

The Lancet
Sep 14, 2019 Volume 394 Number 10202 p895-978
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Editorial
Tuberculosis needs accelerated and continued attention
The Lancet

The Lancet
Sep 14, 2019 Volume 394 Number 10202 p895-978
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Series
Tuberculosis 2019
Management of drug-resistant tuberculosis
Christoph Lange, Keertan Dheda, Dumitru Chesov, Anna Maria Mandalakas, Zarir Udwadia,
C Robert Horsburgh Jr

The Lancet
Sep 14, 2019 Volume 394 Number 10202 p895-978
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Tuberculosis 2019
Challenges and controversies in childhood tuberculosis
Anja Reuter, Jennifer Hughes, Jennifer Furin

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 9, September 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/25/issues/8

Editorial | 09 September 2019
Delivering the promise of RNA therapeutics
As the clinical potential of RNA therapeutics begins to be unveiled, expanding the range of tissue types that can be targeted for delivery of these drugs is now the main hurdle to overcome.

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 9, September 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/25/issues/8

Review Article | 09 September 2019
Clinical lessons learned from the first leg of the CAR T cell journey
Clinical application of CAR T cells to cancer therapy has met with much success, but future trials must build on current understanding to overcome therapy resistance
Robbie G. Majzner  & Crystal L. Mackall

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 9, September 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/25/issues/8

Review Article | 09 September 2019
Clinical lessons learned from the first leg of the CAR T cell journey
Clinical application of CAR T cells to cancer therapy has met with much success, but future trials must build on current understanding to overcome therapy resistance
Robbie G. Majzner  & Crystal L. Mackall

Nature Reviews Immunology
Volume 19 Issue 9, September 2019
https://www.nature.com/nri/volumes/19/issues/9

Review Article | 21 May 2019
Moving tuberculosis vaccines from theory to practice
V accine trials against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are showing encouraging results. This Review discusses current Mtb vaccine design in the light of new insights into the immunology of tuberculosis infection.
Peter Andersen  & Thomas J. Scriba

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 236 September 2019
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/social-science-and-medicine/vol/236/suppl/C

Review article Abstract only
Social capital and physical health: An updated review of the literature for 2007–2018
Justin Rodgers, Anna V. Valuev, Yulin Hswen, S.V. Subramanian
Article 112360

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 40 Pages 5909-6016 (20 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/40

Conference info Open access
The art of partnerships for vaccines
Sonia Pagliusi, Yanchun Che, Shaozhong Dong
Pages 5909-5919

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 40 Pages 5909-6016 (20 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/40

Commentary
Discussion Abstract only
Broadening the perspective on gender equity in immunization: The unique contributions of Human Papillomavirus vaccination
Marta Feletto, Alyssa B. Sharkey
Pages 5920-5922

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 40 Pages 5909-6016 (20 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/40

Review article Abstract only
Pharmacist role in vaccination: Evidence and challenges
Arjun Poudel, Esther T.L. Lau, Megan Deldot, Chris Campbell, … Lisa M. Nissen
Pages 5939-5945

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 40 Pages 5909-6016 (20 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/40

Review article Abstract only
Cost-benefit analysis of a national influenza vaccination program in preventing hospitalisation costs in Australian adults aged 50–64 years old
Suresh Mahendra Raj, Abrar Ahmad Chughtai, Anurag Sharma, Timothy C. Tan, C. Raina MacIntyre
Pages 5979-5985

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 40 Pages 5909-6016 (20 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/40

Review article Abstract only
The mad leading the blind: Perceptions of the vaccine-refusal movement among Australians who support vaccination
T. Rozbroj, A. Lyons, J. Lucke
Pages 5986-5993

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 40 Pages 5909-6016 (20 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/40

Review article Abstract only
Timeliness of rotavirus vaccination at sentinel sites in four early-adopter African countries
Talia Pindyck, Jacqueline E. Tate, Isidore Juste O. Bonkoungou, George Armah, … Umesh Parashar
Pages 6002-6007

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 40 Pages 5909-6016 (20 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/40

Review article Abstract only
Trust in vaccines and medicines in Uganda
Daniel R. Evans, Tatenda T. Yemeke, Elizabeth E. Kiracho, Aloysius Mutebi, … Sachiko Ozawa
Pages 6008-6015

Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 14 Sep 2019)

Open Access Review
The Cellular Immune Response to Rabies Vaccination: A Systematic Review
by Lisanne A. Overduin, Jacques J.M. van Dongen and Leonardus G. Visser
Vaccines 2019, 7(3), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7030110 – 11 Sep 2019
Abstract
The effectiveness of rabies vaccines is conventionally determined by serological testing. In addition to this assessment of humoral immunity, cellular immunity could help assess effectiveness and protection through a broad range of parameters. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review all literature on the kinetics and composition of the cellular immune response to rabies vaccination in humans. A total of 1360 studies were identified in an extensive literature search. Twenty studies were selected for inclusion. In a primary response, plasma cells are detectable from day 7 to day 14, peaking at day 10. Memory B-cells appear from day 10 up to at least day 28. After revaccination, natural killer (NK) cells are the first detectable cellular parameters. Further research is required to assess cellular parameters in relation to long-term (serological) immunity. This review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under registration number CRD42019134416.

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

Journal of Adolescent Health
Available online 9 September 2019
In Press, Corrected Proof
Original article
Declines in vaccine-type human papillomavirus prevalence in females across racial/ethnic groups: data from a national survey
NM McClung, RM Lewis, JW Gargano, T Querec…
Conclusions
Within 10 years of vaccine introduction, 4vHPV-type prevalence declined 86% among 14- to 19-year-olds, with declines observed in NHW, NHB, and MA females, and 71% among 20- to 24-year-olds, with declines in NHW and NHB females. These extraordinary declines should lead to substantial reductions in HPV-associated cancers.

Eurosurveillance
Volume 24, Issue 36, 05/ Sep/2019
Research Open Access
Promoting vaccination in maternity wards ─ motivational interview technique reduces hesitancy and enhances intention to vaccinate, results from a multicentre non-controlled pre- and post-intervention RCT-nested study, Quebec, March 2014 to February 2015
A Gagneur, MC Battista, FD Boucher, B Tapiero… –

Journal of Cancer Education
First Online: 07 September 2019
Article
Rural Caregivers’ Willingness for Community Pharmacists to Administer the HPV Vaccine to Their Age-Eligible Children
AM Koskan, LN Dominick, DL Helitzer –
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake varies by geographic regions with rural, often medically underserved areas, lagging behind more urban regions in terms of vaccine initiation and completion. In these regions, pharmacies may serve as an additional location for HPV vaccine administration. Little is known about rural caregivers’ willingness to have their HPV vaccine age-eligible children obtain this vaccine from their local pharmacist. First and second authors conducted 26 in-depth interviews with caregivers of HPV vaccine age-eligible children living in rural regions of a southwestern state to explore their perceptions of the HPV vaccine and their willingness for pharmacist-administered HPV vaccination. They analyzed interview data using an inductive qualitative content analyses approach. The majority of caregivers were unaware that pharmacists could offer adolescent vaccines. However, most were willing to allow their children to receive the vaccine from this non-traditional source. Comments related to obtaining vaccinations from pharmacists related mostly to concerns about proper training and their certification to vaccinate against HPV. Caregivers believed that having a pharmacist administer the HPV vaccine would not affect their relationship with their primary care provider. Caregivers preferred print health education resources and were interested in also receiving health information via social media to learn more about the HPV vaccine and pharmacists’ role in HPV vaccine administration. Pharmacies may serve as an additional site to increase HPV vaccine initiation and completion. Rural regions need additional health information about the HPV vaccine and pharmacists’ abilities to administer this cancer prevention resource.

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 14 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
Malaria vaccine in Kenya – a potential game-changer
13 Sep 2019
The world’s first malaria vaccine is being rolled out in parts of Kenya from Friday, after previously being released in Ghana and Malawi.
It will be added to the routine vaccination schedule, and more than 300,000 children are expected to receive the vaccine over the next three years.
Malaria kills more than 400,000 people globally each year – mostly children – making this vaccine a potential game-changer, as Global Health Correspondent Tulip Mazumdar reports.

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
Global health
Hundreds of children die in Philippine dengue epidemic as local action urged
Health ministry calls for greater efforts to deal with mosquito-borne disease at village level as death toll reaches four figures…
The government fears cases could rise further as the country enters typhoon season.
Following a national ban on a controversial vaccine blamed for children’s deaths, cases of dengue fever in the Philippines have more than doubled compared with figures for the same period last year.
The Department for Health has recorded 249,332 cases since the start of the year, dwarfing the 119,224 cases recorded in 2018. The figures are the highest since 2012.
The government is considering appeals to lift its ban on Dengvaxia, a drug developed by French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur that remains the only vaccine available against dengue. However, many remain cautious due to claims that improper use in the country had led to children’s deaths. The World Health Organization issued a conditional recommendation for the vaccine in areas where dengue is highly endemic…

Protesters shut down California’s legislature as bills tighten vaccine bills
4 days ago … Activists shut down both chambers of the California state legislature with protests and chanting against a set of bills seeking to tighten school ..

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
New York
How Far Would You Go to Avoid Vaccinating Your Child?
In New York, as new immunization laws take effect, there has been a surge in parents home schooling their children.
By Ginia Bellafante

Health
Lasker Awards Honor Advances in Modern Immunology
The prizes recognized the discoverers of B and T lymphocytes, pioneers in genetic engineering to fight breast cancer, and a nonprofit that helps get vaccines to the world’s poorest children.
Sept. 10 By Knvul SheikhU.S.

U.S.
California Governor Signs Vaccine Bills He Demanded
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills Monday to crack down on doctors who write fraudulent medical exemptions for school children’s vaccinations.
Sept. 9 By The Associated Press

Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
Health
California’s governor signed a pro-vaccine bill into law this week. Then the protests got weird.
By Marisa Iati
September 14 at 4:05 PM
Anti-vaccine activists in California area heatedly protesting new limits on medical exemptions to vaccine requirements days after the bill was finalized amid a nationwide crisis of confidence in the life-saving procedure.
First, protesters blocked the entrance to the state capitol Monday and repeatedly shut down the legislature with their demonstrations as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed the bill, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Then, a candlelight vigil Wednesday for children allegedly harmed or killed by vaccines included a photo of Ethan Lindenberger, who was vaccinated against his parents’ wishes and has testified before Congress. Jonathan Lockwood, executive director of the anti-vaccine group Conscience Coalition, which organized the vigil, did not immediately respond to a question about why the photo was used.
The state legislative session closed Friday with a dramatic display from the gallery: A woman threw “a feminine hygiene device containing what appeared to be blood” at the senators from a balcony, the California Highway Patrol said…

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
Future Development
Are the multilaterals ready to act on pandemic prevention and other global public goods?
Kaci Kennedy McDade and Gavin Yamey
Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
September 12, 2019
Reflections on 15 Years of “Market Shaping”: The Case of the Pentavalent Vaccine
Over the past two decades, several global health institutions have attempted to improve public health by influencing the characteristics of health product markets, including pricing, quality, overall production, and the supplier and product landscapes. We examine the role of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in market shaping.
Rachel Silverman

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
Commentary
The Ebola Virus Is Winning in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
September 12, 2019 | By J. Stephen Morrison
Hard barriers to access lie at the very heart of the agonizing struggle by international and Congolese responders to contain and ultimately arrest the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As of early September 2019, there have been over 3,000 cases and 2,000 deaths. Foremost among the barriers to access are insecurity and chaos, which gravely and consistently thwart access to the hot zone, in effect providing shelter for the virus.
Four other forces contribute profoundly to creating an environment in which it has not been possible to confront and circumnavigate DRC’s insecurity and chaos in order to carry out the public health actions essential to end the Ebola outbreak. These compounding factors include DRC’s dysfunctional governance, the absence of high-level major power engagement, the overload created by DRC’s high number of infectious disease outbreaks amid a roiling humanitarian crisis, and the flawed implementation and management of an underfinanced international response…

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
[No new relevant content]

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 14 Sep 2019
[No new relevant content]

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Statement by WHO Director-General on Facebook and Instagram
4 September 2019
Statement Geneva
The World Health Organization welcomes the commitment by Facebook to ensure that users find facts about vaccines across Instagram, Facebook Search, Groups, Pages and forums where people seek out information and advice.

Facebook will direct millions of its users to WHO’s accurate and reliable vaccine information in several languages, to ensure that vital health messages reach people who need them the most.
The World Health Organization and Facebook have been in discussions for several months to ensure people can access authoritative information on vaccines and reduce the spread of inaccuracies.

Vaccine misinformation is a major threat to global health that could reverse decades of progress made in tackling preventable diseases.

Many debilitating and deadly diseases can be effectively prevented by vaccines. Think measles, diphtheria, hepatitis, polio, cholera, yellow fever, influenza…

Major digital organizations have a responsibility to their users — to ensure that they can access facts about vaccines and health. It would be great to see social and search platforms come together to leverage their combined reach.

We want digital actors doing more to make it known around the world that #VaccinesWork.

We want innovation that supports healthy behaviours to save lives and protect the vulnerable. So many children whose parents fully support vaccination currently lack access to these life-saving tools.

These online efforts must be matched by tangible steps by governments and the health sector to promote trust in vaccination and respond to the needs and concerns of parents.

Let’s not miss more opportunities to prevent the spread of some of the world’s deadliest diseases. #healthforall

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) – Investment case 2019-2023
September 2019 :: 48 pages
Executive Summary
[Excerpt; Editor’s text bolding]
…The Polio Endgame Strategy 2019–2023
The purpose of the Polio Endgame Strategy 2019–2023 is to achieve eradication of all polioviruses. Key to the success of the programme is the continued use of proven strategies, such as the surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis, environmental surveillance and supplementary immunization activities.

To meet the final challenges, the new strategy leverages the GPEI’s systematic collaboration with other health and humanitarian programmes. This model of collaboration will enable the GPEI and its partners to identify potential synergies, share information for action, increase capacity and more fully meet the health and humanitarian needs of communities. As a key example of this, the CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, joined the Polio Oversight Board (POB) in March 2019. Gavi’s commitment to bringing together public and private sectors in support of global health equity makes them an ideal partner for strengthening immunization systems and sustaining health gains achieved through the eradication effort.

The GPEI is also working with development agencies and nongovernmental organizations to explore how projects in complementary essential service sectors – such as water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, education and primary health care – can be prioritized to meet the basic needs of communities who are also at high risk of polio. As the basic needs of underserved and impoverished children and families are increasingly met, communities will be more likely to welcome the polio vaccine and other health interventions delivered through the GPEI and its partners.

GPEI budgetary requirements
In September 2018, the POB approved a multiyear budget that defines the resource requirements of the GPEI from 2019 to 2023. The total cost is US$ 4.2 billion, including US$ 3.27 billion in incremental costs beyond what has already been secured for 2013–2019. The new budget makes investments to sustain and intensify key interventions, with costs reducing incrementally over time to reflect anticipated programmatic progress. This will specify target reductions to contain costs.

Without the additional US$ 3.27 billion, the GPEI cannot proceed with all of the requirements to ensure that it is in the best possible position to eradicate polio. Polio activities that protect non-endemic countries from international spread will be immediately at risk without donor backing. Support to countries that are at higher risk of an outbreak could also see cuts if financial commitments are not secured. While the programme is equipped to make tough decisions by prioritizing essential activities in endemic countries, its capacity to protect children around the world from a debilitating and deadly disease could be severely impacted without donor funding.

The GPEI’s value for money
Substantiating the impact of investing in polio eradication, recent modelling attests that eradicating polio will generate US$ 14 billion in expected cumulative cost savings by 2050, when compared with the cost countries will incur for controlling the virus indefinitely. In financial terms, the global effort to eradicate polio has already saved more than US$ 27 billion in health costs since 1988.

Investing in polio eradication is both an entry point and a foundation for investing in broad global health interventions, many of which support the Sustainable Development Goals – most notably universal health coverage and its protection against medical impoverishment through equitable access to safe, affordable, and effective vaccines.

Through its expansive network of community-based workers and volunteers, the GPEI operates in parts of the world that have been previously unreached by health interventions, which is a unique asset for health service delivery. Female frontline workers have been especially effective at establishing trust with affected communities. The GPEI has also been uniquely placed to deliver more than polio vaccines, including through the delivery of vitamin A, antimalarial bednets, and deworming tablets, and through its on-the-ground support for epidemics and humanitarian crises, notably the Ebola outbreak.

The power of vaccines
Eradicating polio will be an achievement that should not be underestimated, but the political will to ensure that efforts continue is also not a given. Bold financial and political commitments from both governments and institutional donors are needed to rid the world of this disease. Ultimately, those efforts will not only protect future children from polio, they will also ensure that the world remains polio-free and that the resources and infrastructure built by the GPEI can be transferred to support other health needs.

Now, as the world faces unforeseen threats to hard-won progress from the spread of misinformation and the rise of vaccine hesitancy, the GPEI presents a unique opportunity. By reaching this historic goal, polio eradication will send a strong message. It will provide both irrefutable evidence of the transformative power of vaccines and proof of what the world can achieve by joining efforts in support of the global good.