::::::
Organization Announcements
Editor’s Note:
Careful readers will note that the number and range of organizations now monitored in our Announcements section below has grown as the impacts of the pandemic have spread across global economies, supply chains and programmatic activity of multilateral agencies and INGOs.
Airfinity [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.airfinity.com/insights
INSIGHTS & COMPANY NEWS
No new digest content identified.
Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://alleninstitute.org/news-press/
News
2021 Annual Report: unknown | known
Good science often raises just as many questions as it answers.
January 24, 2022
Whether it’s classifying the billions of neurons that make up our brain, tracing the lineages of our development or understanding the detailed ins and outs of our cells, Allen Institute scientists are making the unknown known — and ultimately helping us to understand what it means to be human.
BARDA – U.S. Department of HHS [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsRoomHome.aspx
News
UPDATE — Allocation of Bamlanivimab/Etesevimab and REGEN-COV Therapeutics Paused
Monday, January 24, 2022
BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center
Press Releases and Statements
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Appoints Board of Trustees – Four New Members Join Co-Chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates to Shape Foundation Governance and Increase Impact
In inaugural foundation annual letter, CEO Mark Suzman reflects on evolution of foundation’s governance and work to fight poverty, disease, and inequity globally
SEATTLE (January 26, 2022) — Today, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation appointed a board of trustees, with Strive Masiyiwa, Baroness Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, Thomas J. Tierney, and Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman joining co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates as members. The board members will work alongside Gates and French Gates, bringing independent and diverse perspectives to help strengthen the foundation’s governance…
Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.gatesmri.org/news
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.
CARB-X [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://carb-x.org/
News
No new digest content identified.
Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy – GE2P2 Global Foundation [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.net/
News/Analysis/Statements
:: Past weekly editions and posting of all segments of Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review are available here.
:: Informed Consent: A Monthly Review – January 2022 is now posted here
CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://cepi.net/
Latest News
CEPI partners with BioNet to expand variant-proof vaccine programme
OSLO, Norway, 25 January 2022: CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, today announced the latest award under its $200m programme, launched in March 2021, to advance the development of vaccines that provide broad protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants and other Betacoronaviruses.1 CEPI will partner with BioNet—a French-Thai vaccine manufacturer and member of the Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturing network (DCVMN)—providing up to $16.9 million to support preclinical studies, Phase I and Phase II clinical trials, production of necessary clinical trial material, and process and analytical development…
DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [U.S.] [to 29 Jan 2022
https://www.darpa.mil/news
News
No new digest content identified.
Duke Global Health Innovation Center [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://dukeghic.org/
Our Blog
No new digest content identified.
EDCTP [to 29 Jan 2022]
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
News
No new digest content identified.
Emory Vaccine Center [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Vaccine Center News
No new digest content identified.
European Vaccine Initiative [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/
Latest News, Events
No new digest content identified.
Fondation Merieux [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
No new digest content identified.
Gavi [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.gavi.org/
News Releases
No new digest content identified.
GHIT Fund [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
No new digest content identified.
Global Fund [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
Global Fund Announces Shunsuke Mabuchi as New Head of Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health
26 January 2022
Geneva – The Global Fund is pleased to announce that Shunsuke Mabuchi is joining the Global Fund as the new Head of Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health, starting in March 2022.
A senior global health leader, Shun brings a unique combination of experience and leadership in health systems strengthening, pandemic preparedness, program delivery and emergency response. He joins the Global Fund at a critical time for the implementation of the new strategy, and will focus on maximizing people-centered, integrated systems for health to deliver impact, resilience and sustainability…
Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness [GloPID-R] [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.glopid-r.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
Hilleman Laboratories [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
News & Insights
No new digest content identified.
HHMI – Howard Hughes Medical Institute [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.hhmi.org/news
Press Room
No new digest content identified.
Human Vaccines Project [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/
News
Press Release
Jan 25, 2022
2021 Michelson Prizes Push New Frontiers in Human Immunology
IAVI [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.iavi.org/
Latest News
Website not responding at inquiry.
International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities [ICMRA]
http://www.icmra.info/drupal/en/news
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Research
No new digest content identified.
ICRC [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases, Statements, Reports
Hacking the data of the world’s most vulnerable is an outrage
ICRC’s Director-General Robert Mardini addresses the recent cyber-attack on humanitarian data which puts humanitarian protection and assistance at risk.
29-01-2022 | Article
Explosive weapons: Civilians in populated areas must be protected
Explosive Weapons with Wide Area Effects: A Deadly Choice in Populated Areas – Report provides recommendations to protect civilians
26-01-2022 | Report
Wars in cities: protection of civilians in urban settings
I commend Norway and the leadership of Prime Minister Støre, for bringing attention to this critical humanitarian concern.
25-01-2022 | Statement
IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/
Press Releases/Announcements
No new digest content identified.
IFRC [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
27/01/2022
Syria: Extremely harsh winter raises acute humanitar…
25/01/2022
Tonga: Aid ramped up after eruption and tsunami
25/01/2022
Philippines: New data reveals Typhoon Rai wrecked 1…
Institut Pasteur [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.pasteur.fr/en/press-area
Press Documents
No new digest content identified.
IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases
News – Selected
News
28 Jan 2022
Statement by the Director General António Vitorino on the Death of Demetrios G. Papademetriou
News
28 Jan 2022
IOM and UNOCT Sign Agreement to Collaborate on API/PNR Technical Assistance
News
25 Jan 2022
Intensifying Drought Threatens to Displace Over 1 Million People in Somalia
ISC / International Science Council [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://council.science/current/
ISC is a non-governmental organization with a unique global membership that brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organizations including Academies and Research Councils.
News Blogs Podcasts
Launch of a new ISC regional presence in Latin America and the Caribbean
Ensuring regional resonance and global impact
28.01.2022
Following an open call for expressions of interest to host an International Science Council (ISC) regional presence in Latin America and the Caribbean, the ISC is delighted to announce that the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences will host a Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean (RFP-LAC), during the 2022 – 2024 term.
IVAC [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates; Events
Webinar: Making COVID-19 vaccines APPEALing: Pilot message testing in India
Registration: https://bit.ly/3fYNdv0
When: February 17, 2022 from 12:00pm-1:00pm ET
IVI [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
New studies: Vi-DT vaccine is safe and immunogenic, with booster dosing potentially eliciting long-term immune responses
January 27, 2022 – SEOUL, Republic of Korea – A new study shows that late booster dosing with Vi polysaccharide conjugated with diphtheria toxoid (Vi-DT), one of the typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCVs), at 27.5 months post-first dose is safe and elicits robust immune responses in children aged 6-23 months. The findings from this study newly published online in npj Vaccines support the use of TCV booster doses to confer long-term protection against typhoid fever in young children…
IVI and NVI partner for collaborative vaccine R&D and capacity building
January 20, 2022
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/news/center-news/
Center News
No new digest content identified.
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
No new digest content identified.
National Academy of Medicine – USA [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://nam.edu/programs/
Selected News/Programs/Events
No new digest content identified.
National Academy of Sciences – USA [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/
News
National Academies Partner with Chan Zuckerberg Initiative on New Grant Program to Recognize and Further Leadership by Biomedical Researchers Who Promote Diversity Equity and Inclusion
January 25, 2022
The National Academies are partnering with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to administer a new funding opportunity that aims to recognize and further the leadership and scientific accomplishments of excellent biomedical researchers who – through outreach mentoring and teaching – have a record of promoting diversity equity and inclusion in their fields.
Safe Passage for Scientists – Evacuating Scientists and Engineers from Afghanistan
January 25, 2022
When the Taliban captured Kabul last year a group of scientists and engineers with ties to the National Academies were desperately seeking a way out of Afghanistan. During a recent webinar Vaughan Turekian recounted the effort to get these scientists and their families to safety.
National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
Upcoming Meetings/Latest Updates
National Vaccine Advisory Committee [NVAC] 2022 Meetings
February 10-11, 2022
NIH [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
News Releases
Hyperimmune intravenous immunoglobulin does not improve outcomes for adults hospitalized with COVID-19
January 27, 2022 — NIH trial compared hIVIG plus remdesivir to remdesivir alone.
Mix-and-match trial finds additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine safe, immunogenic
January 26, 2022 — NIH-sponsored study assessed dose in adults fully vaccinated with any EUA or approved COVID-19 vaccine
Social connectedness, sleep, and physical activity associated with better mental health among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic
January 24, 2022 — NIH-supported study also found girls were at higher risk for stress, anxiety, and depression than boys.
OECD [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
Newsroom
No new digest content identified.
PATH [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
UNAIDS [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
28 January 2022
New report highlights vital role of community-led organizations in pandemic response and preparedness
In a new UNAIDS report, Holding the line: communities as first responders to COVID-19 and emerging health threats, organizations led by and for people living with HIV and key populations detail their efforts to respond to the colliding pandemics of COVID-19 and HIV. Drawing on qualitative survey data spanning 225 community-led organizations across 72 countries, the report provides a snapshot of the organizations’ work during early 2020 to sustain the HIV response while supporting their communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also illuminates the high-priority actions that are still urgently needed to ensure the continuity of HIV-related services, as well as the sustainability of the community-led organizations providing them…
UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/media-centre.htmlS
Selected News Releases, Announcements
Jordan issues record number of work permits to Syrian refugees
Country is at forefront of global efforts to give both refugees and host communities access to decent work
25 January 2022
UNICEF [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Press Releases, News Notes, Statements [Selected]
Statement
01/27/2022
No excuses. Keep schools open. Children can’t wait
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore
Press release
01/26/2022
Learning loss must be recovered to avoid long-term damage to children’s wellbeing and productivity, new report says
New recommendations from the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEEAP) offer guidance on how to recover learning and prevent further loss, including prioritizing the full reopening of schools
Press release
01/23/2022
COVID:19 Scale of education loss ‘nearly insurmountable’, warns UNICEF
Media factsheet
Unitaid [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://unitaid.org/
Featured News
No new digest content identified.
USAID [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/2021
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Announcements
News
New USAID Initiatives in Honduras
January 27, 2022
As part of USAID’s $48 million commitment to help Honduras fight COVID-19, USAID is providing an additional $500,000 under the American Rescue Plan Act to promote delivery of and widespread and equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations. Specifically, USAID will promote transparency and accountability in government COVID-19 efforts, strengthen vaccine information systems, increase data availability and use, and address issues of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation in vulnerable communities. These funds will help turn vaccines into vaccinations, including the 3.9 million doses already donated by the U.S. and several hundred thousand additional doses arriving in the next two months. USAID is also providing more than 500,000 pediatric syringes to enable the start of vaccinations for Honduran children.
Vaccine Equity Cooperative [nee Initiative] [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
Vaccination Acceptance & Demand Initiative [Sabin) [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/
Announcements
No new digest content identified.
Vaccine Confidence Project [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
News, Research and Reports
No new digest content identified.
Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
News
Vaccine Update Newsletter January 2022
Wellcome Trust [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News. Opinion, Reports
Explainer
Seven vital questions about RNA Covid-19 vaccines
27 January 2022
Opinion
Wellcome’s ambitions for 2022 and beyond
24 January 2022
Cheryl Moore, Director of Research Programmes, shares how Wellcome plans to spend £16 billion over the next ten years to advance scientific discovery and take on the world’s most pressing health issues.
The Wistar Institute [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Releases
Jan. 27, 2022
The Wistar Institute Hosts U.S. Department of Commerce Official Making Major Grant Announcements to Strengthen Workforce Pipelines in Philadelphia & Across the Nation
Wistar is a finalist of the STEM Talent Challenge to create a new life science workforce training program to address Pennsylvania industry growth and demand for skilled workers.
WFPHA: World Federation of Public Health Associations [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.wfpha.org/
Latest News – Blog
No new digest content identified.
World Bank [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
Selected News, Announcements
Health and WASH Services Reaching Most Vulnerable Yemenis Despite Difficult Context
Synopsis Just over four years ago, as Yemenis struggled with the effects of armed conflict on their lives, the World Bank, UNICEF, and World Health Organization (WHO) joined forces with Yemen’s Ministry…
Date: January 27, 2022 Type: Brief
Prioritizing Learning During COVID-19: The Most Effective Ways to Keep Children Learning During and Post-Pandemic
Recommendations of the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel The short- and long-term impact of the Covid-19 crisis on children’s education, wellbeing, and future productivity is profound. Almost two…
Date: January 26, 2022 Type: Publication
Learning Loss Must be Recovered to Avoid Long-term Damage to Children’s Wellbeing and Productivity, New Report Says
New recommendations from the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEEAP) offer guidance on how to recover learning and prevent further loss, including prioritizing the full reopening of schools FLORENCE/LONDON/NEW…
Date: January 26, 2022 Type: Press Release
World Bank-financed Moderna vaccines arrive in Nepal to protect children and youth from COVID-19
KATHMANDU, January 25, 2022 – 1.66 million of the four million doses of Moderna vaccines financed by the World Bank arrived in Nepal yesterday. The remaining doses will be delivered shortly. Nepal will deploy these vaccines for adolescents 12-17 years to safeguard them from the health impacts of COVID-19.
The vaccines, procured under the COVAX cost-share option, comply with World Bank’s Vaccine Approval Criteria for financing and are certified as safe and effective for children as young as 12 years of age by the European Medicines Agency and the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
“Nepal was the second country globally to finalize procurement of vaccines through the COVAX cost-share scheme. The supply of Moderna vaccines is timely for Nepal, as we expand our vaccine coverage to adolescents 12-17 years of age,” said Mr. Birodh Khatiwada, Honorable Minister of Health and Population. “The Government is committed to vaccinating the entire eligible population by mid-April 2022 and the World Bank-financed Moderna vaccines will be instrumental in helping Nepal achieve its COVID-19 vaccination goal.”
In line with the recommendations of the National Immunization Advisory Committee and the National Immunization Committee, the Moderna vaccines will be administered to adolescent populations through immunization sites set up in schools, as well as sites to reach out-of-school adolescent populations…
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.oie.int/en/media/news/
Press Releases, Statements
No new digest content identified.
WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
WTO News and Events
Registrations open for WTO workshop on COVID-19 vaccines R&D, manufacturing and distribution
28 January 2022
With the objectives of supporting ongoing discussions and improving understanding of the practical aspects of COVID-19 vaccine research and development (R&D), manufacturing and distribution, the WTO Secretariat is organizing a technical workshop on 11 February 2022.
WTO Members discuss way forward in dedicated meeting on WTO pandemic response
27 January 2022
WTO members met on 27 January to discuss the WTO response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The informal meeting convened by the Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Dacio Castillo of Honduras, looked at issues related to cross-border trade flows and the proposal to waive certain intellectual property protections related to COVID-19 countermeasures. Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on members to move swiftly to try and reach a comprehensive outcome by the end of February.
[See Perspectives above for detail]
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ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases
No new digest content identified.
BIO [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases, Letters, Testimony, Comments [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News; Upcoming events
No new digest content identified.
ICBA – International Council of Biotechnology Associations [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://internationalbiotech.org/news/
News
No new digest content identified.
IFPMA [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
IFPMA, BIO and DCVMN Statement on Influenza Preparedness for WHO EB150 agenda item 15.4
28 January 2022
Industry welcomes the progress made so far in influenza preparedness, although we wish to call out 3 key policy areas where much work still needs to be done: 1) improving seasonal influenza vaccine coverage, 2) addressing the increasing challenges and barriers being posed by national ABS legislation in accessing pathogen samples, and 3) in finally defining how to declare an influenza pandemic – still an open item at WHO more than 10 years after the last pandemic. It is also essential to ensure that the expansion of GISRS to include SARS-CoV-2 and RSV does not undermine the excellent work being done so far for influenza surveillance.
We are concerned to see that generic antiviral manufacturers are signing voluntary SMTA-2s under the PIP Framework, when for IFPMA, BIO and DCVMN members those are mandatory for access to pandemic influenza virus samples. We ask WHO to clarify why those are not mandatory agreements as well, as this could create a major gap in access to antivirals in the event of a pandemic as the majority of global supply of antivirals is now with generic manufacturers.
Finally, we reiterate our concerns about national ABS legislation continuing to hinder access to physical samples of influenza viruses. This is no longer just ‘a risk’, it is a reality: in 2021 one manufacturer lost 40% of their vaccine production capacity due to the inability to use the best strain for manufacturing, as there was no legal clarity regarding the use of that strain from a certain country. Measures such as potentially expanding the PIP Framework, a non-legally binding instrument, would simply not address such issues, and could weaken the Framework by forcing its reopening for negotiation.
IFPMA and GSCF Statement on Non-Communicable Diseases for WHO EB150 agenda item 7
24 January 2022
IFPMA Statement on Pandemic Preparedness and Response for EB150 agenda item 15.1
24 January 2022
International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
News
No new digest content identified.
International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – IAPO [to 29 Jan 2022]
https://www.iapo.org.uk/news/topic/6
Press and media [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
PhRMA [to 29 Jan 2022]
http://www.phrma.org/
Latest News [Selected]
No new digest content identified.
