BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 18 Jan 2020)

Using mobile phones to improve community health workers performance in low-and-middle-income countries
In low-and-middle-income countries community health workers are the core component of the PHC system as they act as a liaison between the communities and the healthcare facilities. Evidence suggests that the s…
Authors: Anam Feroz, Rawshan Jabeen and Sarah Saleem
Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:49
Content type: Debate
Published on: 13 January 2020

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 18 Jan 2020)

Factors affecting HBV vaccination in a Medical training College in Kenya: A mixed methods Study
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is highly endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa with 70 to 90% of the population becoming infected before the age of 40 years. Healthcare workers (HCWs) including healthcare students (HCSs) are…
Authors: Anne Njeri Maina and Leah Chebet Bii
Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:48
Content type: Research article
Published on: 13 January 2020

EMBO Reports
Volume 21 Issue 1 7 January 2020
https://www.embopress.org/toc/14693178/current

Editorial 23 December 2019 Free Access
Registered animal studies and null data
Bernd Pulverer
EMBO Press encourages to document or pre‐register animal experiments on the new Animal Study Registry to increase reproducibility and efficacy of animal research.

EMBO Reports
Volume 21 Issue 1 7 January 2020
https://www.embopress.org/toc/14693178/current

Science & Society 23 December 2019 Open Access
Rethinking the incentive system in science: animal study registries: Preregistering experiments using animals could greatly improve transparency and reliability of biomedical studies and improve animal welfare
Céline Heinl, Justyna Chmielewska, Anastasia Olevska, Barbara Grune, Gilbert Schönfelder, Bettina Bert
The Animal Study Registry offers scientists a range of benefits by preregistering their studies. Wider adoption could address the reproducibility problem in biomedical research and enhance animal welfare.

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 18 Jan 2020]

Spatial and temporal distribution of infectious disease epidemics, disasters and other potential public health emergencies in the World Health Organisation Africa region, 2016–2018
Emerging and re-emerging diseases with pandemic potential continue to challenge fragile health systems in Africa, creating enormous human and economic toll. To provide evidence for the investment case for publ…

Authors: Ambrose Otau TALISUNA, Emelda Aluoch OKIRO, Ali Ahmed YAHAYA, Mary STEPHEN, Boukare BONKOUNGOU, Emmanuel Onuche MUSA, Etienne Magloire MINKOULOU, Joseph OKEIBUNOR, Benido IMPOUMA, Haruna Mamoudou DJINGAREY, N’da Konan Michel YAO, Sakuya OKA, Zabulon YOTI and Ibrahima Socé FALL

Content type: Research

15 January 2020

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 18 Jan 2020]

Methods to promote equity in health resource allocation in low- and middle-income countries: an overview
Unfair differences in healthcare access, utilisation, quality or health outcomes exist between and within countries around the world. Improving health equity is a stated objective for many governments and inte…
Authors: James Love-Koh, Susan Griffin, Edward Kataika, Paul Revill, Sibusiso Sibandze and Simon Walker
Content type: Review
13 January 2020

JAMA
January 14, 2020, Vol 323, No. 2, Pages 105-196
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Special Communication
FDA Approval and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, 1983-2018
Jonathan J. Darrow, SJD, JD, MBA; Jerry Avorn, MD; Aaron S. Kesselheim, MD, JD, MPH
JAMA. 2020;323(2):164-176. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.20288
Key Points
Question  How has the regulation of prescription drugs evolved from the 1980s to 2018, and what trends have occurred in drug approvals?
Findings  Approvals of new generic drugs have increased over time, leading to greater competition. Technological advances have been reflected in increased approvals of biologics over time. The number of expedited development and approval programs has expanded greatly since 1983, reducing the amount of evidence available at the time of approval and increasing uncertainty about the existence or amount of clinical benefit. These regulatory innovations have not clearly led to an increase in new drug approvals or to reduced total development times.
Meaning  While retaining policies that encourage efficient review, Congress and other government officials should also consider the implications of less rigorous clinical outcome requirements and whether the current complex array of regulatory programs should be simplified.

Abstract
Importance  US law requires testing of new drugs before approval to ensure that they provide a well-defined benefit that is commensurate with their risks. A major challenge for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to achieve an appropriate balance between rigorous testing and the need for timely approval of drugs that have benefits that outweigh their risks.
Objective  To describe the evolution of laws and standards affecting drug testing, the use of new approval programs and standards, expansions of the role and authority of the FDA, and changes in the number of drugs approved from the 1980s to 2018.
Evidence  Sources of evidence included principal federal laws and FDA regulations (1962-2018) and FDA databases of approved new drugs (1984-2018), generic drugs (1970-2018), biologics (1984-2018), and vaccines (1998-2018); special development and approval programs (Orphan drug [1984-2018], Fast-Track [1988-2018], Priority Review and its predecessors [1984-2018], Accelerated Approval [1992-2018], and Breakthrough Therapy [2012-2018]); expanded access (2010-2017) and Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (2008-2018); and user fees paid to the FDA by industry (1993-2018).
Findings  From 1983 to 2018, legislation and regulatory initiatives have substantially changed drug approval at the FDA. The mean annual number of new drug approvals, including biologics, was 34 from 1990-1999, 25 from 2000-2009, and 41 from 2010-2018. New biologic product approvals increased from a median of 2.5 from 1990-1999, to 5 from 2000-2013, to 12 from 2014-2018. The median annual number of generic drugs approved was 136 from 1970 to the enactment of the Hatch-Waxman Act in 1984; 284 from 1985 to the enactment of the Generic Drug User Fee Act in 2012; and 588 from 2013-2018. Prescription drug user fee funding expanded from new drugs and biologics in 1992 to generic and biosimilar drugs in 2012. The amount of Prescription Drug User Fee Act fees collected from industry increased from an annual mean of $66 million in 1993-1997 to $820 million in 2013-2017, and in 2018, user fees accounted for approximately 80% of the salaries of review personnel responsible for the approval of new drugs. The proportion of drugs approved with an Orphan Drug Act designation increased from 18% (55/304) in 1984-1995, to 22% (82/379) in 1996-2007, to 41% (154/380) in 2008-2018. Use of Accelerated Approval, Fast-Track, and Priority Review for new drugs has increased over time, with 81% (48/59) of new drugs benefiting from at least 1 such expedited program in 2018. The proportion of new approvals supported by at least 2 pivotal trials decreased from 80.6% in 1995-1997 to 52.8% in 2015-2017, based on 124 and 106 approvals, respectively, while the median number of patients studied did not change significantly (774 vs 816). FDA drug review times declined from more than 3 years in 1983 to less than 1 year in 2017, but total time from the authorization of clinical testing to approval has remained at approximately 8 years over that period.
Conclusions and Relevance  Over the last 4 decades, the approval and regulation processes for pharmaceutical agents have evolved and increased in complexity as special programs have been added and as the use of surrogate measures has been encouraged. The FDA funding needed to implement and manage these programs has been addressed by expanding industry-paid user fees. The FDA has increasingly accepted less data and more surrogate measures, and has shortened its review times.

JAMA
January 14, 2020, Vol 323, No. 2, Pages 105-196
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Viewpoint
Treatment Decisions for a Future SelfEthical Obligations to Guide Truly Informed Choices
Claire J. Creutzfeldt, MD; Robert G. Holloway, MD, MPH
JAMA. 2020;323(2):115-116. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.19652
This Viewpoint discusses the reality that most decisions about treatment for incapacitated patients involve surrogate assessments of patients’ past values at their baseline health, and it proposes that more ethical and informed decision-making would help surrogates consider the degree to which their loved one might be able to adapt to and value a future health state at what is a higher level of disability.

Journal of Pediatrics
January 2020 Volume 216, p1-258
http://www.jpeds.com/current

Editorials
The Road to Precision Medicine for Children: Resilience, Vulnerability, and Gene Polymorphism
Benard P. Dreyer
p11–12 Published online: September 18, 2019

The Lancet
Jan 18, 2020 Volume 395Number 10219p165-246, e6-e13
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Viewpoint
Monitoring the health-related Sustainable Development Goals: lessons learned and recommendations for improved measurement
Samira Asma, Rafael Lozano, Somnath Chatterji, Soumya Swaminathan, Maria de Fátima Marinho, Naoko Yamamoto, Elena Varavikova, Awoke Misganaw, Michael Ryan, Lalit Dandona,
Ren Minghui, Christopher J L Murray
The UN General Assembly launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September, 2015.¹ The original global SDG framework included 17 goals, 169 targets, and 232 unique indicators.² Of these, 12 goals, 33 targets, and 57 indicators have been identified as health-related SDGs (HRSDGs),^3,4,5,6 that is, pertaining to health outcomes, health services, and well-established environmental, occupational, behavioural, and metabolic risks. The scope of health in the SDGs is much broader than in the Millennium Development Goals, spanning from maternal and child health and infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases, injuries, risk factors, and health-system functions. Regular monitoring of the HRSDGs is important for fostering a shared notion of accountability for results, identifying important gaps in resources and rates of progress, and taking into account emerging challenges that can influence the trajectory of progress. Regular monitoring and accountability will be essential to sustain policy focus and funding for the broad and complex HRSDG agenda.

Nature
Volume 577 Issue 7790, 16 January 2020
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

Review Article | 15 January 2020
The arms race between bacteria and their phage foes
Understanding the dynamics between bacteria and bacteriophages could enable the development of phage-based therapies and biotechnological tools and provide insights into the ecology and evolution of these microorganisms.
Hannah G. Hampton, Bridget N. J. Watson & Peter C. Fineran

Nature Genetics
Volume 52 Issue 1, January 2020
https://www.nature.com/ng/volumes/52/issues/1

Editorial | 07 January 2020
Navigating 2020 and beyond
As we usher in a new year of a new decade and ponder what the future will bring for the genetics field, we wish to reflect on some specific areas related to diversity, privacy and genome editing that require attention and vigilance from the community.

Nature Genetics
Volume 52 Issue 1, January 2020
https://www.nature.com/ng/volumes/52/issues/1

Comment | 25 November 2019
Returning incidental findings in African genomics research
Ancestral and geographical issues underlie the need to develop Africa-specific guidelines for the return of genomics research results in Africa. In this Commentary, we outline the challenges that will inform policies and practices in the future.
Ambroise Wonkam & Jantina de Vries

Nature Genetics
Volume 52 Issue 1, January 2020
https://www.nature.com/ng/volumes/52/issues/1

Comment | 23 December 2019
A call for global action for rare diseases in Africa
The 11th International Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs (ICORD), South Africa, included the Africa-Rare initiative launch and facilitated multi-stakeholder engagement in the challenges facing, and opportunities for, Africans living with rare diseases. The following ICORD Global Call to Action, developed in collaboration with the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium, synthesizes the outcomes of the deliberations and emphasizes the international collaborative efforts required to address the global effects of rare diseases on public health.
Gareth S. Baynam, Stephen Groft[…] & Manuel Posada

Nature Medicine
Volume 26 Issue 1, January 2020
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/26/issues/1

Editorial | 13 January 2020
Big hopes for big data
Large-scale multi-modal information on patients’ health is ever increasing, providing an opportunity to use big data for taking individualized medicine to a global scale.

Nature Medicine
Volume 26 Issue 1, January 2020
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/26/issues/1

Review Article | 13 January 2020
Axes of a revolution: challenges and promises of big data in healthcare
Health data are being generated and collected at an unprecedented scale, but whether big data will truly revolutionize healthcare is still a matter of much debate.
Smadar Shilo, Hagai Rossman & Eran Segal

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://www.plosntds.org/
(Accessed 18 Jan 2020)

Characterization and analytical validation of a new antigenic rapid diagnostic test for Ebola virus disease detection
Céline Couturier, Atsuhiko Wada, Karen Louis, Maxime Mistretta, Benoit Beitz, Moriba Povogui, Maryline Ripaux, Charlotte Mignon, Bettina Werle, Adrien Lugari, Delphine Pannetier, Sabine Godard, Anne Bocquin, Stéphane Mely, Ismaël Béavogui, Jean Hébélamou, David Leuenberger, Philippe Leissner, Takeshi Yamamoto, Patrick Lécine, Christophe Védrine, Julie Chaix
Research Article | published 17 Jan 2020 PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007965

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
(Accessed 18 Jan 2020)

Family Health Days program contributions in vaccination of unreached and under-immunized children during routine vaccinations in Uganda
Ezekiel Mupere, Harriet M. Babikako, Violet Okaba-Kayom, Robert B. Mutyaba, Milton Nasiero Mwisaka, Emmanuel Tenywa, Albert Lule, Jane Ruth Aceng, Flavia Mpanga-Kaggwa, David Matseketse, Eresso Aga
Research Article | published 17 Jan 2020 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218239

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
(Accessed 18 Jan 2020)

Correction: Limited indirect effects of an infant pneumococcal vaccination program in an aging population
Mark van der Linden, Matthias Imöhl, Stephanie Perniciaro
Correction | published 16 Jan 2020 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228126

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
(Accessed 18 Jan 2020)

Constructing and influencing perceived authenticity in science communication: Experimenting with narrative
Lise Saffran, Sisi Hu, Amanda Hinnant, Laura D. Scherer, Susan C. Nagel
Research Article | published 15 Jan 2020 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226711

Proceedings of the Royal Society B
15 January 2020 Volume 287Issue 1918
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rspb/current

Review articles
The ecology of human–nature interactions
Masashi Soga and Kevin J. Gaston
Published:15 January 2020Article ID:20191882
The direct interactions between people and nature are critically important in many ways, with growing attention particularly on their impacts on human health and wellbeing (both positive and negative), on people’s attitudes and behaviour towards nature, …

Science
17 January 2020 Vol 367, Issue 6475
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

Feature
Transparency on trial
By Charles Piller
Science17 Jan 2020 : 240-243 Full Access
Many clinical trial results aren’t posted publicly, as U.S. law requires—and a promised crackdown has fizzled.
Summary
Companies, universities, and other institutions that conduct clinical trials are required to record the results of most of them in a federal database, so that doctors and patients can see whether new treatments are safe and effective. But a Science investigation has found that many persist in not reporting those results, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) are doing little to nothing to enforce the reporting requirement—despite recent promises to the contrary. While many pharma companies have improved their reporting of trial results over the past few years, a large number of universities and academic medical centers continue to have bad records. Ironically, NIH itself is part of the problem—its top institutes for clinical trials have a poor record of reporting results of those trials for which they are responsible. Science checked all 4768 trials whose results have come due under legal requirements finalized by NIH and FDA 3 years ago. Overall, sponsors violated the reporting law more than 55% of the time. Yet FDA has never fined a trial sponsor for noncompliance and NIH has never publicly named or withdrawn a grant from violators, although such actions were vowed in 2016 when ClinicalTrials.gov’s requirements were clarified.

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 4 Pages 709-950 (22 January 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/4

Discussion No access
Words matter: Vaccine hesitancy, vaccine demand, vaccine confidence, herd immunity and mandatory vaccination
Matthew Z. Dudley, Lois Privor-Dumm, Ève Dubé, Noni E. MacDonald
Pages 709-711

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 4 Pages 709-950 (22 January 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/4

Short communication Abstract only
An intervention for increasing HPV vaccination on a university campus
Mary A. Gerend, Caitlyn Murdock, Kelly Grove
Pages 725-729

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 4 Pages 709-950 (22 January 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/4

Research article Abstract only
Genotype distribution of Group A rotavirus in children before and after massive vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean: Systematic review
Juan Ignacio Degiuseppe, Juan Andrés Stupka
Pages 733-740

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 4 Pages 709-950 (22 January 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/4

Research article Abstract only
Perception of mandatory infant vaccines and trust in vaccination among first-year healthcare students: An opportunity window for the training of future healthcare workers
Lola Daudel, Jessica Mary, Olivier Epaulard
Pages 794-799

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 4 Pages 709-950 (22 January 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/4

Research article Abstract only
First year allopathic medical student attitudes about vaccination and vaccine hesitancy
Emily Onello, Samantha Friedrichsen, Kristine Krafts, Glenn Simmons, Kevin Diebel
Pages 808-814

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 4 Pages 709-950 (22 January 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/4

Research article Abstract only
Strengthening vaccination frameworks: Findings of a study on the legal foundations of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs)
Shawn H.E. Harmon, David Faour, Noni E. MacDonald, Janice Graham, … Stephanie Shendale
Pages 840-846

Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 18 Jan 2020)

Open Access Article
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Uptake and the Willingness to Receive the HPV Vaccination among Female College Students in China: A Multicenter Study
by Dingyun You , Liyuan Han , Lian Li , Jingcen Hu , Gregory D. Zimet , Haridah Alias , Mahmoud Danaee , Le Cai , Fangfang Zeng and Li Ping Wong
Vaccines 2020, 8(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8010031 – 16 Jan 2020
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to determine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake and willingness to receive HPV vaccination among female college students, in China, and its associated factors. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of female college students across the eastern, central, and western regions of China was undertaken between April and September 2019. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine factors associated with the HPV vaccine uptake and willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. Results: Among the total 4220 students who participated in this study, 11.0% reported having been vaccinated against HPV. There are direct effects of indicators of higher socioeconomic status, older age (β = 0.084 and p = 0.006), and geographical region (residing in Eastern China, β = 0.033, and p = 0.024) on HPV vaccine uptake. Higher knowledge (β = 0.062 and p < 0.000) and perceived susceptibility (β = 0.043 and p = 0.002) were also predictors of HPV vaccine uptake. Of those who had not received the HPV vaccine, 53.5% expressed a willingness to do so. Likewise, social economic status indicators were associated with the willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. Total knowledge score (β = 0.138 and p < 0.001), both perceived susceptibility (β = 0.092 and p < 0.001) and perceived benefit (β = 0.088 and p < 0.001), and sexual experience (β = 0.041 and p = 0.007) had a positive and significant direct effect on the willingness to receive the HPV vaccine, while perceived barriers (β = −0.071 and p < 0.001) had a negative effect on the willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. Conclusions: Geographical region and socioeconomic disparities in the HPV vaccination uptake rate and willingness to receive the HPV vaccine provide valuable information for public health planning that aims to improve vaccination rates in underserved areas in China. The influence of knowledge and perceptions of HPV vaccination suggests the importance of communication for HPV immunization.

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

International Journal for Equity in Health
19, Article number: 10 (2020
The impact of vaccination on gender equity: conceptual framework and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine case study
A Portnoy, S Clark, S Ozawa, M Jit –
Although the beneficial effects of vaccines on equity by socioeconomic status and geography are increasingly well-documented, little has been done to extend these analyses to examine the linkage between vaccination and gender equity. In this paper, evidence from the published literature is used to develop a conceptual framework demonstrating the potential impact of vaccination on measures of gender equity. This framework is then applied to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in three countries with different economic and disease burden profiles to establish a proof of concept in a variety of contexts.

International Journal of Nursing Science Practice and Research
Vol 5, No 2 (2019)
Exploring Vaccine Hesitancy
CE Fisher
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization, the coverage of vaccine-preventable diseases rests at 86% with nearly 20 million children worldwide who have not received basic vaccines. Vaccine-hesitant individuals are a heterogeneous group who hold varying degrees of indecision about specific vaccines or vaccination in general. Vaccine hesitancy is a behavior influenced by several factors including issues of confidence, complacency, and convenience. In countries where access is not the main issue for lack of vaccination, there are many cultural influences that affect the decision for parents to seek vaccination for their children or themselves. Media and social media can create a negative or positive vaccine sentiment and can provide a platform for lobbies and key opinion leaders to influence others. Community leaders and influencers, including religious leaders in some settings, celebrities in others, can all have a significant influence on vaccine acceptance or hesitancy. Vaccine mandates can provoke vaccine hesitancy not necessarily because of safety or other concerns, but due to resistance to the notion of forced vaccination. Lastly, the pharmaceutical industry may be distrusted and influence vaccine hesitancy when perceived as driven only by financial motives and not by public health interest. This can extend to distrust in government when perceived that it also is being pushed by industry and is not transparent. When working with patients faced with the decision of whether vaccination will be undertaken, it is imperative to understand the cultural, ethical, and legal implications that may affect their decision. Working from a place of understanding and acceptance of various views and beliefs about vaccination, nurses can be better advocates for the wishes of their patients.

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 18 Jan 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

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

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
Editors’ Pick Jan 12, 2020
Fighting Polio: What Happened In 2019 And What Is Next
Bruce Y. Lee Senior Contributor

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
China Deserves Some Credit for Its Handling of the Wuhan Pneumonia
The country’s response to this outbreak has been far better than to SARS, although even more information-sharing is important.
Argument |
Daniel Lucey, Annie Sparrow

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
New York
How Anti-Vaccine Activists Doomed a Bill in New Jersey
Angry parents, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group and anti-vaccine celebrities rallied to outmatch one of the state’s most powerful elected leaders.
By Tracey Tully, Sharon Otterman and Jan Hoffman
Jan. 16

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
Vaccine foes raise more money than supporters ahead of vote
Jan 16, 2020
AUGUSTA, Maine — A group that wants to overturn Maine’s law eliminating religious and philosophical exemptions for vaccinations raised more than three times more money than supporters of the law, according to campaign finance reports.
Mainers for Health and Parental Rights reported $203,988 in contributions and loans to press for rejection of the law in a statewide referendum on the March 3 ballot. Top donors included a University of Maine professor who gave $13,500, according to the Maine Ethics Commission Campaign Finance website.
A group that wants to keep the law, Maine Families for Vaccines PAC, reported raising $58,098. The top donors were the Maine Hospital Association, which gave $25,000, and the Maine Academy of Family Physicians, which gave nearly $5,000…

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new relevant content]

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new relevant content]

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new relevant content]

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
January 15, 2020
Health
Why Experts Are Worried About a New Virus in China
The virus appears to be less dangerous than SARS, but there are still concerns of a wider outbreak in Asia.
In Brief by Yanzhong Huang

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 18 Jan 2020
[No new relevant content]

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Deaths from Democratic Republic of the Congo measles outbreak top 6000
Kinshasa, 7 January 2020 – With the death toll from the world’s worst measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) surpassing 6000, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for more funding to stop the outbreak.

Under the leadership of the DRC Ministry of Health, WHO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and other partner aid agencies vaccinated more than 18 million children under five across the country in 2019. However, in some areas, routine vaccination coverage remains low and 25% of the reported measles cases are in children over the age of five.

“We are doing our utmost to bring this epidemic under control. Yet to be truly successful we must ensure that no child faces the unnecessary risk of death from a disease that is easily preventable by a vaccine. We urge our donor partners to urgently step up their assistance,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Since the start of 2019, around 310,000 suspected measles cases have been reported. The epidemic has been aggravated by low vaccination coverage among vulnerable communities, malnutrition, weak public health systems, outbreaks of other epidemic-prone diseases, difficult access by vulnerable populations to health care and insecurity that has hampered response in some areas.

Lack of funding remains a huge impediment to successfully curbing the outbreak. So far, US$ 27.6 million have been mobilized. However, a further US$ 40 million are required for a six-month plan to extend the vaccination to children between six and 14 years and to reinforce elements of the outbreak response beyond vaccination, including improving treatment, health education, community engagement, health system strengthening, epidemiological surveillance and response coordination…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

WHO Statement Regarding Cluster of Pneumonia Cases in Wuhan, China
9 January 2020
Statement, China
Chinese authorities have made a preliminary determination of a novel (or new) coronavirus, identified in a hospitalized person with pneumonia in Wuhan. Chinese investigators conducted gene sequencing of the virus, using an isolate from one positive patient sample. Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks.

Initial information about the cases of pneumonia in Wuhan provided by Chinese authorities last week – including the occupation, location and symptom profile of the people affected – pointed to a coronavirus (CoV) as a possible pathogen causing this cluster. Chinese authorities subsequently reported that laboratory tests ruled out SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus and other common respiratory pathogens.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others more severe disease such as MERS and SARS. Some transmit easily from person to person, while others do not. According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people.

Globally, novel coronaviruses emerge periodically in different areas, including SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. As surveillance improves more coronaviruses are likely to be identified.

China has strong public health capacities and resources to respond and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. In addition to treating the patients in care and isolating new cases as they may be identified, public health officials remain focused on continued contact tracing, conducting environmental assessments at the seafood market, and investigations to identify the pathogen causing the outbreak.

In the coming weeks, more comprehensive information is required to understand the current status and epidemiology of the outbreak, and the clinical picture. Further investigations are also required to determine the source, modes of transmission, extent of infection and countermeasures implemented. WHO continues to monitor the situation closely and, together with its partners, is ready to provide technical support to China to investigate and respond to this outbreak.

The preliminary determination of a novel virus will assist authorities in other countries to conduct disease detection and response. Over the past week, people with symptoms of pneumonia and reported travel history to Wuhan have been identified at international airports.
WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available.

Featured Journal Content

Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 3 Pages 411-708 (16 January 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/2
Research article Open access
Effect of donor funding for immunization from Gavi and other development assistance channels on vaccine coverage: Evidence from 120 low and middle income recipient countries
Gloria Ikilezi, Orvalho J. Augusto, Joseph L. Dieleman, Kenneth Sherr, Stephen S. Lim
Pages 588-596
Abstract
Donor assistance for immunization has remained resilient with increased resource mobilization efforts in recent years to achieve current global coverage targets. As a result, more countries continue to introduce new vaccines while optimizing coverage for traditional vaccines. Gavi the Vaccine Alliance has been at the forefront of immunization support specifically among low and middle income countries, alongside other channels of development assistance which continue to play a vital role in immunization.

Using available recipient country level data from 1996 to 2016, we estimate the impact of Gavi support for vaccines and health systems strengthening on vaccine coverage for 3 dose DPT, 3 dose pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, 3 dose pentavalent, 2 dose measles and 2 dose rotavirus vaccines. We investigate the same effects of total aid for immunization from other channels of development assistance. Standard time series cross sectional analysis methods are applied to investigate the effects of vaccine support controlling for country income, governance and population, with robustness tests implemented using different model specifications. Double counting was eliminated and results are presented in real 2017 US dollars.

We found significant positive effects of aid particularly among the newer vaccines. Using 2016 country specific disbursements and coverage levels as baseline, we estimated that among recipient countries below the universal target, additional DAH per capita required to reach 90%, ranged from 0.01USD to 4.33USD for PCV, 0.03USD to 9.06USD for pentavalent vaccine and 0.01USD to 2.57USD for rotavirus vaccine. The estimated number of children vaccinated through 2016, attributable to Gavi support totaled 46.6million, 75.2million and 12.3million for PCV, pentavalent and rotavirus vaccines respectively.

Our analysis suggests substantial success both from a historical and prospective perspective in the implementation of global immunization initiatives thus far. As more vaccines are rolled out and countries transition from donor aid, strategies for fiscal sustainability and efficiency need to be strengthened in order to achieve universal immunization coverage

Featured Journal Content

Strengthening national laboratories’ oversight capacity to support measles and rubella elimination
08-01-2020
WHO
Detection and control of communicable diseases would not be possible without accurate laboratory data on when and where a particular disease is circulating. WHO/Europe therefore works with all Member States to steadily improve the quality and reliability of the laboratory data used to determine the Region’s progress towards measles and rubella elimination. The latest step in this process is to support accredited laboratories at national level in developing country-specific oversight mechanisms to ensure quality data is received from all levels of their countries’ disease surveillance systems.

No disease elimination verification without quality data
Measles and rubella are targeted for elimination in the European Region. Each year the independent European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC) meets to review country reports and verify whether each country remains endemic for these diseases or has successfully prevented the viruses or stopped them from spreading within their borders. To make these assessments, the RVC requires reliable evidence, including the volume and outcome of laboratory testing of suspected cases, in addition to the number and proportion of children vaccinated each year. As a country progresses toward measles and/or rubella elimination, increasingly complex laboratory evidence is required to verify the country’s status.

Critical steps towards in-country oversight
WHO/Europe coordinates the European Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (MR LabNet). Each of the national laboratories in this network undergoes regular external quality assessment through an annual accreditation programme. They all also benefit from periodic regional meetings, technical updates and training.

In many Member States, however, measles and rubella testing is often performed in non-WHO-accredited laboratories and several Member States still fail to provide information about the proficiency of these laboratories. Strengthening the role of national laboratories in overseeing the performance of subnational laboratories in these countries has become a critical need in monitoring the Region’s measles and rubella elimination efforts.

Supported by their health authorities, some WHO-accredited national laboratories have undertaken different approaches to ensure quality, ranging from limited periodic quality control to establishing and coordinating national laboratory networks with a comprehensive accreditation system aligned with that of WHO.

To support Member States that have not yet initiated an oversight mechanism in line with WHO recommendations, WHO/Europe organized a technical consultation for the MR LabNet on 14–15 November 2019. The meeting brought together delegations from 8 countries; senior laboratory experts from the regional reference laboratory in Berlin, Germany, and the global specialized laboratory in London, United Kingdom; a representative of the Regional Verification Commission; and an observer from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Together they reviewed their national contexts and developed country-specific work plans for establishing national networks and/or oversight mechanisms, including preliminary monitoring and evaluation indicators. WHO/Europe will compile country best practices and lessons learned and share them in a publication to provide inspiration and guidance to other countries that have not yet established oversight mechanisms.

Establishing oversight mechanisms and/or national measles and rubella laboratory networks compliant with MR LabNet standards will not only optimize the participation of these networks in national and regional processes to verify disease elimination, but also contribute to strengthening the quality of vaccine-preventable disease surveillance…

Emergencies

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

Ebola Outbreak in DRC 74: 07 January 2020
Situation Update
Since the last Situation Report 73 issued on 24 December 2019, 28 new confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases were reported from five health zones in two affected provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 23 December 2019 to 5 January 2020. The new confirmed cases in the past 14 days are from Butembo, Katwa, Kalunguta, Mabalako and Mambasa. The source of exposure for the four new cases reported from Mambasa Health Zone, Ituri Province is currently under investigation. Mambasa Health Zone had previously not had a confirmed case for 66 days. Similarly, the source of exposure of the initial case reported in Kalunguta at the end of December is still under investigation…

…As of 5 January 2020, a total of 3390 EVD cases, including 3272 confirmed and 118 probable cases have been reported, of which 2233 cases died (overall case fatality ratio 66%). Of the total confirmed and probable cases, 56% (1903) were female, 28% (956) were children aged less than 18 years, and 5% (168) were healthcare workers.

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POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
http://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-now/this-week/

Summary of new viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
:: Afghanistan — two WPV1 cases and two WPV1 positive environmental samples;
:: Pakistan — 11 WPV1 cases, 13 WPV1 positive environmental samples and two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples;
:: Malaysia — one cVDPV2 and one positive environmental samples;
:: Zambia — one cVDPV2 case.

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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 11 Jan 2020]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: Ebola Outbreak in DRC 74: 07 January 2020
[See Ebola above for detail]

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

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 11 Jan 2020]
Measles in Europe
:: Strengthening national laboratories’ oversight capacity to support measles and rubella elimination 08-01-2020
[See Milestones above for detail]

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
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified
Libya – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – 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

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 11 Jan 2020]

Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Djibouti – 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

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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
:: Syrian Arab Republic: Recent Developments in Northwestern Syria Situation Report No. 5 – As of 8 January 2020

Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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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 – No new digest announcements identified
EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO & Regional Offices [to 11 Jan 2020]
6 January 2020 News release
Ministry of Health Lauds Partners for Support during Ebola Preparedness Response in Uganda

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Weekly Epidemiological Record, 10 January 2020, vol. 95, 01/02 (pp. 1–12)
Review of the 2019 influenza season in the southern hemisphere

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

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
No new digest content identified.

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
No new digest content identified.

WHO European Region EURO
:: Time for integrated and people-centred services for HIV, TB and viral hepatitis 10-01-2020
;; Cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China 10-01-2020

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
No new digest content identified.

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified.

CDC/ACIP [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html

MMWR News Synopsis January 10, 2020
Population Movement Patterns Among the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda During an Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease: Results from Community Engagement in Two Districts — Uganda, March 2019
Trade and business, need for health care, visits to family, refugee support, and insecurity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) drive population movement patterns between Rwanda, Uganda, and the provinces in eastern DRC that are experiencing an Ebola outbreak. One of the ground crossing closures in Rwanda initiated in February 2019 caused significant shifts in some cross-border movement patterns leading to travel between Goma and Uganda that avoided Rwanda and passed through more insecure areas of DRC. The 10th Ebola virus disease (EVD) DRC was declared in an area with a high volume of cross-border movement. Officials in southwest Uganda identified 31 locations in their communities where people from eastern DRC visit and traced cross-border movement pathways to the EVD outbreak areas.

Case Definitions Used During the First 6 Months of the 10th Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — Four Neighboring Countries, August 2018–February 2019
If a disease outbreak is occurring near international borders, harmonizing case definitions between neighboring countries can be vital to effective cross-border communication and collaboration. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is experiencing its 10th Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in an area with a high volume of cross-border population movement. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda priority countries for Ebola preparedness because of the high risk of cross-border spread. The CDC worked with ministries of health in DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda to collect each ministry-of-health-approved EVD case definition during the first six months of the outbreak to evaluate the similarities and differences across countries. Case definitions are used to identify people who might have a particular disease based on signs and symptoms of illness, exposure history, and laboratory test results. Harmonizing case definitions across neighboring countries can improve collaboration and help reduce the risk of cross-border disease spread.

Africa CDC [to 11 Jan 2020]
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 11 Jan 2020]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.gatesmri.org/
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.

CARB-X [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://carb-x.org/
CARB-X is a non-profit public-private partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research to tackle the global rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria.
01.08.2020  |
CARB-X funds TAXIS Pharmaceuticals to accelerate development of innovative efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs), a new drug class that would impair bacteria’s ability to fight antibiotics
CARB-X is awarding TAXIS Pharmaceuticals of Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, USA, up to US$3.2 million in non-dilutive funding to develop efflux pump inhibitors (EPI), a new drug class designed to destroy a major mechanism of multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. TAXIS is eligible for additional funding of up to $11.4 million if the project achieves certain milestones. TAXIS’ EPIs are designed to disable the bacteria’s efflux pumps, which act like bilge pumps to flush out antibiotics from the bacterial cell in order to safeguard the superbug from the effects of antibiotics.

01.07.2020  |
CARB-X backs Centauri to advance a new platform that combines antibiotic power with the ability to boost the immune system to fight infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria
CARB-X is awarding Centauri Therapeutics of Sandwich, UK, up to $1.4 million in non-dilutive funding to develop a novel dual-acting immunotherapy to treat serious infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens, including drug-resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae, P. aeruginosa, and A.baumannii.

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://cepi.net/
Latest news
No new digest content identified.

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://clintonhealthaccess.org/
News & Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
Latest news
No new digest content identified.

Emory Vaccine Center [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
No new digest content identified.

European Medicines Agency [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

European Vaccine Initiative [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
No new digest content identified.

FDA [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
Press Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Fondation Merieux [to 11 Jan 2020]
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 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.gavi.org/
No new digest content identified.
GHIT Fund [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 2012 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
No new digest content identified.

Hilleman Laboratories [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.

Human Vaccines Project [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

IAVI [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
No new digest content identified.

International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities [ICMRA]
http://www.icmra.info/drupal/en/news
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Research
No new digest content identified.

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
Geneva, 7 January 2020
Hanan Sboul takes over the position of IGBA Chair
IGBA, the International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association (IGBA), representing global manufacturers of generic and biosimilar medicines, announced today that Hanan Sboul, Secretary General of the Jordanian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, is taking over the position of IGBA Chair for 2020 from Jim Keon, President of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association and Biosimilars Canada.
Key milestones were achieved for the IGBA during 2019, namely the signature of a memorandum of understanding with the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote accessi and the adoption by the International Council for Harmonization (ICH) of a new topic proposal on bioequivalenceii…

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

IFRC [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Asia Pacific
Red Cross releases funds in anticipation of extreme winter in Mongolia
Forecasts of an extreme winter in Mongolia have triggered the release of funding to reduce its impact on vulnerable herders. This is the first time this early action funding mechanism developed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has been used anywhere.
9 January 2020

IVAC [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates
No new digest content identified.

IVI [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News & Announcements
IVI to lead critical standard reagents availability for oral cholera vaccine manufacturing to ensure their uniform efficacy and help meet global demand
January 9, 2020 – SEOUL, South Korea – The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) received a $1.4 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to ensure critical standards and reagents are available to low-cost oral cholera vaccine (OCV) manufacturers in the global health market. International standardization in the manufacturing and release of OCV will ultimately ensure sufficient supply of low-cost prequalified vaccines in the 39 Gavi countries, where demand currently exceeds the supply.

There are currently no International Standards or reference reagents available to vaccine manufacturers to test the cholera vaccine antigens containing bulk drug substances or products. This lack of standardization led IVI to organize a meeting in May 2018 on “International Standards for Oral Whole Cell Killed Cholera Vaccines,” funded by the Gates Foundation. Representatives from leading research institutions and national regulatory agencies attended the meeting, as well as field experts in inactivated killed OCV from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), to outline consensus on the specification of reagents for LPS inhibition ELISA to be established as WHO International Standards.

“Making available reference reagents will ensure uniform efficacy and allow multiple manufacturers to scale up production of low-cost cholera vaccine, which currently can’t fulfill global demand,” says Dr. Ravi Ganapathy, Head of Vaccine Process Development at IVI…

JEE Alliance [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
No new digest content identified.

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 11 Jan 2020]
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 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
Selected News Releases
No new digest content identified.

PATH [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Selected Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
9 January 2020
UNAIDS Executive Director urges Uganda to do more domestically

UNICEF [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Reports
Statement
UNICEF calls on all stakeholders to put children first and ensure their safeguarding in these times of crisis in Lebanon
Statement by Yukie Mokuo, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon
10/01/2020

Press release
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson joins the call to ramp up support to Venezuelan migrant children during visit to Brazil-Venezuela border
10/01/2020

Press release
Fighting in and around Tripoli shuts 210 schools, depriving over 115,000 children of their education
06/01/2020

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News | 9 January 2020
Katie Anastasi-Frankovics is Wellcome’s new Director of Innovations
We are making two new appointments to Wellcome’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT) – Katie Anastasi-Frankovics is becoming Director of Innovations and Karen Chadwick is now Finance Director.

The Wistar Institute [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
No new digest content identified.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2019/
No new digest content identified.

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ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
January 10, 2020
New Report Demonstrates Potential for Cell and Gene Therapies to Provide Cost Savings
WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 10, 2020 – The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the leading international advocacy organization representing the cell and gene therapy and broader regenerative medicine sector, today announced the release of a report, “A Transformative Therapy Value Model for Rare Blood Diseases.” The report uses a refined value model to assess the impact of durable and potentially curative cell and gene therapies on health system costs.

Produced by the Marwood Group with support from ARM, the report calculates the potential cost savings that a durable cell or gene therapy could provide when treating patients with multiple myeloma, hemophilia A, or sickle cell disease. Under the current standard of care, these three disease states are projected to cost the United States healthcare system $163B per year by 2029.

Key findings from the report include:
:: The total potential savings of cell and gene therapies range from 18% to 30% in annual total disease costs and productivity. This represents an aggregate cost savings of more than $33B over ten years.
:: The modeled cost savings were highest in multiple myeloma patients ($27B in cumulative savings per year by 2029) due to the high cost of the current standard of care and to greater productivity losses experienced by the adult children caregivers of older patients.
:: Innovative financing models, such as subscription models, payment-over-time, and value-based payments, are needed to help payers offset the potentially high upfront costs of these therapies and realize longer term cost-savings…

BIO [to 11 Jan 2020]
https://www.bio.org/press-releases
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News
DCVMN International welcomes newly formed Executive Committee 2020-23
Geneva, 02 January 2020 – At its 20th Annual General Meeting held in Rio, on October 22nd 2019, the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network international members elected, among its nominated membership, the new Executive Committee members, who volunteer their time and expertise to ensure the success of the Network.
We are pleased to announce the new Executive Committee, composed of seven voting members including Sai Prasad, from Bharat Biotech, India; Patrick Tippoo, from Biovac, South Africa; Tiago Rocca, from Butantan, Brazil; Lingjiang Yang, from CNBG, China; Fernando Lobos, from Sinergium, Argentina; Weidan (Wendy) Huang, from Innovax, China and Adriansjah Azhari, from Biofarma, Indonesia…

IFPMA [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
No new digest content identified.

PhRMA [to 11 Jan 2020]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
Press Release
New Analysis Finds Nearly 50% of Brand Medicine Spending Goes to the Supply Chain and Others
The Share of Total Spending for Brand Medicines Retained by the Supply Chain and Others Increased from 33% in 2013 to 46% in 2018
January 9, 2020
Washington, D.C. (January 9, 2020) — Nearly half of total spending on brand medicines – the sum of all payments made at the pharmacy or paid on a claim to a health care provider – went to the supply chain and other entities in 2018, according to a new analysis from the Berkeley Research Group (BRG). Innovative biopharmaceutical companies that research, develop and manufacture medicines retained just 54% of total point-of-sale spending on brand medicines. The share of spending received by other stakeholders increased from 33% in 2013 to 46% in 2018.
“This data reaffirms that we need to look at the entire supply chain in order to solve patient affordability challenges,” said Stephen J. Ubl, president and chief executive officer of PhRMA. “We need to fix the misaligned incentives in the supply chain, including the broken rebate system, to ensure patients benefit at the pharmacy counter from the significant discounts and rebates.”…

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

Annals of Internal Medicine
7 January 2020 Vol: 172, Issue 1
http://annals.org/aim/issue

Editorials
Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Through Age 45 Years in the United States
Jean-François Laprise, PhD; Harrell W. Chesson, PhD; Lauri E. Markowitz, MD; Mélanie Drolet, PhD; Dave Martin, PhD; Élodie Bénard, MSc; Marc Brisson, PhD
Results of Base-Case Analysis:
The model predicts that the current U.S. HPV vaccination program will reduce the number of diagnoses of anogenital warts and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or 3 and cases of cervical cancer and noncervical HPV-associated cancer by 82%, 80%, 59%, and 39%, respectively, over 100 years and is cost saving (vs. no vaccination). In contrast, extending vaccination to women and men aged 45 years is predicted to reduce these outcomes by an additional 0.4, 0.4, 0.2, and 0.2 percentage points, respectively. Vaccinating women and men up to age 30, 40, and 45 years is predicted to cost $830,000, $1,843,000, and $1,471,000, respectively, per quality-adjusted life-year gained (vs. current vaccination).

Genome Medicine
https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles
[Accessed 11 Jan 2020]

Strains used in whole organism Plasmodium falciparum vaccine trials differ in genome structure, sequence, and immunogenic potential
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) whole-organism sporozoite vaccines have been shown to provide significant protection against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) in clinical trials. Initial CHMI studies showed si…

Authors: Kara A. Moser, Elliott F. Drábek, Ankit Dwivedi, Emily M. Stucke, Jonathan Crabtree, Antoine Dara, Zalak Shah, Matthew Adams, Tao Li, Priscila T. Rodrigues, Sergey Koren, Adam M. Phillippy, James B. Munro, Amed Ouattara, Benjamin C. Sparklin, Julie C. Dunning Hotopp…
Citation: Genome Medicine 2020 12:6
Content type: Research
Published on: 8 January 2020

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 11 Jan 2020]

Understanding the implications of the Sustainable Development Goals for health policy and systems research: results of a research priority setting exercise
Given the paradigmatic shift represented by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as compared to the Millennium Development Goals – in particular their broad and interconnected nature – a new set of health …

Authors: Sara Bennett, Nasreen Jessani, Douglas Glandon, Mary Qiu, Kerry Scott, Ankita Meghani, Fadi El-Jardali, Daniel Maceira, Dena Javadi and Abdul Ghaffar
Citation: Globalization and Health 2020 16:5
Content type: Research
Published on: 9 January 2020

International Journal of Infectious Diseases
January 2020 Volume 90, p1-242
https://www.ijidonline.com/issue/S1201-9712(19)X0019-3

Reviews
The challenges of tuberculosis control in protracted conflict: The case of Syria
Aula Abbara, Mohamed Almalla, Ibrahim AlMasri, Hussam AlKabbani, Nabil Karah, Wael El-Amin, Latha Rajan, Ibrahim Rahhal, Mohammad Alabbas, Zaher Sahloul, Ahmad Tarakji, Annie Sparrow
p53–59
Published online: October 19, 2019
Abstract
Objectives
Syria’s protracted conflict has resulted in ideal conditions for the transmission of tuberculosis (TB) and the cultivation of drug-resistant strains. This paper compares TB control in Syria before and after the conflict using available data, examines the barriers posed by protracted conflict and those specific to Syria, and discusses what measures can be taken to address the control of TB in Syria.
Results
Forced mass displacement and systematic violations of humanitarian law have resulted in overcrowding and the destruction of key infrastructure, leading to an increased risk of both drug-sensitive and resistant TB, while restricting the ability to diagnose, trace contacts, treat, and follow-up. Pre-conflict, TB in Syria was officially reported at 22 per 100 000 population; the official figure for 2017 of 19 per 100 000 is likely a vast underestimate given the challenges and barriers to case detection. Limited diagnostics also affect the diagnosis of multidrug- and rifampicin-resistant TB, reported as comprising 8.8% of new diagnoses in 2017.
Conclusions
The control of TB in Syria requires a multipronged, tailored, and pragmatic approach to improve timely diagnosis, increase detection, stop transmission, and mitigate the risk of drug resistance. Solutions must also consider vulnerable populations such as imprisoned and besieged communities where the risk of drug resistance is particularly high, and must recognize the limitations of national programming. Strengthening capacity to control TB in Syria with particular attention to these factors will positively impact other parallel conditions; this is key as attention turns to post-conflict reconstruction.

International Journal of Infectious Diseases
January 2020 Volume 90, p1-242
https://www.ijidonline.com/issue/S1201-9712(19)X0019-3

Reviews
The challenges of tuberculosis control in protracted conflict: The case of Syria
Aula Abbara, Mohamed Almalla, Ibrahim AlMasri, Hussam AlKabbani, Nabil Karah, Wael El-Amin, Latha Rajan, Ibrahim Rahhal, Mohammad Alabbas, Zaher Sahloul, Ahmad Tarakji, Annie Sparrow
p53–59
Published online: October 19, 2019
Abstract
Objectives
Syria’s protracted conflict has resulted in ideal conditions for the transmission of tuberculosis (TB) and the cultivation of drug-resistant strains. This paper compares TB control in Syria before and after the conflict using available data, examines the barriers posed by protracted conflict and those specific to Syria, and discusses what measures can be taken to address the control of TB in Syria.
Results
Forced mass displacement and systematic violations of humanitarian law have resulted in overcrowding and the destruction of key infrastructure, leading to an increased risk of both drug-sensitive and resistant TB, while restricting the ability to diagnose, trace contacts, treat, and follow-up. Pre-conflict, TB in Syria was officially reported at 22 per 100 000 population; the official figure for 2017 of 19 per 100 000 is likely a vast underestimate given the challenges and barriers to case detection. Limited diagnostics also affect the diagnosis of multidrug- and rifampicin-resistant TB, reported as comprising 8.8% of new diagnoses in 2017.
Conclusions
The control of TB in Syria requires a multipronged, tailored, and pragmatic approach to improve timely diagnosis, increase detection, stop transmission, and mitigate the risk of drug resistance. Solutions must also consider vulnerable populations such as imprisoned and besieged communities where the risk of drug resistance is particularly high, and must recognize the limitations of national programming. Strengthening capacity to control TB in Syria with particular attention to these factors will positively impact other parallel conditions; this is key as attention turns to post-conflict reconstruction.

International Journal of Infectious Diseases
January 2020 Volume 90, p1-242
https://www.ijidonline.com/issue/S1201-9712(19)X0019-3

Impact of vaccines on antimicrobial resistance
Philippe Buchy, Sibel Ascioglu, Yves Buisson, Sanjoy Datta, Michael Nissen, Paul Anantharajah Tambyah, Sirenda Vong
p188–196
Published online: October 14, 2019