Africa CDC [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

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

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/
Selected Updates and Press Releases
Herder focus of hunt for plague source
2019-11-15
Health authorities in China are hunting down the source of a rare but fatal form of plague that infected a herding couple from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and are stepping up
The two patients were recently taken from Inner Mongolia’s Xiliin Gol League to Beijing by ambulance to seek treatment and were diagnosed with pneumonic plague on Tuesday.
The capital’s Health Commission said in the early hours of Thursday that one patient was in stable condition while the other was “in critical condition but the symptoms had not deteriorated”…

Announcements

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.gatesmri.org/
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.

CARB-X [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://carb-x.org/
CARB-X is a non-profit public-private partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research to tackle the global rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria.
No new digest content identified.

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://cepi.net/
12 Nov 2019
Lassa Fever – an emerging disease we should look out for
By Erich Tauber
…Themis just announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy adult volunteers to investigate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of the MV-LASV vaccine candidate. MV-LASV was developed using a proprietary measles vector platform for prophylaxis of Lassa virus infection. What makes Themis’ technology unique is that the delivery vehicle that is used is the measles vaccine vector, which historically has a proven track-record of safety and potency as evidenced by the billions of people who have already been vaccinated world-wide. Themis applies this knowledge to develop innovative vaccine candidates including the one against Lassa fever…

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://clintonhealthaccess.org/about/
News & Press Releases
Clinton Health Access Initiative releases 2018 Annual Report
Published November 13th, 2019
…Highlights of this year’s report include:
– A breakthrough pricing agreement to significantly lower the cost of state-of-the-art diagnostic testing for HIV, hepatitis, and cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries at a price of US$12 per patient sample.
– Expanding our integrated approach to maternal, newborn, and reproductive health to countries including Zambia, Uganda, and South Africa.
– A 58 percent reduction, on average, on the price of handheld pulse oximeters- simple, life-saving tools that can help to quickly diagnose severe pneumonia…

EDCTP [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
Latest news
12 November 2019
Novartis will support five Career Development Fellowships on maternal and child health
Novartis and EDCTP are pleased to highlight the sponsorship agreement to support research capacity development in sub-Saharan Africa. Within the framework of EDCTP’s 2019 Career Development Fellowships, Novartis will jointly fund fellows that aim to conduct research in the field…

Emory Vaccine Center [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
No new digest content identified.

European Medicines Agency [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases
Press release
First vaccine to protect against Ebola (updated)
CHMP, Last updated: 14/11/2019
[See Milestones above for detail]

European Vaccine Initiative [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
No new digest content identified.

FDA [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
Press Announcements
No new digest content identified.

Fondation Merieux [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
December 3 – 4, 2019 – Geneva (Switzerland)
Mérieux Foundation co-organized event
6th GTFCC Working Group on Oral Cholera Vaccine

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 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.gavi.org/
Latest news
Pakistan becomes first country to introduce new typhoid vaccine into routine immunisation program  
15 November 2019
Gavi-supported introduction of new and improved typhoid conjugate vaccine to offer protection against increasingly drug-resistant disease.

New partnership launched to increase uptake of life-saving vaccines in Rwanda  
12 November 2019
Gavi, the Government of Rwanda and Girl Effect launch a 13-month partnership that will use innovative behaviour change communications to address gender related barriers to vaccine uptake.

Gavi welcomes European Commission approval of first Ebola vaccine  
12 November 2019
The European Commission has granted conditional marketing authorisation to the Ervebo Ebola vaccine in European Union member states.

GHIT Fund [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 2012 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
News
Global Fund Board Steps Up Efforts to Expand Impact Against HIV, TB and Malaria
15 November 2019
… At the Board’s 42nd meeting, coming one month after a successful Sixth Replenishment that secured pledges of over US$14 billion for 2020-2022, Board members expressed appreciation for the collective efforts that led to such a strong mobilization of resources, calling it a compelling affirmation of commitment toward achieving greater social justice all over the world.
… The Board approved a decision that translates pledges made at the Replenishment Conference into funding for country allocations for the 2020-2022 period, as well as certain catalytic investments that can further enhance impact in priority areas. The Global Fund plans to finalize the allocation and inform countries in December 2019.
The Board also approved a decision to advance the development of wambo.org, an innovative online tool that gives in-country procurement teams the power to search, compare and purchase quality-assured products used by health programs. The Board’s decision allows wambo.org to be made available for non-Global Fund-financed orders by governments and nongovernment development organizations on a variety of products…

Updates
Donor Pledges and Contributions
12 November 2019
The Pledges and Contributions Report, a spreadsheet with a complete view of each donor’s pledges and contributions, is fully updated with Sixth Replenishment pledges and the dozens of new donors: Pledges and Contributions Report Excel | PDF

Sourcing & Management of Health Products
Opportunity for Evaluation of Diagnostic Products
11 November 2019
The Global Fund and Unitaid are inviting manufacturers of diagnostic products to submit an Expression of Interest to have their products evaluated by the Expert Review Panel for Diagnostics (EPRD).

Hilleman Laboratories [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.

Human Vaccines Project [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

IAVI [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
Press Releases
November 12, 2019
Award from U.S. Department of Defense to Advance Marburg Virus Vaccine Candidate Development
Marburg virus has epidemic potential and is a high-priority agent that poses a national security threat
NEW YORK — NOVEMBER 12, 2019 — IAVI announced today the award of $35.7M from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to develop a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vector Marburg virus vaccine candidate. This award builds on IAVI’s expertise in VSV vector technology that it has developed through its own VSV HIV vaccine candidate and VSV Lassa fever vaccine candidate, which are in preclinical development. The Marburg virus vaccine candidate, licensed by IAVI from the Public Health Agency of Canada, demonstrated strong protection from the deadly disease in non-human primate studies…

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

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
No new digest content identified.

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

IFRC [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.

IVAC [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates
Report card on preventing global pneumonia and diarrhea deaths in children finds stalled progress
November 2019
The 10th annual Pneumonia & Diarrhea Progress Report Card from the International Vaccine Access Center highlights increases in immunization coverage but universal failure to meet targets in countries with the greatest burden of disease.

IVI [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News & Announcements
IVI to Accelerate Efforts in iNTS Vaccine Development
:: An award from the Wellcome Trust’s Affordable Innovations for Global Health Flagship will support IVI’s development and selection of potential vaccine candidates
:: There is currently no vaccine available to protect against invasive non-typhoidal salmonella (iNTS)
November 13, 2019 – SEOUL, South Korea – The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) has received a $3.33 million grant from the Wellcome Trust to identify and select promising vaccine candidates against invasive non-typhoidal salmonella (iNTS), an enteric disease that disproportionately affects the world’s poorest populations.
iNTS may cause up to 680,000 deaths every year, primarily in resource-poor settings in sub-Saharan Africa. Treatment is difficult and complicated by emerging antibiotic resistance, meaning therapeutic options are limited and expensive, if not inaccessible. With no vaccine currently available to prevent infection by these bacteria, IVI made a targeted investment in non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) vaccine development, anticipating a potential combination with IVI’s typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) that is now entering Phase III trials in Nepal, the Philippines and Indonesia. Going forward, this award from the Wellcome Trust will leverage that initial investment and help IVI accelerate vaccine development timelines and prepare for trials in humans.
“Developing a vaccine against invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella is a logical addition to our vaccine portfolio,” says Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI. “IVI’s efforts to reduce the burden of Salmonella Typhi date to the early 2000s when we first launched DOMI in Asia, and data collected in the past decade from Africa suggests that NTS disease is highly endemic in many African settings.”…

JEE Alliance [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
NVAC 2020 Meetings
February 13-14, 2020 NVAC Meeting
June 9-10, 2020 NVAC Meeting
September 23-24, 2020 Meeting (Virtual)

NIH [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
Selected News Releases
Thursday, November 14, 2019
NIH, NIST researchers use artificial intelligence for quality control of stem cell-derived tissues
Technique key to scale up manufacturing of therapies from induced pluripotent stem cells.

PATH [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Selected Announcements
PATH and partners receive award for development of world’s first malaria vaccine
November 13, 2019 by PATH
Pilot introduction of RTS,S/AS01 has now started in selected areas of three African countries
November 13, 2019, WASHINGTON, D.C. – PATH and partners today received the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) 2019 Innovating for Impact Partnership Award, for the development and phased introduction of RTS,S/AS01, the world’s first malaria vaccine. The vaccine was introduced by ministries of health in areas of Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi in 2019 as part of a pilot program coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The award was accepted by the director of PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Dr. Ashley Birkett and Dr. Opokua Ofori-Anyinam, Director of Clinical Development at GSK Vaccines, at a recognition dinner at the Newseum in Washington, DC before an audience of US government officials, policymakers, media, and leaders in the global health and medical research communities. Drs. Birkett and Ofori-Anyinam accepted the award on behalf of all partners, including the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and WHO.

The award is presented annually to an innovative product development partnership that has advanced a high-impact, game-changing global health technology. Honorees are chosen by a committee of global health experts.

“On behalf of PATH and all our partners in the development of RTS,S from around the world, we are honored to receive this award. We have worked with GSK Vaccines for almost 20 years, and we’re proud to have contributed to bringing this first malaria vaccine to children,” said Birkett. “This vaccine reflects PATH’s commitment to reducing the deadly toll of malaria among the most vulnerable–young children—even as we work towards the ultimate goal of eradicating malaria completely. We look forward to continuing to advance malaria vaccine development in support of that goal.”…

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
14 November 2019
Pace of decline in new adult HIV infections remains short of ambition
The co-conveners of the Global HIV Prevention Coalition, UNAIDS and the United Nations Population Fund, have launched a new report on progress made in reducing new HIV infections across 28 countries that have been particularly affected by HIV. The report was launched at the High-Level Meeting of the Global HIV Prevention Coalition, held on 12 November on the sidelines of the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25.
Together, the 28 countries account for 75% of all new HIV infections globally—1.2 million of the 1.7 million new HIV infections among adults in 2018. The report, Implementation of the HIV prevention 2020 road map, shows that among the coalition countries new HIV infections among adults declined on average by 17% since 2010, slightly higher than the global decline of 13%, but far short of the 60% decline needed in 2018 to meet global HIV prevention targets…

13 November 2019
UNAIDS Executive Director holds first face-to-face meeting with key donors

12 November 2019
Statement of commitment to step up action towards ending AIDS, eliminate social injustice and reach the women and girls being left behind
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD),  where 179 governments adopted a landmark Programme of Action. The Programme of Action unequivocally affirmed reproductive rights as human rights, fundamental to the empowerment of women and girls and to achieving gender equality and sustainable development more broadly.
From 12 to 14 November, the governments of Kenya and Denmark, together with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), are co-convening the Nairobi Summit to mobilize the political will and financial commitments needed to finally and fully implement the Programme of Action…

12 November 2019
The power of transgender visibility in Jamaica

12 November 2019
HIV-related discrimination far too high

UNICEF [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Reports
Press release 11/11/2019
One child dies of pneumonia every 39 seconds, agencies warn
Pneumonia – a preventable disease – kills more children than any other infection

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
Blog
VACCINES & FAKE NEWS: Analysing measles outbreaks 2019
Posted on 10 Nov, 2019
By  Lola García-Ajofrín
Even though it is a vaccine-preventable disease, measles kills over 100,000 people every year. Worldwide cases tripled in the first three months of 2019. The causes of these outbreaks are diverse: from health infrastructure to civil…

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Opinion | 14 November 2019
Landmark moment in the fight against Ebola: what have we learnt?
by Charlie Weller

Opinion | 13 November 2019
With better global data we can outsmart drug-resistant infections
by Gemma Buckland Merrett
The impact of drug-resistant infections is much higher than previously thought, as shown in a new report from the Centers for Disease Control.

Opinion | 12 November 2019
Does the way Wellcome makes funding decisions support the right research?
by Jonathan Best

The Wistar Institute [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Release Nov. 14, 2019
International Collaboration for Scientific Training Launched Between The Wistar Institute and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands
Wistar and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) formalized a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions to explore a postdoctoral training exchange program in immunology, cancer research and vaccine biology.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 16 Nov 2019]
14/11/19
A new OIE Sub Regional Representation for Middle East opens in United Arab Emirates
On the occasion of the 15th Conference of the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East, the OIE officially opens its Sub Regional Representation for Middle East in United Arab Emirates. This new office will strengthen the region’s cooperation with the OIE and among its Members thereby addressing their main concerns, such as the control of transboundary animal diseases, including zoonoses, and animal welfare in particular in the context of trade purposes.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.

BIO [to 16 Nov 2019]
https://www.bio.org/insights/press-release
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
News
WHO Director General addressed the delegates of the DCVMN Annual General Meeting 2019
Rio de Janeiro, 22nd October 2019 – On the occasion of the 20th Annual General Meeting of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN), held on Brazil, WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, addressed the delegates by video. He highlighted that “vaccines are one of the most accessible and cost-effective tools in the history of healthcare. Smallpox has been eradicated, polio is on the brink, and millions of lives have been saved from measles, meningitis and other diseases thanks to vaccines.” However, many children are missing out vaccination and preventable diseases are still a major cause of illness and death. Low and middleincome countries have been slower in adopting vaccines than high-income countries, and one of the barriers has been the lack of resources and regulatory systems.

The DCVMN members have made a vital contribution to increasing the quality, availability and affordability of vaccines. There are now over 70 WHO prequalified vaccines from DCVMN members, including rotavirus, yellow fever, cholera and more, he mentioned.

He added that “our next challenge is to use collaborative ways to translate these vaccines availability into national licences for use in countries. Low resources, heavy workload and untrained staff in many countries mean that vaccines take longer to reach children.” He thanked DCVMN and all its Partners, Gavi, UNICEF, BMGF and others, for their support and commitment. “Together we can overcome the barriers we face, and ensure that all children enjoy the lifesaving power of vaccines” he concluded.

IFPMA [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
No new digest content identified.

PhRMA [to 16 Nov 2019]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
Website not responding at inquiry.

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

BMJ Global Health
November 2019 – Volume 4 – 6
https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/6

Editorial
Tackling antimicrobial resistance in low-income and middle-income countries (10 November, 2019)
Sunil Pokharel, Shristi Raut, Bipin Adhikari

BMJ Global Health
November 2019 – Volume 4 – 6
https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/6

Can we make human plague history? A call to action (10 November, 2019)
Laurence Baril, Xavier Vallès, Nils Christian Stenseth, Minoarisoa Rajerison, Maherisoa Ratsitorahina, Javier Pizarro-Cerdá, Christian Demeure, Steve Belmain, Holger Scholz, Romain Girod, Joseph Hinnebusch, Ines Vigan-Womas, Eric Bertherat, Arnaud Fontanet, Yazdan Yazadanpanah, Guia Carrara, Jane Deuve, Eric D’ortenzio, Jose Oswaldo Cabanillas Angulo, Paul Mead, Peter W Horby

BMJ Global Health
November 2019 – Volume 4 – 6
https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/6

Healthcare malpractice and continuing HIV outbreaks in Pakistan (12 November, 2019)
Salima Davlidova, Syed Hani Abidi, Syed Ali

BMJ Global Health
November 2019 – Volume 4 – 6
https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/6

Commentary
Lay media reporting of monkeypox in Nigeria (12 November, 2019)
Oyeronke Oyebanji, Ugonna Ofonagoro, Oluwatosin Akande, Ifeanyi Nsofor, Chika Ukenedo, Tarik Benjamin Mohammed, Chimezie Anueyiagu, Jeremiah Agenyi, Adesola Yinka-Ogunleye, Chikwe Ihekweazu

BMJ Global Health
November 2019 – Volume 4 – 6
https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/6

Analysis
Joint external evaluation of the International Health Regulation (2005) capacities: current status and lessons learnt in the WHO African region (1 November, 2019)
Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Cathycia Rajatonirina, Mary Stephen, Antonio Oke, Allan Mpairwe, Amadou Bailo Diallo, Emmanuel Onuche Musa, Daniel Yota, Freddy Mutoka Banza, Roland Kimbi Wango, Nathalie Amy Roberts, Rajesh Sreedharan, Nirmal Kandel, Adrienne May Rashford, Linda Lucy Boulanger, Qudsia Huda, Stella Chungong, Zabulon Yoti, Ibrahima Soce Fall

BMJ Global Health
November 2019 – Volume 4 – 6
https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/6

Research
BCG vaccination is associated with reduced malaria prevalence in children under the age of 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa (14 November, 2019)
Mike LT Berendsen, Sjors WL van Gijzel, Jeroen Smits, Quirijn de Mast, Peter Aaby, Christine S Benn, Mihai G Netea, Andre JAM van der Ven

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 16 Nov 2019)

Research article
Prevalence of Viremic hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV infection, and vaccination status among prisoners in Stockholm County
Identification and knowledge of settings with high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is important when aiming for elimination of HCV. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence …
Authors: Caroline Gahrton, Gabriel Westman, Karin Lindahl, Fredrik Öhrn, Olav Dalgard, Christer Lidman, Lars-Håkan Nilsson, Karouk Said, Ann-Sofi Duberg and Soo Aleman
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2019 19:955
Content type: Research article
Published on: 9 November 2019

BMC Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 16 Nov 2019)

Compensation of subjects for participation in biomedical research in resource – limited settings: a discussion of practices in Malawi
Compensating participants of biomedical research is a common practice. However, its proximity with ethical concerns of coercion, undue influence, and exploitation, demand that participant compensation be regulated. The objective of this paper is to discuss the current regulations for compensation of research participants in Malawi and how they can be improved in relation to ethical concerns of coercion, undue influence, and exploitation.
Authors: Wongani Nyangulu, Randy Mungwira, Nginanche Nampota, Osward Nyirenda, Lufina Tsirizani, Edson Mwinjiwa and Titus Divala
Content type: Debate
14 November 2019

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 16 Nov 2019)

Research article
Hospital discharges-based search of acute flaccid paralysis cases 2007–2016 in Italy and comparison with the National Surveillance System for monitoring the risk of polio reintroduction
Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance has been adopted globally as a key strategy for monitoring the progress of the polio eradication initiative. Hereby, to evaluate the completeness of the ascertainment…
Authors: Paola Stefanelli, Stefania Bellino, Stefano Fiore, Stefano Fontana, Concetta Amato and Gabriele Buttinelli
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1532
Content type: Research article
Published on: 15 November 2019

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 16 Nov 2019)

Research protocol of two concurrent cluster-randomized trials: Real-life Effect of a CAMPaign with Measles Vaccination (RECAMP-MV) and Real-life Effect of a CAMPaign with Oral Polio Vaccination (RECAMP-OPV) on mortality and morbidity among children in rural Guinea-Bissau
Measles and oral polio vaccinations may reduce child mortality to an extent that cannot be explained by prevention of measles and polio infections; these vaccines seem to have beneficial non-specific effects. …
Authors: A. Varma, A. K. G. Jensen, S. M. Thysen, L. M. Pedersen, P. Aaby and A. B. Fisker
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1506
Content type: Study protocol
Published on: 11 November 2019

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 16 Nov 2019)

A systematic review of BCG vaccination policies among high-risk groups in low TB-burden countries: implications for vaccination strategy in Canadian indigenous communities
Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination against tuberculosis (TB) is widespread in high-TB-burden countries, however, BCG vaccination policies in low-burden countries vary. Considering the uncertainties surr…
Authors: Lena Faust, Yoko Schreiber and Natalie Bocking
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:1504
Content type: Research article
Published on: 11 November 2019

Gates Open Research
https://gatesopenresearch.org/browse/articles
[Accessed 16 Nov 2019]

Research Article
Revised
Optimization of extraction of genomic DNA from archived dried blood spot (DBS): potential application in epidemiological research & bio banking [version 3; peer review: 2 approved with reservations]
Abhinendra Kumar, Sharayu Mhatre, Sheela Godbole, Prabhat Jha, Rajesh Dikshit
Limited infrastructure is available to collect, store and transport venous blood in field epidemiological studies. Dried blood spot (DBS) is a robust potential alternative sample source for epidemiological studies & bio banking. A stable source of genomic DNA (gDNA) is required for long term storage in bio bank for its downstream applications. Our objective is to optimize the methods of gDNA extraction from stored DBS and with the aim of revealing its utility in large scale epidemiological studies.

JAMA
November 12, 2019, Vol 322, No. 18, Pages 1731-1836
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Research Letter
Immunization Status at the Time of Liver Transplant in Children and Adolescents
Amy G. Feldman, MD, MSCS; Shikha S. Sundaram, MD, MSCI; Brenda L. Beaty, MSPH; et al.
JAMA. 2019;322(18):1822-1824. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.14386
This study characterizes the percentage of pediatric patients undergoing liver transplant who were up to date for their age on immunizations at the time of transplant and risk factors for underimmunization.

JAMA
November 12, 2019, Vol 322, No. 18, Pages 1731-1836
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

The JAMA Forum
Heritable Genome Editing—Edited Eggs and Sperm to the Rescue?
Eli Adashi, MD, MS; I. Glenn Cohen, JD
free access
JAMA. 2019;322(18):1754-1755. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.17538
Heritable genome editing is widely predicted to render inborn afflictions a thing of the past. Topping the list of edit-worthy maladies are single-gene disorders for which preimplantation genetic diagnosis is unworkable. In addition, an insufficient number of viable embryos without the disease mutation is an important limitation in preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and in such cases, heritable genome editing might offer an alternative strategy.

Constraints along these lines have frequently undermined some families’ attempts to have a baby—a “savior sibling”—who could serve as a stem cell donor to a sick older sibling who might benefit. Heritable genome editing could also be brought to bear on disease-predisposing gene variants, such as a variant of the APOE gene that contributes to Alzheimer disease risk; a variant of the LPA gene that contributes to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; a variant of the MYPBC3 gene that causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; and variants in BRCA genes that increase breast and ovarian cancer risk. Currently, the focus of preclinical research, with safety and efficacy in mind, heritable genome editing remains years away from the clinic.

Preclinical research efforts to replace mutant alleles with wild-type counterparts have thus far been limited to human embryos. Such efforts have formidable technical challenges, including introduction of unintended genomic insertions, deletions, and rearrangements, which cannot be tolerated in the clinical context. Nothing less than unyielding editing precision is required to preclude cross-generational harm. An additional challenge to editing the human embryo is the uniformity imperative—ensuring that all the embryo’s cells are appropriately edited. Failure to edit the entire cellular complement of the embryo to exclude mosaicism (in this case, a mixture of edited and unedited cells) is clinically inviable. One final challenge of note is the required validation of edited embryos as transfer eligible. Impeccable editing fidelity as well as uniformity must be documented prior to embryo transfer. At present, however, such reliable assessment is technologically infeasible, and accomplishing this goal may require new technologies.

Apart and distinct from the technical hurdles, editing the genome of the human embryo is also subject to political and doctrinal opposition, which likely gave rise to the statutory federal moratorium now in effect. Under the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2016, the moratorium prohibits the US Food and Drug Administration from addressing research “in which a human embryo is intentionally created or modified to include heritable genetic modification.”

Expounding on the bill in question, Rep Harold D. Rogers (R, Kentucky) noted that it “preserves the sanctity of life,” adding “new provisions prohibiting genetic editing of human embryos.” Rep Robert B. Aderholt (R, Alabama) said that “prohibition on gene editing of human embryos…is a tremendous victory for those who are concerned about life.” Given that the prospect of editing of the human embryo genome is caught up in the debate over abortion, proponents of gene editing will be hard-pressed to secure the broad political support required for its actualization.

In light of such technical, political, as well as doctrinal challenges, genomic editing in the human embryo thus faces an uphill struggle, and it is against this backdrop that the possibility of editing human eggs or sperm first came to the fore. Given that the editing of eggs and sperm is not mentioned in the statutory federal moratorium, limited political and doctrinal opposition to this approach may be assumed. An additional advantage of this tack is that it avoids the possibility of embryonic mosaicism. The feasibility of assessing the quality of the editing process constitutes yet another upside.

During the 2015 International Summit on Human Gene Editing, scientists reported that editing of mouse spermatogonial stem cells corrected a cataract-causing mutation. Further progress, however, has been sparse. Held back by the requisite testicular transplanting of edited spermatogonial stem cells, only a limited body of experimental work followed. There has been a comparably modest body of work dedicated to the editing of maturing eggs.

The successful editing of human gametes, it would seem, may have to await the materialization of a rapidly evolving scientific field, in vitro gametogenesis (IVG), which is poised to convert somatic cells (such as skin) to induced pluripotent stem cells, and thereupon to mature eggs or sperm. Editing of IVG-derived egg or sperm precursors and their validation by whole-genome sequencing should prove eminently feasible. Correctly edited clones of eggs or sperm could then be selected for eventual use during in vitro fertilization. At this point, scientists have generated human primordial germ cell-like cells and o oogonia in vitro. However, the in vitro reconstitution of the entire cycle of the human germline remains to be accomplished. Given the anticipated advantages of editing the genome of IVG-generated human eggs or sperm, this innovation may well be worth the wait.
[References at title link above]

The Lancet
Nov 16, 2019 Volume 394Number 10211p1779-1878, e36
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Review
The 2019 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: ensuring that the health of a child born today is not defined by a changing climate
Nick Watts, et al
From Executive Summary
The Lancet Countdown is an international, multidisciplinary collaboration, dedicated to monitoring the evolving health profile of climate change, and providing an independent assessment of the delivery of commitments made by governments worldwide under the Paris Agreement.
The 2019 report presents an annual update of 41 indicators across five key domains: climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerability; adaptation, planning, and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement. The report represents the findings and consensus of 35 leading academic institutions and UN agencies from every continent. Each year, the methods and data that underpin the Lancet Countdown’s indicators are further developed and improved, with updates described at each stage of this report. The collaboration draws on the world-class expertise of climate scientists; ecologists; mathematicians; engineers; energy, food, and transport experts; economists; social and political scientists; public health professionals; and doctors, to generate the quality and diversity of data required…

Nature
Volume 575 Issue 7782, 14 November 2019
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

CORRESPONDENCE
12 November 2019
WHO sticks to 2020 governance plan for human-genome editing
Margaret Hamburg & Edwin Cameron
The turmoil around plans from Russia for gene editing of human embryos (see Nature 574, 465–466; 2019) underscores the importance and urgency of the global governance framework now being developed by the World Health Organization’s expert advisory committee on human genome editing (go.nature.com/33j6q1s). Before the end of 2020, we aim to identify the key issues and to make solutions scalable, sustainable and appropriate for use at international, regional, national and local levels.

Our efforts are grounded in transparency, inclusivity, fairness, responsible scientific stewardship and social justice. To meet these criteria, we aim to share information on the committee’s own processes and outcomes, on what is happening and on how and why it is necessary; we will draw on contributions from all parts of global society to provide diverse viewpoints; we will adhere to good practice in scientific and clinical conduct, maximizing benefits and minimizing harm; and our dealings will allow everyone equal access to opportunities and potential benefits.

We reject all forms of discrimination based on personal or group characteristics, including gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, age and disability. We are exploring how we can expand the views and perspectives that feed into our work, aiming for effective public and community engagement in developing governance mechanisms for human-genome editing.

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 11, November 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/25/issues/11

Review Article | 07 November 2019
Understanding the rise of cardiometabolic diseases in low- and middle-income countries
The rise of cardiometabolic diseases in low- and middle-income countries is tied to a multitude of environmental, social and commercial determinants, which are discussed in this Review along with a strategy to counteract those factors.
J. Jaime Miranda, Tonatiuh Barrientos-Gutiérrez[…] & Jonathan C. K. Wells

PharmacoEconomics
Volume 37, Issue 11, November 2019
https://link.springer.com/journal/40273/37/11

Themed Issue : Improving Transparency in Decision Models
Editorial
Improving Transparency in Decision Models: Current Issues and Potential Solutions
Paul Tappenden, J. Jaime Caro
Decision-analytic models have become an essential tool used to inform health technology assessments (HTAs). These models provide a mathematical framework to synthesize data from various sources to support predictions of the economic and health impact of new and existing health technologies. They tend to be complex and are rarely fully validated against external data; yet, use of their forecasts requires trust in their accuracy and lack of bias. Thus, decision makers and other stakeholders want to be able to review their structure, inputs, and assumptions fully, and this necessitates that these models be available and transparent enough to permit adequate review. While most would agree that model transparency is a highly desirable goal, the drive towards its achievement has led to concerns with the disincentives, potential loss of control, harmed intellectual property rights, and additional efforts demanded. In this special issue of PharmacoEconomics we have gathered an impressive and diverse collection of papers addressing many aspects of this important topic in our field…

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 16 Nov 2019]

Research Article
Cost-consequence analysis of influenza vaccination among the staff of a large teaching hospital in Rome, Italy: A pilot study
Vittoria Colamesta, Andrea Tamburrano, Andrea Barbara, Andrea Gentili, Daniele Ignazio La Milia, Filippo Berloco, Americo Cicchetti, Daniele Piacentini, Roberta Galluzzi, Sergio Riccardo Mastrodonato, Andrea Cambieri, Walter Ricciardi, Patrizia Laurenti
Research Article | published 14 Nov 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225326

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 16 Nov 2019]

CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in the West Nile Virus vector, Culex quinquefasciatus Say
Michelle E. Anderson, Jessica Mavica, Lewis Shackleford, Ilona Flis, Sophia Fochler, Sanjay Basu, Luke Alphey
Research Article | published 12 Nov 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224857
Abstract
Culex quinquefasciatus Say is an opportunistic blood feeder with a wide geographic distribution which is also a major vector for a range of diseases of both animals and humans. CRISPR/Cas technologies have been applied to a wide variety of organisms for both applied and basic research purposes. CRISPR/Cas methods open new possibilities for genetic research in non-model organisms of public health importance. In this work we have adapted microinjection techniques commonly used in other mosquito species to Culex quinquefasciatus, and have shown these to be effective at generating homozygous knock-out mutations of a target gene in one generation. This is the first description of the kmo gene and mutant phenotype in this species.

Preventive Medicine
Volume 127 October 2019
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/preventive-medicine/vol/127/suppl/C

Research article Abstract only
Association between numeracy and self-rated poor health in 33 high- and upper middle- income countries
Justin Rodgers, Sujay Kakarmath, Vanessa Denis, Marta Encinas-Martin, S.V. Subramanian
Article 105872
Highlights
:: Numeracy is inversely correlated with poor self-rated health.
:: Associations are robust to adjustment for literacy, education, and sociodemographic factors.
:: Low levels of general literacy may exacerbate the numeracy-health relationship.
:: The numeracy-self-rated health relationship varies by gender, education, and across countries.
:: Interventions aimed at improving both numeracy and literacy may yield greater improvements in population health.

Science
15 November 2019 Vol 366, Issue 6467
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl
Special Issue: Quality control in the cell
Introduction

Mitocellular communication: Shaping health and disease
By Adrienne Mottis, Sébastien Herzig, Johan Auwerx
Science15 Nov 2019 : 827-832

Science
15 November 2019 Vol 366, Issue 6467
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl
Special Issue: Quality control in the cell
Introduction

Cellular RNA surveillance in health and disease
By Sandra L. Wolin, Lynne E. Maquat
Science15 Nov 2019 : 822-827 Restricted Access

Science
15 November 2019 Vol 366, Issue 6467
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl
Special Issue: Quality control in the cell
Introduction

Reviews
Cellular quality control by the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy
By Christian Pohl, Ivan Dikic
Science15 Nov 2019 : 818-822 Restricted Access

Science
15 November 2019 Vol 366, Issue 6467
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl
Special Issue: Quality control in the cell
Introduction

Quality control in cell biology
By Stella Hurtley, Gemma Alderton
Science15 Nov 2019 : 816-817 Full Access

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 49 Pages 7201-7288 (20 November 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/49

Discussion No access
Impact of mandatory law on vaccine hesitancy spectrum: The case of measles vaccine catch-up activities in Tuscany, Italy
L. Tavoschi, F. Quattrone, E. De Vita, P.L. Lopalco
Pages 7201-7202

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 49 Pages 7201-7288 (20 November 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/49

Review article Open access
Exploring indirect protection associated with influenza immunization – A systematic review of the literature
Lindsay Friedman, Ariane Renaud, Delaney Hines, Anne Winter, … Bryna F. Warshawsky
Pages 7213-7232

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 49 Pages 7201-7288 (20 November 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/49

Research article Abstract only
The health and economic burden of pertussis in Canada: A microsimulation study
Ashleigh McGirr, David N. Fisman, Ashleigh R. Tuite
Pages 7240-7247

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

No new digest content identified.

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

The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
Argument
The Real Reason to Panic About China’s Plague Outbreak
It’s not the disease that’s worrisome—it’s the Chinese government’s response to it.
By Laurie Garrett
| November 16, 2019, 1:44 AM
The Chinese government’s response to this month’s outbreak of plague has been marked by temerity and some fear, which history suggests is entirely appropriate. But not all fear is the same, and Beijing seems to be afraid of the wrong things. Rather than being concerned about the germs and their spread, the government seems mostly motivated by a desire to manage public reaction about the disease. Those efforts, however, have failed—and the public’s response is now veering toward a sort of plague-inspired panic that’s not at all justified by the facts…

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
Germany
German parliament approves compulsory measles vaccinations
Bundestag backs law that will fine parents up to €2,500 if children are not inoculated
Germany’s parliament has voted to make measles vaccinations compulsory for children, in response to a global rise in cases of the disease.
Parents who refuse to get their children inoculated face fines of up to €2,500 (£2,140) and a likely ban from nursery or school.
The measles protection act will come into force next March, and its introduction is likely to be watched closely by advocates of mandatory immunisation in other countries, including Britain.
The UK health secretary, Matt Hancock, said in September the government was “looking very seriously” at making vaccinations compulsory for state school pupils.
The Bundestag approved the law on Thursday after months of debate, with doctors speaking out both in favour of and against the legislation…

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
Asia Pacific
Former Deputy Head of China’s Drug Regulator Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison
Wu Zhen, a former deputy head of China’s food and drug regulator, was sentenced to 16 years in prison by a Chinese court, state television reported on Friday.
By Reuters Nov. 15

Business
As Swine Fever Fries China Vaccine Sales, Boehringer Rewrites Prescription for Recovery
Germany’s Boehringer Ingelheim, the global No. 2 in animal health, is having to rebuild itself in China after a deadly pig disease decimated sales of unrelated mainstay vaccines, bringing write-offs and leaving it facing a three-year slog to recovery.
By Reuters Nov. 14

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new relevant content]

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new relevant content]

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new relevant content]

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 16 Nov 2019
[No new relevant content]

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=pre ss-release
[No new relevant content]

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Takeda’s Dengue Vaccine Candidate Demonstrates Protection in Children Ages Four to 16 Years, Regardless of Previous Dengue Exposure
November 06, 2019
− New England Journal of Medicine publishes primary endpoint analysis from ongoing Phase 3 study of Takeda’s dengue vaccine candidate
− Over 20,000 study participants in dengue-endemic areas in Latin America and Asia received two doses of Takeda’s dengue vaccine candidate or placebo administered three months apart
− Results demonstrated overall vaccine efficacy of 80.2% (12-month follow-up after second dose) against virologically confirmed dengue; exploratory analyses of secondary endpoints showed 82.2% vaccine efficacy among baseline seropositives and 74.9% vaccine efficacy among baseline seronegatives; the vaccine candidate was generally well tolerated with no important safety risks observed to date
− Formal assessment of secondary efficacy endpoints (18-month follow-up after second dose) will be presented later this year; safety and efficacy will be assessed over a total of four and a half years

… “The results of this first analysis are very encouraging, indicating that the vaccine could potentially provide important public health benefits against dengue fever and hospitalization,” said Humberto Reynales, M.D., Ph.D., a lead author of the New England Journal of Medicine paper. “It will be important to further analyze the trial results over time in order to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of the vaccine. If longer follow-up data confirm this initial observation, we are looking at a significant step forward in the global fight against dengue.”

“According to the World Health Organization, dengue represents one of the ten biggest global health threats, and it is critical that we have access to a safe and effective vaccine candidate that can reduce the devastating impact dengue fever has in endemic regions,” said In-Kyu Yoon, M.D., Senior Advisor, International Vaccine Institute. “Historically, vaccine development against dengue has been challenging, especially for people who haven’t previously been exposed to dengue, and these results demonstrate protection from dengue fever, including among many participants without prior dengue.”…

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New England Journal of Medicine
November 6, 2019
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1903869
Original Article Free Preview
Efficacy of a Tetravalent Dengue Vaccine in Healthy Children and Adolescents
Shibadas Biswal, M.D., Humberto Reynales, M.D., Ph.D., Xavier Saez-Llorens, M.D., Pio Lopez, M.D., Charissa Borja-Tabora, M.D., Pope Kosalaraksa, M.D., Chukiat Sirivichayakul, M.D., Veerachai Watanaveeradej, M.D., Luis Rivera, M.D., Felix Espinoza, M.D., LakKumar Fernando, M.D., Reynaldo Dietze, M.D., Kleber Luz, M.D., Rivaldo Venâncio da Cunha, M.D., José Jimeno, M.D., Eduardo López-Medina, M.D., Astrid Borkowski, M.D., Ph.D., Manja Brose, M.Sc., Martina Rauscher, Ph.D., Inge LeFevre, M.D., Svetlana Bizjajeva, Ph.D., Lulu Bravo, M.D., and Derek Wallace, M.B., B.S. for the TIDES Study Group*
Abstract
Background
Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, was designated a World Health Organization top 10 threat to global health in 2019.
Methods
We present primary efficacy data from part 1 of an ongoing phase 3 randomized trial of a tetravalent dengue vaccine candidate (TAK-003) in regions of Asia and Latin America in which the disease is endemic. Healthy children and adolescents 4 to 16 years of age were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio (stratified according to age category and region) to receive two doses of vaccine or placebo 3 months apart. Participants presenting with febrile illness were tested for virologically confirmed dengue by serotype-specific reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The primary end point was overall vaccine efficacy in preventing virologically confirmed dengue caused by any dengue virus serotype.
Results
Of the 20,071 participants who were given at least one dose of vaccine or placebo (safety population), 19,021 (94.8%) received both injections and were included in the per-protocol analysis. The overall vaccine efficacy in the safety population was 80.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 75.2 to 85.3; 78 cases per 13,380 [0.5 per 100 person-years] in the vaccine group vs. 199 cases per 6687 [2.5 per 100 person-years] in the placebo group). In the per-protocol analyses, vaccine efficacy was 80.2% (95% CI, 73.3 to 85.3; 61 cases of virologically confirmed dengue in the vaccine group vs. 149 cases in the placebo group), with 95.4% efficacy against dengue leading to hospitalization (95% CI, 88.4 to 98.2; 5 hospitalizations in the vaccine group vs. 53 hospitalizations in the placebo group). Planned exploratory analyses involving the 27.7% of the per-protocol population that was seronegative at baseline showed vaccine efficacy of 74.9% (95% CI, 57.0 to 85.4; 20 cases of virologically confirmed dengue in the vaccine group vs. 39 cases in the placebo group). Efficacy trends varied according to serotype. The incidence of serious adverse events was similar in the vaccine group and placebo group (3.1% and 3.8%, respectively).
Conclusions
TAK-003 was efficacious against symptomatic dengue in countries in which the disease is endemic. (Funded by Takeda Vaccines; TIDES ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02747927. opens in new tab.)

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Takeda Unveils New Dengue Vaccine Manufacturing Plant in Germany
− The manufacturing plant opening marks an important milestone for Takeda’s mission to tackle the global threat of dengue
− The site will be utilized for formulation, fill, finish and secondary packaging of Takeda’s dengue vaccine candidate
− Takeda’s dengue vaccine candidate is currently being evaluated in the pivotal Phase 3 Tetravalent Immunization against Dengue Efficacy Study (TIDES) trial1
November 05, 2019
SINGEN, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited today announced the opening of its new manufacturing plant in Singen, Germany, for its dengue vaccine candidate, TAK-003. The Singen vaccine plant will be utilized for formulation, fill, finish and secondary packaging of the dengue vaccine candidate starting with the packaging line. Takeda invested more than 130 million Euro and will employ up to 200 employees in the vaccine plant…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Nine African countries agree to begin journey towards pooled procurement to increase their access to affordable life-saving vaccines
Brazzaville, 6 November 2019 – Nine middle-income countries in Africa have agreed to work towards pooled procurement mechanisms by first sharing vital information on their vaccine purchasing practices, including the prices they pay and their suppliers. Sharing information and ultimately pooling their orders will better leverage their individual purchasing power and thus strengthen their vaccine security and increase their access to affordable life-saving vaccines.

Their commitment on 1 November to improve in-country and cross-border processes was made following a three-day workshop organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa in Mbabane, Kingdom of Eswatini to address access to safe and affordable vaccines in middle-income countries, where immunization coverage is decreasing.

The workshop brought together the countries that, due to their middle-income status, are not eligible for immunization financing support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Kingdom of Eswatini, Gabon, Mauritius, Namibia, São Tomé and Príncipe and Seychelles). Participants included officials from the respective health and finance ministries, procurement officials, immunization officers and members of national regulatory authorities for vaccines and medicines.

Despite progress in reducing morbidity and mortality due to vaccine-preventable diseases, around 8.5 million children living in the WHO African Region still do not receive all the basic and necessary vaccines. With many middle-income countries in the region transitioning from donor-supported to domestically funded immunization programmes, access to vaccines remains a challenge due to limited financial resources and to obstacles in accessing a timely and affordable vaccine supply.

A shift towards more strategic approaches to vaccine procurement is critical to improve access to affordable vaccines for middle-income countries in the African Region.

The nine countries agreed on activities to be conducted in common that will work towards a pooled procurement process in the future. These activities include coordinating joint market research, sharing vaccine supplier information and monitoring vaccine prices. By coordinating the informed buying of vaccines, these countries will have greater stability in their vaccine supply as well as increased bargaining power for lower prices.

Five of the countries, those in the regional organization of Small Island Developing States, have already created a single purchasing bloc, which was highlighted during the workshop as an innovative model due to its ability to leverage a better negotiating position and thus achieve reduced prices. Pooling demand can be particularly beneficial to countries with small populations that combine their orders to improve their negotiation terms with suppliers.
Pooled procurement also contributes towards strengthening existing specialized skills for national vaccine procurement and allows for continuous stability in vaccine supply.

The country representatives agreed on collaborating with different models of group purchasing, with all committing to share information and some agreeing to work towards joint price negotiating.

“Pooling vaccine procurement is a major step towards increasing immunization coverage in these countries and the African Region as a whole,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “We must work together to improve vaccine delivery so that all children are protected from preventable diseases. I am heartened to see such strong cooperation between countries to make universal immunization coverage a reality.”…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Johnson & Johnson Announces Submission of European Marketing Authorisation Applications for Janssen’s Investigational Ebola Vaccine Regimen
Data from multiple preclinical, Phase 1, 2 and 3 studies support applications, which have been granted Accelerated Assessment by European Medicines Agency
November 07, 2019
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Johnson & Johnson today announced that its Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies have submitted Marketing Authorisation Applications (MAAs) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) seeking licensure for an investigational Ebola vaccine regimen for the prevention of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) caused by Zaire ebolavirus species. Two MAAs have been submitted in parallel supporting each vaccine in the two-dose regimen (Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo). In September 2019, the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) granted an Accelerated Assessment for these applications.

“It is vital that we ensure global preparedness for Ebola given that the world’s largest Ebola outbreaks have taken place in the last six years alone, with the latest currently underway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Scientific Officer of Johnson & Johnson. “With an understanding that vaccines have an important role to play in countering this epidemic threat, we look forward to the EMA’s review of our applications for licensure.”

The vaccine regimen includes Ad26.ZEBOV as the first dose, which is based on Janssen’s AdVac® technology, and MVA-BN-Filo as the second dose, which is based on Bavarian Nordic’s MVA-BN® technology and is administered approximately eight weeks later. The MAAs are supported by data from Phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical studies evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine regimen in adults and children1-7, preclinical studies, and immunobridging analyses. To date, more than 6,500 volunteers across the U.S., Europe and Africa have participated in over 10 clinical studies of the Janssen vaccine.

“Our goal is to deliver a vaccine that can be used both in response to Ebola outbreaks, and also more proactively as a prophylactic tool to help countries protect their populations,” said Johan Van Hoof, M.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Vaccines, and Managing Director, Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. “We are grateful to our many global partners who have helped us reach this important stage of development.”…

Emergencies

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

Ebola Outbreak in DRC 66: 05 November 2019
1. Situation update
In the past week, from 28 October to 3 November 2019, 10 new confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases were reported from five health zones in two affected provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Though the number of new confirmed EVD cases reported is lower this week, compared to the 20 cases reported last week, security issues and poor access continue to slow response activities in certain health zones. This can prevent the detection of cases in these hard to reach areas.
Violence this week in Lwemba Health Area in the Mandima Health Zone, caused the death of an Ebola response community health worker, and left his spouse critically injured with multiple wounds. WHO and partners condemned the attack, adding that acts of violence against individuals involved with the response are unacceptable and compromise the ability of health workers to provide assistance to communities impacted by the devastating effects of Ebola…

Implementation of ring vaccination protocol
As of 3 November 2019, 246,824 people at risk have consented to and received the rVSV-ZEBOV-GP Ebola Vaccine with 2,865 vaccinated in the past week

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POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 06 November 2019
:: The GPEI is pleased to announce that the UK Government has confirmed its commitment to eradicating polio by pledging a £400 million contribution for the next four years, which will help vaccinate more than 400 million children a year. Read more on the remarkable announcement.
:: In Pakistan, a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 has been confirmed.  A detailed investigation into the origin of the outbreak is ongoing, with circulation confirmed in a geographically-limited area, and outbreak response is being planned and implemented.
:: Are you an immunization expert interested in serving on the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on polio? The call for nominations for membership on the working group has now been issued, targeting individuals to submit their nominations.
: Want to know the future of polio eradication efforts in Africa? Then stay tuned for a Facebook live interview with Dr Pascal Mkanda, chief polio expert in the WHO African Region, on 08 November 2019 at 10:00am, West Africa Time.

Summary of new viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
:: Afghanistan— one WPV1 case and one WPV1 positive environmental sample;
:: Pakistan— three WPV1 cases and 19 WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Angola— 7 cVDPV2 cases and one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample;
:: Central African Republic— one cVDPV2 case and one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample;
:: Cote d’Ivoire one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample;
:: Ghana two cVDPV2 cases;
:: Philippines— one cVDPV2 case and four cVDPV2 positive environmental samples.

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UK aid to help vaccinate more than 400 million children a year against polio
Press release Published 5 November 2019
International Development Secretary Alok Sharma has pledged new UK aid support to help vaccinate more than 400 million children a year against polio.
:: UK support will help vaccinate more than 750 children a minute against polio in developing countries around the world
:: The UK package of up to £400 million will help support 20 million health workers and volunteers
:: Polio was wiped out in UK in the 1980s, but three countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria – are still not officially wild polio free

::::::

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 9 Nov 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: Ebola Outbreak in DRC 66: 05 November 2019

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

::::::

WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 9 Nov 2019]

Sudan
:: Yellow fever campaign launches in Khartoum State as final phase of countrywide immunization drive 7 November 2019
:: WHO scales up cholera vigilance in Khartoum, Sudan 5 November 2019

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
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 9 Nov 2019]

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

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

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
:: Syria ǀ Flash Update #11, Humanitarian impact of the military operation in north-eastern Syria, 29 – 31 October 2019 [EN/AR]

Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
Editor’s Note:
Ebola in the DRC has bene added as a OCHA “Corporate Emergency” this week:
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth
:: 08 Nov 2019 South Sudan: CERF allocates up to $15 million for flooding response

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

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

WHO & Regional Offices [to 9 Nov 2019]

8 November 2019 News release
WHO aids flood-hit populations across Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Well over a million people have been affected in some of the worst-hit countries of Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.

::::::

Weekly Epidemiological Record, 8 November 2019, vol. 94, 45 (pp. 513–524)
:: Elimination of human onchocerciasis: progress report, 2018–2019

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Nine African countries agree to begin journey towards pooled procurement to increase their access to affordable life-saving vaccines 06 November 2019
[See Milestones above for detail]

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: Municipalities from Brazil, Guatemala, and Honduras receive the 2019 PAHO Malaria Champions Award (11/06/2019)
:: Improving adolescent health in the Caribbean (11/06/2019)
:: Guyana launches mass drug administration campaign to intensify efforts to end Lymphatic Filariasis (11/06/2019)

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

WHO European Region EURO
No new digest content identified.

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: ECHO and WHO partnership meets critical trauma needs in Yemen 6 November 2019
:: WHO scales up cholera vigilance in Khartoum, Sudan 5 November 2019

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified.

CDC/ACIP [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Friday, November 8, 2019
CDC Telebriefing: New CDC Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report shows infection prevention is working but continued action is needed to protect all people

Africa CDC [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.africacdc.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

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

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

Announcements

Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
Press Release
The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group Names New Allen Distinguished Investigators
November 6, 2019
Five new awardees will embark on stem cell and tissue research with the potential to impact human health”
Samantha Morris, Ph.D.
Washington University in St. Louis
Joshua Rabinowitz, Ph.D.
Princeton University
Clive Svendsen, Ph.D.
Cedars-Sinai
Savas Tay, Ph.D.
University of Chicago
James Wells, Ph.D.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.gatesmri.org/
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.

CARB-X [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://carb-x.org/
CARB-X is a non-profit public-private partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research to tackle the global rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria.
11.06.2019  |
CARB-X funds Techulon to support the development of innovative nano therapeutics capable of killing drug-resistant bacteria by precisely targeting essential genes
Techulon project is the 50th project funded by CARB-X since it was launched in 2016
(BOSTON, MA)  – CARB-X is awarding Techulon Inc., located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, VA, USA, up to $785,000 in non-dilutive funding to develop a new class of antimicrobial that would kill drug-resistant bacteria by targeting specific genes critical to the bacteria’s survival. The CARB-X award supports preclinical hit-to-lead development of Techulon’s drug candidates targeting Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two superbugs that have been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘priority pathogens’ posing the greatest threat to global health and by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as ‘serious threats’ to human health.
The Techulon project is the 50th innovative antibacterial early development project funded by CARB-X, established in July 2016. To date, CARB-X has invested more than $150 million in non-dilutive funding to accelerate the development of antibiotics, vaccines, diagnostics and other life-saving products to address drug-resistant bacteria, with additional funds committed if projects achieve certain milestones. The CARB-X portfolio has 31 active projects in five countries…

CEPI – Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://cepi.net/
No new digest content identified.

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://clintonhealthaccess.org/about/
News & Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
Latest news
No new digest content identified.

Emory Vaccine Center [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
No new digest content identified.

European Medicines Agency [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News & Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

European Vaccine Initiative [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
No new digest content identified.

FDA [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
Press Announcements
November 8, 2019 – FDA approves first therapy to treat patients with rare blood disorder
Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval to Reblozyl (luspatercept–aamt) for the treatment of anemia (lack of red blood cells) in adult patients with beta thalassemia who require regular red blood cell (RBC) transfusions…

November 6, 2019 – Statement on the agency’s efforts to protect patients through postmarket drug safety surveillance practices
… The Cures Act included a new requirement that the FDA make our best practices for drug safety surveillance publicly available on the web. Following the passage of the Cures Act we posted a statement announcing the risk-based principles we use for postmarket safety surveillance. Today, we’re announcing the availability of our draft document, “Best Practices in Drug and Biological Product Postmarket Safety Surveillance for FDA Staff,” which expands upon those principles. This draft best practice document outlines our approach for timely postmarket analyses of drugs and biologics, and includes a high-level overview of tools, methods, and signal detection and evaluation activities, using varied data sources, for drug safety surveillance to provide a broader context and a general overview of our overarching effort and commitment in this area….

Fondation Merieux [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News, Events
December 3 – 4, 2019 – Geneva (Switzerland)
Mérieux Foundation co-organized event
6th GTFCC Working Group on Oral Cholera Vaccine

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 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.gavi.org/
Latest news
05 November 2019
Democratic Republic of Congo launches major push against measles, cholera, and rotavirus
Measles follow-up immunisation campaign, emergency oral cholera vaccine campaign, and rotavirus vaccine introduction to protect millions against combination of epidemics.

GHIT Fund [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 2012 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that No new digest content identified.

Global Fund [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
Funding Model
Updated Documents and Technical Guidance for Applicants
08 November 2019
Updated resources for applicants are now available on the Global Fund website in preparation for the 2020-2022 funding period.

These documents have been updated:
:: Funding requests forms and instructions on the Funding Request Applications page
:: Programmatic gap tables on the Funding Request Applications page
:: Funding Landscape Table download in English | Español | Français
:: Modular Framework Handbook download in English | Español | Français

Applicants can familiarize themselves with the following core technical investment documents:
:: HIV Information Note download in English | Español | Français
:: Tuberculosis Information Note download in English | Español | Français
:: Malaria Information Note download in English | Español | Français
:: Building Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health through Global Fund Investments Information Note download in English | Español | Français

Hilleman Laboratories [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.

Human Vaccines Project [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

IAVI [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
No new digest content identified.

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

International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association [IGBA]
https://www.igbamedicines.org/
No new digest content identified.

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

IFRC [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
Mozambique
Mozambique: Thousands at risk of disease and malnutrition as rainy season begins
Beira/Geneva, 8 November 2019—More than half a year since cyclones Idai and Kenneth hit Mozambique, thousands of people are at risk of disease outbreaks and worsening food insecurity during the coming rainy season.  Food insecurity is expected to affec …
8 November 2019

Asia Pacific
Philippines: Thousands in need of humanitarian assistance after Mindanao earthquakes
More than 180,000 people are affected with many families requiring humanitarian assistance after a series of powerful earthquakes, struck Cotabato province in Mindanao, Philippines.
5 November 2019

IVAC [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates
10 Years of Progress in Global Immunization Programs Celebration
The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on December 9, 2019 with an event at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health featuring Executive Director Dr. Bill Moss, Senior Advisor Mathu Santosham, and a keynote address by Dr. Orin Levine, Director of Global Delivery Programs at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the original founder of IVAC. Comments by Dr. Kate O’Brien, IVAC’s immediate past Executive Director and current Director of Immunization, Vaccines and
Biologicals at the World Health Organization, will open the event.

IVI [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News & Announcements
IVI acquires GCLP certification from Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
Institute expected to increase contributions to vaccine development activities worldwide
November 1, 2019

JEE Alliance [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Honduras
More than 5,000 patients treated during MSF respons…
Project Update 8 Nov 2019

DRC Ebola outbreaks
Crisis update – November 2019
Crisis Update 5 Nov 2019

Sudan
Four questions on the malaria outbreak in western Sudan
Interview 4 Nov 2019

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
NVAC 2020 Meetings
February 13-14, 2020 NVAC Meeting
June 9-10, 2020 NVAC Meeting
September 23-24, 2020 Meeting (Virtual)

NIH [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
Selected News Releases
Study vaccine protects monkeys against four types of hemorrhagic fever viruses
November 8, 2019 — The vaccine provided protection from Ebola virus, Sudan virus, Marburg virus and Lassa virus.

PATH [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Selected Announcements
November 7, 2019 by PATH
Blood pressure check with your manicure?
Communities for Healthy Hearts in Vietnam uses local volunteers and businesses to help people with hypertension discover their condition and take steps to manage it

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
7 November 2019
Confronting the link between HIV and gender-based violence in Jamaica

5 November 2019
Worldwide, more than half of new HIV infections now among key populations and their sexual partners
… Key populations make up a small proportion of the general population, but they are at extremely high risk of acquiring HIV infection. Available data suggest that the risk of HIV acquisition among gay men and other men who have sex with men was 22 times higher in 2018 than it was among all adult men. Similarly, the risk of acquiring HIV for people who inject drugs was 22 times higher than for people who do not inject drugs, 21 times higher for sex workers than adults aged 15–49 years and 12 times higher for transgender women than adults aged 15–49 years….

UNICEF [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Reports
Press release
60,000 young refugees and migrants who arrived in Italy alone need ongoing support as they transition to adulthood – UN Agencies
Key challenges include discrimination, difficulty finding work, administrative bottlenecks and lack of legal information
08/11/2019

Press release
200,000 children affected as heavy flooding in Somalia brings increased risk of malnutrition and disease outbreak
UNICEF and partners working to meet urgent needs of most vulnerable children
05/11/2019

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News | 8 November 2019
We are carbon off-setting our travel

Twitter | 7 November 2019
A new science for epidemics must include these 7 disciplines (opens in a new tab)

Opinion | 5 November 2019
It’s time to rethink the way we talk about one of the most urgent threats to our health
by Jeremy Farrar
Tackling big health challenges is dependent on science and innovation, but also on the public understanding and engaging with them.

Opinion | 4 November 2019
7 things manifesto writers should know about science
by Martin Smith

The Wistar Institute [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Release Nov. 8, 2019
Synthetic DNA Technology Applied as a Novel Strategy for Delivery of Anti-HIV Antibodies
Synthetic DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies (DMAbs) allow for in vivo production of broadly neutralizing antibodies in preclinical studies.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2019/
27/09/19
‘United Against Rabies’ collaboration celebrates one year of progress towards zero human rabies deaths by 2030
Since the launch of ‘Zero by 30’ in 2018, the United Against Rabies collaboration has made progress to empower, engage and enable countries to reach the rabies elimination goal by 2030. Released today on World Rabies Day, the first annual progress report describes the incremental, collaborative impact of the four partners[1] in promoting the One Health approach[2] and achieving the three objectives of the Global Strategic Plan.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
November 5, 2019
The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Releases Q3 2019 Sector Report, Highlighting Industry Trends and Metrics
Highlighted findings from the Q3 2019 data report include:
:: Globally, companies active in gene and cell therapies and other regenerative medicines raised nearly $2.6 billion in the third quarter of 2019, bringing the year-to-date total financings to more than $7.4 billion. The report also includes financial data broken out by technology type and financing type.
:: There were 1,052 clinical trials underway worldwide at the close of the third quarter of 2019, with more than 60% of those in oncology and 5% in musculoskeletal disorders and central nervous system disorders. The report also includes figures on clinical trials by phase and indication, as well as by technology type.

BIO [to 9 Nov 2019]
https://www.bio.org/insights/press-release
No new digest content identified.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
No new digest content identified.

IFPMA [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
No new digest content identified.

PhRMA [to 9 Nov 2019]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
No new digest content identified.

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

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content

Research article
A childhood immunization education program for parents delivered during late pregnancy and one-month postpartum: a randomized controlled trial
Improved immunization rates have reduced the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) in advanced nations. Japan’s unique vaccination system classifies vaccines into routine vaccines ostensibly require…
Authors: Hiroko Otsuka-Ono, Narumi Hori, Hiroshi Ohta, Yukari Uemura and Kiyoko Kamibeppu
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2019 19:798
Published on: 5 November 2019

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content

Health professionals’ acceptance and willingness to pay for hepatitis B virus vaccination in Gondar City Administration governmental health institutions, Northwest Ethiopia
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health problem. The burden of the disease is high in low and middle income countries like Ethiopia. However, for highly vulnerable groups such as health pro…
Authors: Siwule Abiye, Mezgebu Yitayal, Giziew Abere and Asefa Adimasu
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2019 19:796
Content type: Research article
Published on: 5 November 2019

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 9 Nov 2019)

Research article
Mumps: MMR vaccination and genetic diversity of mumps virus, 2007–2011 in Catalonia, Spain
Mumps is a vaccine-preventable disease but outbreaks have been reported in persons vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine.
Authors: Irene Barrabeig, Andrés Antón, Núria Torner, Tomàs Pumarola, Josep Costa and Àngela Domínguez
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2019 19:954
Content type: Research article
Published on: 9 November 2019

BMC Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 9 Nov 2019)

What do patients with unmet medical needs want? A qualitative study of patients’ views and experiences with expanded access to unapproved, investigational treatments in the Netherlands
Patients with unmet medical needs sometimes resort to non-standard treatment options, including the use of unapproved, investigational drugs in the context of clinical trials, compassionate use or named-patient programs. The views and experiences of patients with unmet medical needs regarding unapproved, investigational drugs have not yet been examined empirically.
Authors: Eline M. Bunnik and Nikkie Aarts
Content type: Research article
9 November 2019
Open Access