Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 45 Pages 6783-6856 (23 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/45

Review article Abstract only
Beliefs around childhood vaccines in the United States: A systematic review
Courtney Gidengil, Christine Chen, Andrew M. Parker, Sarah Nowak, Luke Matthews
Pages 6793-6802

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 45 Pages 6783-6856 (23 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/45

Research article Abstract only
Home-based records and vaccination appointment stickers as parental reminders to reduce vaccination dropout in Indonesia: A cluster-randomized controlled trial
Aaron S. Wallace, Kenny Peetosutan, Andi Untung, Marisa Ricardo, … Danni Daniels
Pages 6814-6823

Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 19 Oct 2019)

Open Access Article
Comparisons of Vaccine Hesitancy across Five Low- and Middle-Income Countries
by Abram L. Wagner , Nina B. Masters , Gretchen J. Domek , Joseph L. Mathew , Xiaodong Sun , Edwin J. Asturias , Jia Ren , Zhuoying Huang , Ingrid L. Contreras-Roldan , Berhanu Gebremeskel and Matthew L. Boulton
Vaccines 2019, 7(4), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7040155 (registering DOI) – 18 Oct 2019
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy is a continuum of behaviors ranging from delay in receipt to vaccination refusal. Prior studies have typically focused on high-income countries, where vaccine hesitancy is particularly prevalent in more affluent groups, but the relationship between socioeconomic status and vaccine hesitancy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) is less clear. The aim of this study was to describe vaccine hesitancy in five LMICs. Mothers of children in Sirajganj, Bangladesh (n = 60), Shanghai, China (n = 788), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (n = 341), Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala (n = 767), and Chandigarh, India (n = 309), completed a survey between 2016 and 2018 using the WHO’s 10-item Vaccine Hesitancy Scale. The scores of different constructs were compared across countries and by the mother’s education level using linear regression models with generalized estimating equations. Compared to mothers in China, mothers in Bangladesh perceived less vaccination benefit (β: 0.56, P = 0.0001), however, mothers in Ethiopia (β: −0.54, P < 0.0001) and Guatemala (β: −0.74, P = 0.0004) perceived greater benefit. Education level was not significantly linked with vaccine hesitancy. Local circumstances are important to consider when developing programs to promote vaccines. We did not find consistent associations between education and vaccine hesitancy. More research is needed to understand socio-cultural influences on vaccine decision-making.

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

Epidemiology
[10 Oct 2019]
Article
The use of test-negative controls to monitor vaccine effectiveness: a systematic review of methodology.
H Chua, S Feng, JA Lewnard, SG Sullivan, CC Blyth…
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The test-negative design is an increasingly popular approach for estimating vaccine effectiveness (VE) due to its efficiency. This review aims to examine published test-negative design studies of VE and to explore similarities and differences in methodological choices for different diseases and vaccines.
METHODS:
We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Web of Science, and Medline, for studies reporting the effectiveness of any vaccines using a test-negative design. We screened titles and abstracts, and reviewed full texts to identify relevant articles. We created a standardized form for each included article to extract information on the pathogen of interest, vaccine(s) being evaluated, study setting, clinical case definition, choices of cases and controls, and statistical approaches used to estimate VE.
RESULTS:
We identified a total of 348 articles, including studies on VE against influenza virus (n=253), rotavirus (n=48), pneumococcus (n=24), and nine other pathogens. Clinical case definitions used to enroll patients were similar by pathogens of interest but the sets of symptoms that defined them varied substantially. Controls could be those testing negative for the pathogen of interest, those testing positive for non-vaccine type of the pathogen of interest, or a subset of those testing positive for alternative pathogens. Most studies controlled for age, calendar time, and comorbidities.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our review highlights similarities and differences in the application of the test-negative design that deserve further examination. If vaccination reduces disease severity in breakthrough infections, particular care must be taken in interpreting vaccine effectiveness estimates from test-negative design studies.

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
First Online: 12 October 2019
Original Article
Predictors of influenza vaccination among elderly: a cross-sectional survey in Greece
I Dardalas, C Pourzitaki, G Manomenidis, F Malliou… – Aging Clinical and …, 2019
Only a small proportion of those over the age of 60 had received the influenza vaccine. This finding is worrying, as it indicates the impact that a future outbreak of seasonal influenza could exert upon vulnerable groups. There is an urgent need for further, better and more evidence-based information from healthcare professionals to achieve greater vaccination coverage in the community.

American Journal of Perinatology
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1697670
Commentary
Measles: There is No Vaccine against Vaccine Phobia
RA McLaren Jr, JL Stein, H Minkoff
Abstract
In 2000, the United States had effectively eliminated endemic measles. Unfortunately, due to misinformation and non-scientific based concerns, the rate of measles vaccination has declined. The United States is in the midst of its largest outbreak of measles since 2014, with 1,095 confirmed cases as of June 2019. The reasons for the re-emergence of measles and what this epidemic illustrates about the anti-vaccine culture in the United States are explored in this article.

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 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
U.S.
Scrutiny of Vaccine Exemptions Banishes Some From Schools
Carl and Kerri Schwartz say they have good medical reason for not vaccinating their disabled 11-year-old son, Thorn, and until recently his local public school went along with their family doctor’s advice.
By The Associated Press Oct. 16

Africa
‘Alarming Upsurge’ in Measles Has Devastating Impact, WHO Warns
is staging a devastating comeback in epidemics across the world as the virus exploits dangerous gaps in vaccination coverage, World Health Organization (WHO) experts said on Friday.
By Reuters Oct. 11

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 19 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

Featured Journal Content

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44
Commentary
Discussion Abstract only
The life-course approach to vaccination: Harnessing the benefits of vaccination throughout life
Jody Tate, Teresa Aguado, Jan De Belie, Daphne Holt, … Suzanne Wait
Pages 6581-6583
Abstract
Vaccination beyond childhood brings significant benefits at the individual, community and socio-economic levels. Despite this, immunisation programmes often fail to deliver the vaccines which could protect those at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. In this commentary, we argue that the benefits of vaccination beyond childhood must be more widely understood and furthermore, that action must be taken by policymakers, healthcare professionals and patient and civil society organisations to ensure that the benefits of vaccination are fully realised. We outline five areas where change is needed to ensure vaccination across the life-course becomes truly embedded in national immunisation programmes. This includes investing in robust data collection and analysis; ensuring coordinated, multidisciplinary leadership from the top; engaging healthcare professionals; changing public perceptions of vaccination; and integrating vaccination into schools and workplaces.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Vaccination campaign against cholera kicks off in Sudan
Joint statement by the Sudan Federal Ministry of Health, WHO and UNICEF
KHARTOUM, 11 October 2019 – “Sudan has launched an oral cholera vaccination campaign in response to the ongoing outbreak of cholera.

“More than 1.6 million people aged one year and above in the Blue Nile and Sinnar states will be vaccinated over the coming five days.

“The announcement of the Federal Ministry of Health in Sudan on the cholera outbreak last month allowed national and state authorities, and health partners, to act quickly and respond to the outbreak.

“Since the announcement on 8 September, 262 cases of suspected cholera and eight related deaths have been reported as of 9 October in the Blue Nile and Sinnar states. No cholera-related deaths have been reported since mid-September.

“The vaccines were procured and successfully shipped using funding from The Global Alliance for Vaccines International (GAVI), In addition, GAVI is providing nearly US$ 2 million to cover operational costs for the campaign.

“We joined efforts to respond as quickly as possible to contain the current outbreak of cholera and prevent it from spreading further in Sudan. The vaccination campaign kicking off today in combination with other measures including scaling up water, sanitation and hygiene activities, enhancing surveillance, prepositioning supplies and case management, will help protect people who are at highest risk.

“The first round of the campaign will conclude on 16 October and will be followed by a second round in four to six weeks to provide an additional dose to ensure people are protected for at least the next three years.

“As part of the campaign, over 3,560 vaccinators, more than 2,240 social mobilizers, and almost 70 independent monitors have been trained and deployed to the two affected states.”…

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Statement by MPAC on the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine
4 October 2019 MPAC [Malaria Policy Advisory Committee]
Globally, 219 million cases of malaria were reported in 2018, and an estimated 435,000 people, including 260.000 African children, died from malaria in 2017. Scale up of WHO-recommended preventive measures resulted in a substantial decline in malaria morbidity and mortality between 2000 and 2015. However, in 2015 and 2016, progress with malaria control stalled and started to reverse, with an upswing in malaria cases, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. A malaria vaccine such as RTS,S has the potential to help get malaria control back on track, and may prove to be an important addition to current control tools.

The RTS,S vaccine, with its reported level of efficacy, has been shown to provide substantial and significant added protection on top of that provided by optimal case management and high coverage of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs), reducing clinical malaria by 55% during the 12 months following primary vaccination, and by 39% over 4 years. Recent data from long term follow-up are reassuring regarding its long term efficacy and safety. The well-established Expanded Programme on Immunization can reach even the poorest children, who are generally at highest risk of malaria, and suffer the highest mortality rates.

The opportunity to evaluate the feasibility of delivery, safety and effectiveness of the RTS,S vaccine, through pilot implementation in three countries, comes at a critical time in malaria control: no other malaria vaccine has entered phase 3 clinical trials. Additional preventive tools are in the development pipeline, and MPAC looks forward to reviewing their potential to reduce the malaria burden. However the development, evaluation and deployment of these new tools is expected to take several years. Moreover, it is likely that they will also offer only partial protection.

At a time when the downward trend in malaria cases and deaths has stalled, when our current control efforts are threatened by resistance, and when no new intervention approaching the efficacy of RTS,S is available, MPAC looks forward to reviewing the results of the pilot implementations, in accordance with the Framework for Policy Decision on RTS,S/AS01 approved at the April 2019 MPAC and SAGE meetings. If these results are promising, the RTS,S vaccine, in combination with ITNs and other control measures, is likely to be an important additional tool to change the course of malaria incidence and reduce malaria deaths in African children.

Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

Global Fund Donors Pledge US$14 Billion in Fight to End Epidemics
10 October 2019
LYON, France – In an unprecedented show of global solidarity, donors at the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment Conference pledged US$14.02 billion for the next three years – the largest amount ever raised for a multilateral health organization, and the largest amount by the Global Fund. The funds will help save 16 million lives and end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030.

President Emmanuel Macron of France electrified the conference with a stirring appeal to deliver the next generation a better and healthier world, fighting inequality and strengthening social justice. President Macron called on all partners to increase their commitments by at least 15% in order to reach the target of at least US$14 billion, and during the pledging session that followed, donors answered that urgent call to step up the fight – many making last-minute increases on top of their original pledges.

In a stunning final push to reach the US$14 billion target, President Macron joined Bill Gates to make increased commitments for the coming three-year period, announcing that they would each pledge an additional US$60 million on top of pledges announced earlier in the day. With just US$80 million to go, President Macron, Mr. Gates and Bono – pointing to the imperative of ending the epidemics by 2030 – committed to raise at least a further US$100 million during the replenishment period to achieve a total of over US$14 billion.

“Everyone in the room today felt the power of a global community coming together to say in one voice: ‘We will end these epidemics’,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “We are tremendously grateful to President Macron for his incredible leadership over the past year. With the incredible support of partners and donors around the world, we succeeded in reaching over US$14 billion to help save 16 million lives.”…

Featured Journal Content

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44
Commentary
Discussion Abstract only
The life-course approach to vaccination: Harnessing the benefits of vaccination throughout life
Jody Tate, Teresa Aguado, Jan De Belie, Daphne Holt, … Suzanne Wait
Pages 6581-6583
Abstract
Vaccination beyond childhood brings significant benefits at the individual, community and socio-economic levels. Despite this, immunisation programmes often fail to deliver the vaccines which could protect those at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. In this commentary, we argue that the benefits of vaccination beyond childhood must be more widely understood and furthermore, that action must be taken by policymakers, healthcare professionals and patient and civil society organisations to ensure that the benefits of vaccination are fully realised. We outline five areas where change is needed to ensure vaccination across the life-course becomes truly embedded in national immunisation programmes. This includes investing in robust data collection and analysis; ensuring coordinated, multidisciplinary leadership from the top; engaging healthcare professionals; changing public perceptions of vaccination; and integrating vaccination into schools and workplaces.

Emergencies

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

Ebola Outbreak in DRC 62: 08 October 2019
Situation Update
In the past week, from 30 September to 6 October, 14 new confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases, with an additional nine deaths, have been reported from seven health zones in two affected provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although the decline in the number of new cases is encouraging, the recent fluctuations in case numbers per week must be interpreted with caution, as case reporting is contingent upon the level of access and security.
During mid-September, serious security incidents in Lwemba Health Area, Mandima Health Zone, stalled outbreak response activities for more than two weeks. Response activities have since resumed but remain limited. Last week, an open forum for discussion and reconciliation was held in Lwemba with partners and civil society to dispel mistrust and enhance engagement in future response activities. Improved access may result in enhanced case finding and an increase in the number of reported cases from the area…

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As measles deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo top 4,000, UNICEF rushes medical kits to health centers and vaccinates thousands more children
KINSHASA/DAKAR/GENEVA/NEW YORK, 9 October 2019 – UNICEF is vaccinating thousands more children against measles and rushing life-saving medicines to health centers across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as deaths from the world’s largest measles outbreak top 4,000.

Since January, 203,179 cases of measles have been reported in all 26 provinces of the country, and 4,096 have died.  Children under the age of five represent 74 per cent of infections and nearly 90 per cent of deaths. The number of measles cases in DRC this year is more than triple the number recorded for all of 2018. The measles outbreak in DRC has become far deadlier than Ebola, which to date, has taken 2,143 lives.

“We’re fighting the measles epidemic on two fronts – preventing infections and preventing deaths,” said UNICEF Representative in the DRC, Edouard Beigbeder. “Along with the government and key partners, UNICEF has been racing to vaccinate children against measles, and at the same time, supplying clinics with medicines that treat symptoms and improve the chance of survival for those already infected.”

This week and next, an additional 1,111 medical kits are being delivered to health centers in measles hot-spots. The kits contain antibiotics, rehydration salts, Vitamin A, pain relievers, antipyretics and other supplies to care for over 111,000 people infected with the highly contagious and potentially deadly viral disease.

Over the past year, UNICEF supplied more than 8.6 million doses of the measles vaccine for emergency outbreak responses rolled out by multiple organizations. UNICEF has led outbreak responses in eight hard-hit provinces—vaccinating more than 1.4 million children.  The most recent concluded last month in Kasai Central, where over 210,000 children were vaccinated…

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POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 09 October 2019
:: On 24 October 2019, World Polio Day, an event will be held at the WHO to mark the potential certification of eradication of wild poliovirus type 3. With no poliovirus type 3 detected anywhere in the world since 2012, the Global Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication (GCC) is anticipated to officially declare this strain as globally eradicated. The event will also be broadcast on the internet. Viewers are welcome to follow the proceedings through a WebEx broadcast that will be available here.

:: In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an Outbreak Response Assessment (OBRA) conducted in the country noted operational and Coordination improvements and strengthened government ownership in support of the outbreak response.  As a result, three genetically-distinct outbreak strains have been successfully stopped and recommended for closure, demonstrating the effectiveness of outbreak response measures, if fully implemented. At the same time, however, the OBRA noted that the strengthened political ownership now needed to rapidly translate into uniformly high-quality outbreak response, including through appropriate use and management of mOPV2, effective implementation of accountability framework to ensure high quality campaigns to urgently stop the remaining outbreak lineages and prevent further strains from emerging in the future.

:: On 16 September 2019, the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) held its twenty-second meeting. Read the committee’s report of progress for affected IHR States Parties subject to Temporary Recommendations.

Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Pakistan — three WPV1 cases and 13 WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Central African Republic— four cVDPV2 cases and two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples;
:: Democratic Republic of the Congo — three circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases;
:: Philippines — three cVDPV2 positive environmental samples.

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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 12 Oct 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: Ebola Outbreak in DRC 62: 08 October 2019
[See Ebola above for detail]

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

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 12 Oct 2019]

Iran floods 2019
:: WHO mobile clinics deployed to Islamic Republic of Iran 9 October 2019

Libya
:: WHO provides support for treatment of leishmaniasis in Libya 7 October 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
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – No new digest announcements identified
Measles in Europe – No new digest announcements identified
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 12 Oct 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

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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
:: Syria ǀ Flash Update #2, Humanitarian impact of the military operation in north-eastern Syria, 11 October 2019
:: Syrian Arab Republic: Recent Developments in Northwestern Syria Situation Report No. 13 – as of 8 October 2019

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
:: 06 Oct 2019 Cholera response plan launched in Sudan

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

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Continue reading →

WHO & Regional Offices [to 12 Oct 2019]
10 October 2019
News release
WHO welcomes vital new funding for the Global Fund

10 October 2019
News release
The use of non-pharmaceutical forms of Artemisia
Background
Today, the most widely used antimalarial treatments, artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), are produced using the pure artemisinin compound extracted from plant Artemisia annua. Currently, all malaria strains globally can be treated with at least one of the ACTs recommended by WHO.
However, for those living in malaria-affected areas, ACTs are not always readily accessible. In some countries, the medicines are only available at high prices or are of sub-standard quality. These challenges have given rise to the promotion of a range of products made from Artemisia plant material – such as teas, tablets and capsules – as affordable and effective medicines against malaria.
Traditional herbal remedies have several limitations, especially when used to treat potentially fatal diseases such as malaria. The main limitations are related to standardization of plant cultivation, the preparation of formulations, dosages, quality assurance, and evidence of clinical safety and efficacy.
WHO position 
Following an extensive evidence review on the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical forms of Artemisia, conducted in 2019, WHO has issued a new position statement on this issue with a clear message:
WHO does not support the promotion or use of Artemisia plant material in any form for the prevention or treatment of malaria…

9 October 2019
News release
New evidence shows significant mistreatment of women during childbirth

8 October 2019
News release
WHO launches first World report on vision

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Weekly Epidemiological Record, 11 October 2019, vol. 94, 41 (pp. 457–470)
:: Global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: progress report, 2018
:: Monthly report on dracunculiasis cases, January-August 2019

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: WHO in Africa offers small research grants on the innovative use of GIS towards polio eradication… 11 October 2019
:: [DRC] Parents rush to get measles vaccine after recent outbreak kills thousands of childre…
10 October 2019

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: Ministries of Health from across the Caribbean meet to discuss urgent need to fund health and climate change initiatives (10/08/2019)

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
No new digest content identified.

WHO Western Pacific Region
:: 11 October 2019 News release
Region’s leaders discuss need to protect health in relation to climate change and the environment

10 October 2019 News release
Region’s health leaders pledge to tackle antimicrobial resistance and strengthen tobacco control

9 October 2019 News release
Regional action to protect children from harmful impact of food marketing and promote healthy ageing

8 October 2019 News release
Health ministers endorse WHO five-year plan to make the Western Pacific the healthiest, safest region

CDC/ACIP [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Latest News
Transcript: Vital Signs – Maternal Vaccination
Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Low Rates of Vaccination During Pregnancy Leave Moms, Babies Unprotected
Nearly half of U.S. newborns and new moms at risk of influenza or whooping cough hospitalization or death
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
The majority of mothers-to-be in the United States – 65% – have not received two safe and effective vaccines recommended during pregnancy to reduce the risks of influenza (flu) and whooping cough (pertussis) and protect their infants and themselves, according to a new Vital Signs report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
When pregnant women are vaccinated they pass on antibodies to the fetus that provide protection after birth, during the time babies are too young to be vaccinated. Newborns who get influenza or whooping cough are at high risk of hospitalization and death.
And the benefits are not just for the babies. Pregnant women have more than double the risk of hospitalization compared to nonpregnant women of childbearing age if they get influenza. Since 2010, among women ages 15 to 44 years who were hospitalized for influenza, 24% to 34% of them were pregnant – even though only approximately 9% of U.S. women in this age group are pregnant at any given time each year.
CDC recommends that all pregnant women should get a flu vaccine during any trimester of each pregnancy and the whooping cough vaccine (Tdap) during the early part of the third trimester of each pregnancy as part of routine prenatal care…

MMWR News Synopsis for October 11, 2019
Update: Influenza Activity – United States and Worldwide, May 19–September 28, 2019 and Composition of the 2020 Southern Hemisphere Influenza Vaccine
Low levels of influenza activity were reported in the United States over summer 2019, with cocirculation of influenza A and influenza B viruses. In early October 2019, it is too early in the season to know which viruses will circulate in the U.S. later this fall and winter or how severe the season may be. Regardless of what is circulating, the best protection against influenza is a flu vaccination. CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated against flu. As the 2019-2020 flu season begins, CDC is reporting influenza activity in the United States and the Southern Hemisphere during the U.S. summer months and the vaccine viruses selected for the 2020 Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccines. During the summer months in the U.S., influenza activity remained low as is typical for that time of year. Influenza A and B viruses circulated widely in the Southern Hemisphere with the predominant virus varying by region and country. While influenza is unpredictable and circumstances can change very quickly, data to date continue to support the appropriateness of the recommended composition of the vaccines for the upcoming 2019-2020 season in the United States.
Vital Signs: Burden and Prevention of Influenza and Pertussis Among Pregnant Women and Infants — United States

National Update on Measles Cases and Outbreaks:
National Update on Measles Cases and Outbreaks — United States, January 1–October 1, 2019

Africa CDC [to 12 Oct 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 12 Oct 2019]
https://alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/frontiers-group/news-press/
News
No new digest content identified.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 12 Oct 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 12 Oct 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 12 Oct 2019]
http://cepi.net/
News
No new digest content identified.

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://clintonhealthaccess.org/about/
News & Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

EDCTP [to 12 Oct 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 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
No new digest content identified.

European Medicines Agency [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
No new digest content identified.

European Vaccine Initiative [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
07 October 2019
EVI and Hilleman Laboratories announce partnership to assess a new vaccine against Shigella
Funding from EDCTP will allow testing of a novel whole-cell inactivated oral vaccine in clinical trials in Europe and Africa…

FDA [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
October 10, 2019 – FDA allows marketing of first rapid diagnostic test for detecting Ebola virus antigens
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed marketing of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) to detect Ebola virus antigens (proteins) in human blood from certain living individuals and samples from certain recently deceased individuals suspected to have died from Ebola (cadaveric oral fluid). The OraQuick Ebola Rapid Antigen Test is the first rapid diagnostic test the FDA has allowed to be marketed in the U.S. for the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The test provides a rapid, presumptive diagnosis that must be confirmed.
“Today’s marketing authorization provides another important tool in the effort to fight Ebola, which continues to be a priority of the U.S. Government, especially as we work with our partners, including the World Health Organization, to help address the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” said Acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless, M.D. “The current outbreak in the DRC has already killed thousands and the outbreaks in West Africa that began in 2014 tragically killed more than 11,000. Investigational vaccines and therapeutics have shown promising results, but one of the most important tools in stopping these outbreaks is quickly diagnosing patients and supporting safe and dignified burials. This marketing authorization may provide additional assurances to health care professionals seeking to use these types of rapid diagnostics. The ability to use this test to promptly make a presumptive Ebola diagnosis could help providers to more quickly isolate patients and begin treatments that can be potentially life-saving. Additionally, this device could be used to support safe and dignified burials while helping to reduce the risk of transmission during those burials.”…

October 8, 2019 – FDA awards 12 grants to fund new clinical trials to advance the development of medical products for the treatment of rare diseases
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it has awarded 12 new clinical trial research grants totaling more than $15 million over the next four years to enhance the development of medical products for patients with rare diseases. The grants were awarded to principal investigators from academia and industry across the country.
The FDA awarded the grants through the Orphan Products Clinical Trials Grants Program, funded by Congress to encourage clinical development of drugs, biologics, medical devices and medical foods for the treatment of rare diseases. The grants are intended to substantially contribute to marketing approval of products to treat rare diseases or provide essential data needed for development of such products…

Fondation Merieux [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
News
RESAOLAB
The Agence Française de Développement and the Mérieux Foundation continue their commitment to strengthen the West African Network of Clinical Laboratories (RESAOLAB)
October 10, 2019, Lyon (France)
Rémy Rioux, Director General of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), today signed a project with Jean-Pierre Bosser, Director General of the Mérieux Foundation, to develop more efficient and reliable laboratory services in West Africa. Strengthening clinical diagnostics is a central public health issue in West Africa. This RESAOLAB project will receive a total of €8.6 million.

Support for Laboratories
The Mérieux Foundation takes action in response to the Ebola emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
October 8, 2019, Lyon (France)
An Antonov airplane hired specially by the Mérieux Foundation will take off from the Lyon-Saint Exupery airport (France) on Wednesday October 9. Three container laboratories have been loaded onto the aircraft to bolster efforts to control the Ebola virus disease epidemic. Their final destination is Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Gavi [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.gavi.org/
Latest news
Gavi congratulates Global Fund on successful replenishment 
10 October 2019

GHIT Fund [to 12 Oct 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 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News & Stories
Updates
Sixth Replenishment Conference Pledges
11 October 2019

Feature Story
US$14 Billion to Step Up the Fight Against the Epidemics
10 October 2019

News
Global Fund Donors Pledge US$14 Billion in Fight to End Epidemics
10 October 2019
[See Milestones above for detail]

News
Private Sector Partners Step Up the Fight to End AIDS, TB and Malaria
09 October 2019

News
Denmark Increases Pledge in Fight Against Epidemics
07 October 2019

Hilleman Laboratories [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
Date: 07/10/2019
EVI and Hilleman Laboratories announce partnership to assess a new vaccine against Shigella

Human Vaccines Project [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

IAVI [to 12 Oct 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.

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

IFRC [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/news/press-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
No new digest content identified.

IVAC [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
Updates
No new digest content identified.

IVI [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.ivi.int/
Selected IVI News & Announcements
No new digest content identified.

JEE Alliance [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
Selected News and Events
No new digest content identified.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.msf.org/
Latest [Selected Announcements]
Tuberculosis
TB drug delamanid must be more affordable and made available in more countries
Statement 10 Oct 2019

Access to medicines
MSF demands Johnson & Johnson reduce price of lifesaving TB drug
Press Release 10 Oct 2019

Democratic Republic of Congo
Ebola response overshadows already fragile health system
Project Update 9 Oct 2019

DRC Ebola outbreaks
Crisis update – October 2019
Crisis Update 7 Oct 2019

National Vaccine Program Office – U.S. HHS [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.hhs.gov/vaccines/about/index.html
RFI
Request for Information (RFI) From Non-Federal Stakeholders: Developing the 2020 National Vaccine Plan
For nearly a decade the 2010 National Vaccine Plan (NVP) has served as the nation’s leading roadmap for enhancing all aspects of the U.S. vaccine and immunization system. To ensure the NVP remains nimble to the evolving vaccine and immunization landscape, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is leading the development of the 2020 National Vaccine Plan. The updated plan will reflect immunization across the lifespan and guide priority actions for the period 2020-2025.
As part of that process, the HHS Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) has issued a Request for Information to solicit input from subject matter experts and non-federal stakeholders on potential priorities, goals, and objectives for the plan.
We invite you to share your feedback on the Request for Information. Comments are due no later than 5:00 p.m., ET on October 24, 2019.
View the Request for Information and provide your feedback

NIH [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
Selected News Releases
NIH strategic research plan addresses growing tickborne diseases threat
October 10, 2019 — The incidence of reported cases of tickborne diseases in the United States has significantly increased in recent years.

NIH grantees win 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
October 7, 2019 — NIH grantees Gregg L. Semenza, M.D., Ph.D. and William G. Kaelin Jr., M.D., win 2019 Nobel in Physiology and Medicine.

PATH [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
Selected Announcements
PATH celebrates Global Fund’s replenishment and applauds focus on innovation
October 11, 2019 by PATH
Yesterday the world witnessed an unprecedented display of global unity in the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria. Countries, companies, philanthropic organizations, and individuals answered the Global Fund’s call to commit US$14 billion over the next three years. This is the largest 3-year resource envelope the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has ever received.
PATH applauds everyone involved for making this commitment, especially during these challenging economic times. In particular, we recognize the bipartisan US Congressional delegation for committing $1.56 billion per year in financing to the Global Fund—the first increase in US contribution in six years. The generosity of this commitment means the US will reach its target of providing one third of the Global Fund’s resources. This is truly global health leadership in action…

Sabin Vaccine Institute [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

UNAIDS [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
11 October 2019
Empowering young Brazilians to talk to their peers about HIV

9 October 2019
UNAIDS and Luxembourg―working together in western and central Africa

7 October 2019
Criminalization of same-sex sexual relationships decreasing

UNICEF [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Statements, Press Releases, Reports
Statement
Vaccination campaign against cholera kicks off in Sudan
Joint statement by the Sudan Federal Ministry of Health, WHO and UNICEF
11/10/2019
[See Milestones above for detail]

Press release
As measles deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo top 4,000, UNICEF rushes medical kits to health centers and vaccinates thousands more children
09/10/2019
[See Emergencies above for detail]

Press release
UNICEF launches Cryptocurrency Fund
UN Children’s agency becomes first UN Organization to hold and make transactions in cryptocurrency
08/10/2019

Press release
As cholera continues to spread, UNICEF charters 1.6 million doses of vaccines to Sudan
07/10/2019

Vaccination Acceptance Research Network (VARN) [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://vaccineacceptance.org/news.html#header1-2r
No new digest content identified.

Vaccine Confidence Project [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
Confidence Commentary:
Article of the week on “The life-course approach to vaccination”
Heidi Larson | 6 Oct, 2019
An important article mapping the way forward for how vaccines can keep us healthy throughout life. –HL
The life-course approach to vaccination: Harnessing the benefits of vaccination throughout life
Jody Tate, et al.  Published in VACCINE  , 16 October 2019

Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
No new digest content identified.

Wellcome Trust [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
Q&A | 9 September 2019
What are drug-resistant infections?
The overuse of antibiotics is causing one of the most urgent global health problems. In this Q&A we explain what drug-resistant infections are, who is affected and what we can do to stem the rise and spread of drug-resistant infections.

Opinion | 7 October 2019
We hail individual geniuses, but success in science comes through collaboration
Jeremy Farrar, Director Wellcome
The Nobel prizes give a human face to science. But does celebrating individuals risk undermining what’s achieved through a collaborative research culture?

News | 7 October 2019
Nobel prize awarded to Wellcome-funded researcher
Professor Sir Peter Ratcliffe, a researcher at the University of Oxford and the Francis Crick Institute, has been awarded a Nobel prize in physiology or medicine.

Why We Vaccinate [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.whywevax.org/
News
No new digest content identified.

The Wistar Institute [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Release Oct. 9, 2019
New mechanism fueling brain metastasis discovered at Wistar
The pro-metastatic effect of astrocytes is mediated by activation of the PPAR-gamma pathway in invaded cancer cells and uncovers new use for PPAR-gamma antagonists in cancer therapy.

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2019/
No new digest content identified.

::::::

ARM [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine] [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://alliancerm.org/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.

BIO [to 12 Oct 2019]
https://www.bio.org/insights/press-release
Oct 8 2019
Biotechnology Innovation Organization Announces 2021 Leadership Transition
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today announced that industry veteran Jim Greenwood will step down as President and CEO of the world’s largest biotechnology organization after the 2020 election and help transition a new leader to represent the industry globally and to defend innovation from domestic political attacks.

DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
Events
DCVMN 20th Annual General Meeting
21 October 2019 to 23 October 2019
Rio de Janeiro / Brazil

News
12 October 2019
A new Measles-Rubella vaccine prequalified by WHO: Another affordable option for vaccine supply
Geneva, 29 September 2019 – A new measles-rubella (MR) vaccine has been prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) Biological E (BioE), a leading vaccine manufacturer in India, thanks to a partnership with PATH. Like measles, rubella is known for the long-term health consequences it can wreak on children less than five years old. Given the high risk of death or debilitating complications malnourished children face, the WHO recommends tackling these illnesses together with the MR vaccine. Unfortunately, adequate supply is a challenge….

IFPMA [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
Selected Press Releases, Statements, Publications
No new digest content identified.

PhRMA [to 12 Oct 2019]
http://www.phrma.org/
Selected Press Releases, Statements
October 10, 2019
What They Are Saying: Broad Opposition to Pelosi’s Radical Drug Pricing Plan
Tom Wilbur

Industry Watch [to 12 Oct 2019]
:: Boehringer Ingelheim Completes Plant Expansion After $76 Million Georgia Investment
The company doubled its capacity to produce pet vaccines in Athens, Ga.
Oct. 9, 2019
…”Today’s announcement is representative of the growth and investment Boehringer Ingelheim is making around the United States. It also signals our commitment to a world in which no animal suffers from a preventable disease,” said Everett Hoekstra, president of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. “We are excited about what’s in store for our company and our communities, and for the future of animal health.”…

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 Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 12 Oct 2019)

Debate
|   10 October 2019
Why research ethics should add retrospective review
Authors: Angus Dawson, Sapfo Lignou, Chesmal Siriwardhana and Dónal P. O’Mathúna

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Volume 13 – Issue 4 – August 2019
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/disaster-medicine-and-public-health-preparedness/latest-issue

Brief Report
Vaccination Data When the Outbreak Happens: A Qualitative Evaluation of Oregon’s Rapid Response Tool
Andrew W. Osborn, Lee R. Peters
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 January 2019, pp. 682-685

Global Public Health
Volume 14, 2019 Issue 12
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rgph20/current

Article
Health system preparedness for emerging infectious diseases: A synthesis of the literature
Anna Palagyi, Ben J. Marais, Seye Abimbola, Stephanie M. Topp, Emma S. McBryde & Joel Negin
Pages: 1847-1868
Published online: 14 May 2019

Health Policy and Planning
Volume 34, Issue 7, September 2019
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/issue/34/7

Original Articles
At-scale evidence from 26 national household surveys on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV cascade
Nicholas Wilson
Health Policy and Planning, Volume 34, Issue 7, September 2019, Pages 514–519, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czz073

The Lancet
Oct 12, 2019 Volume 394 Number 10206 p1297-1386
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Comment
Governing health futures 2030: growing up in a digital world—a joint The Lancet and Financial Times Commission
Ilona Kickbusch, Anurag Agrawal, Andrew Jack, Naomi Lee, Richard Horton

Medical Decision Making (MDM)
Volume 39 Issue 5, July 2019
http://mdm.sagepub.com/content/current

Original Articles
Cost-Effectiveness of Alternative Uses of Polyvalent Meningococcal Vaccines in Niger: An Agent-Based Transmission Modeling Study
S. M. Niaz Arifin, Christoph Zimmer, Caroline Trotter, Anaïs Colombini, Fati Sidikou, F. Marc LaForce, Ted Cohen, Reza Yaesoubi
First Published July 3, 2019; pp. 553–567

Nature
Volume 574 Issue 7777, 10 October 2019
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

Perspective | 09 October 2019 | Open Access
The human body at cellular resolution: the NIH Human Biomolecular Atlas Program
HuBMAP supports technology development, data acquisition, and spatial analyses to generate comprehensive molecular and cellular three-dimensional tissue maps.
Michael P. Snyder, Shin Lin[…] & James Anderson
Abstract
Transformative technologies are enabling the construction of three-dimensional maps of tissues with unprecedented spatial and molecular resolution. Over the next seven years, the NIH Common Fund Human Biomolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP) intends to develop a widely accessible framework for comprehensively mapping the human body at single-cell resolution by supporting technology development, data acquisition, and detailed spatial mapping. HuBMAP will integrate its efforts with other funding agencies, programs, consortia, and the biomedical research community at large towards the shared vision of a comprehensive, accessible three-dimensional molecular and cellular atlas of the human body, in health and under various disease conditions.

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 10, October 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/25/issues/10

Editorial | 07 October 2019
Raising the bar for clinical research
Nature Medicine is taking a comprehensive approach for reporting clinical studies with the aim to increase transparency, promote rigorous reporting standards and engage with the community to meet the challenges of contemporary medicine.

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 10, October 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/25/issues/10

Comment | 24 September 2019
Reporting guidelines for clinical trials evaluating artificial intelligence interventions are needed
As artificial intelligence moves into the realm of clinical trials, consideration is needed on whether the current CONSORT and SPIRIT reporting statements are sufficient to ensure transparency.
Xiaoxuan Liu, Samantha Cruz Rivera[…] & Alastair K. Denniston

New England Journal of Medicine
October 10, 2019 Vol. 381 No. 15
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Review Article
Zika Virus Infection — After the Pandemic
Didier Musso, M.D., Albert I. Ko, M.D., and David Baud, M.D., Ph.D.
Zika virus (ZIKV) was discovered in Africa in 1947 and was first detected in Asia in 1966, yet its potential effect on public health was not recognized until the virus caused outbreaks in the Pacific from 2007 to 2015 and began spreading throughout the Americas in 2015.1,2 The ability of ZIKV to cause congenital defects in fetuses and infants, as exemplified by the microcephaly epidemic in Brazil, is an unprecedented feature in a mosquito-borne viral infection.2-4 Although transmission of ZIKV has declined in the Americas, outbreaks and infection clusters continue to occur in some regions, such as India and Southeast Asia, where there are large populations of women of childbearing age who are susceptible to the virus.⁵ We review the body of information that was acquired during the pandemic and discuss the epidemiologic trends, current knowledge about the transmission and natural history of ZIKV infection and its sequelae, and the principles of diagnosis and clinical management.

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 12 Oct 2019]

Research Article
Conducting human challenge studies in LMICs: A survey of researchers and ethics committee members in Thailand
Jaranit Kaewkungwal, Pornpimon Adams, Jetsumon Sattabongkot, Reidar K. Lie, David Wendler
Research Article | published 10 Oct 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223619

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 12 Oct 2019]

An observational study comparing HPV prevalence and type distribution between HPV-vaccinated and -unvaccinated girls after introduction of school-based HPV vaccination in Norway
Espen Enerly, Ragnhild Flingtorp, Irene Kraus Christiansen, Suzanne Campbell, Mona Hansen, Tor Åge Myklebust, Elisabete Weiderpass, Mari Nygård
Research Article | published 10 Oct 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223612

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 12 Oct 2019]

The cost-effectiveness of controlling cervical cancer using a new 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine among school-aged girls in Australia
Rashidul Alam Mahumud, Khorshed Alam, Jeff Dunn, Jeff Gow
Research Article | published 09 Oct 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223658

PLoS Pathogens
http://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/
[Accessed 12 Oct 2019]

Opinion
Parasite microbiome project: Grand challenges
Nolwenn M. Dheilly, Joaquín Martínez Martínez, Karyna Rosario, Paul J. Brindley, Raina N. Fichorova, Jonathan Z. Kaye, Kevin D. Kohl, Laura J. Knoll, Julius Lukeš, Susan L. Perkins, Robert Poulin, Lynn Schriml, Luke R. Thompson
| published 10 Oct 2019 PLOS Pathogens
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1008028
The first Parasite Microbiome Project (PMP) Workshop (January 9–14, 2019, Clearwater, Florida, United States) hosted researchers from across continents and disciplines to lay the foundation of the PMP consortium. The PMP vision is to catalyze scientific discourse and explorations through a systems approach, toward an integrated understanding of the microbiota of parasites and their impact on health and disease. The participants identified knowledge gaps and grand challenges in the field of host–parasite–microbe interactions summarized here. The PMP will provide an interactive centralized platform and resource for transdisciplinary collaboration to propel the field of parasitology forward by disentangling complex interactions between parasites and hosts, their respective microbiota, and microbial communities in the parasite’s direct environment.

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 238 October 2019
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/social-science-and-medicine/vol/238/suppl/C

Research article Abstract only
Parent psychology and the decision to delay childhood vaccination
Timothy Callaghan, Matthew Motta, Steven Sylvester, Kristin Lunz Trujillo, Christine Crudo Blackburn
The study of vaccine hesitancy identifies parental decisions to delay childhood vaccinations as an important public health issue, with consequences for immunization rates, the pursuit of nonmedical exemptions in states, and disease outbreaks. While prior work has explored the demographic and social underpinnings of parental decisions to delay childhood vaccinations, little is known about how the psychological dispositions of parents are associated with this choice. We analyze public opinion data to assess the role of psychological factors in reported parental decisions to delay childhood vaccination.

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 238 October 2019
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/social-science-and-medicine/vol/238/suppl/C

Research article Abstract only
Collective self-experimentation in patient-led research: How online health communities foster innovation
Joanna Kempner, John Bailey
Article 112366

Tropical Medicine & International Health
Volume 24, Issue 10 Pages: i-iv, 1139-1262 October 2019
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/13653156/current

Original Research Papers
Importance of authorship and inappropriate authorship assignment in paediatric research in low‐ and middle‐income countries
Chris A. Rees et al
Pages: 1229-1242
First Published: 02 August 2019

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Commentary
Discussion Abstract only
The life-course approach to vaccination: Harnessing the benefits of vaccination throughout life
Jody Tate, Teresa Aguado, Jan De Belie, Daphne Holt, … Suzanne Wait
Pages 6581-6583
Abstract
Vaccination beyond childhood brings significant benefits at the individual, community and socio-economic levels. Despite this, immunisation programmes often fail to deliver the vaccines which could protect those at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. In this commentary, we argue that the benefits of vaccination beyond childhood must be more widely understood and furthermore, that action must be taken by policymakers, healthcare professionals and patient and civil society organisations to ensure that the benefits of vaccination are fully realised. We outline five areas where change is needed to ensure vaccination across the life-course becomes truly embedded in national immunisation programmes. This includes investing in robust data collection and analysis; ensuring coordinated, multidisciplinary leadership from the top; engaging healthcare professionals; changing public perceptions of vaccination; and integrating vaccination into schools and workplaces.

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Short communication Abstract only
The Caribbean Immunization Technical Advisory Group (CITAG); A unique NITAG
Tracy Evans-Gilbert, Karen N. Lewis-Bell, J. Peter Figueroa
Pages 6584-6587

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Review article Abstract only
A scoping review examining the availability of dialogue-based resources to support healthcare providers engagement with vaccine hesitant individuals
Joshua Karras, Eve Dubé, Margie Danchin, Jessica Kaufman, Holly Seale
Pages 6594-6600

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Research article Abstract only
Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in child vaccination in the Gambia, the Kyrgyz Republic and Namibia
Mohammad Hajizadeh
Pages 6609-6616

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Research article Abstract only
Relationship of pneumococcal and influenza vaccination frequency with health literacy in the rural population in Turkey
Ozge Aydin Guclu, Hakan Demirci, Gokhan Ocakoglu, Yasin Guclu, … Mehmet Karadag
Pages 6617-6623

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Research article Abstract only
Barriers and motivations for participation in preventive vaccine clinical trials: Experience of 5 clinical research sites
M. Detoc, O. Launay, C. Dualé, C. Mutter, … E. Botelho-Nevers
Pages 6633-6639

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Research article Abstract only
Factors influencing intention to obtain the HPV vaccine and acceptability of 2-, 4- and 9-valent HPV vaccines: A study of undergraduate female health sciences students in Fujian, China
Yulan Lin, Zheng Lin, Fei He, Zhijian Hu, … Li Ping Wong
Pages 6714-6723

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Research article Abstract only
Barriers and facilitators of immunisation in refugees and migrants in Australia: an east-African case study
Ikram Abdi, Robert Menzies, Holly Seale
Pages 6724-6729

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 44 Pages 6581-6782 (16 October 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/44

Research article Abstract only
Exploring the effect of risk and benefit information provision on vaccination decision-making
Mehrnaz Mostafapour, Samantha B Meyer, Abigail Scholer
Pages 6750-6759
Abstract
In the era in which people are bombarded with misinformation about vaccination, research regarding the degree to which various types of risk or benefit information affect perceptions of vaccines and intentions to vaccinate is critical. The present research utilizes a robust methodology to quantify the extent to which risk and benefit information affects vaccination intentions. Our work demonstrates an inverse relationship between the perceived risks and benefits of a vaccine. By providing information about either risks or benefits of a vaccine, our findings suggest that we can change one’s perception of both the risks and benefits of the vaccine. Considering that the main cognitive barriers to vaccination are related to concerns about efficacy and safety, our results suggest that vaccine messages can be framed to address the audience’s main concerns, whether it be about the low efficacy of the vaccine or its safety, knowing that both frames would carry similar outcomes.

Viruses
Volume 11, Issue 9 (September 2019)
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/11/9

Open Access Review
Twenty Years of Progress Toward West Nile Virus Vaccine Development
by Jaclyn A. Kaiser and Alan D.T. Barrett
Viruses 2019, 11(9), 823; https://doi.org/10.3390/v11090823 – 05 Sep 2019
Abstract
Although West Nile virus (WNV) has been a prominent mosquito-transmitted infection in North America for twenty years, no human vaccine has been licensed. With a cumulative number of 24,714 neurological disease cases and 2314 deaths in the U.S. since 1999, plus a large outbreak in Europe in 2018 involving over 2000 human cases in 15 countries, a vaccine is essential to prevent continued morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. Currently, four veterinary vaccines are licensed, and six vaccines have progressed into clinical trials in humans. All four veterinary vaccines require multiple primary doses and annual boosters, but for a human vaccine to be protective and cost effective in the most vulnerable older age population, it is ideal that the vaccine be strongly immunogenic with only a single dose and without subsequent annual boosters. Of six human vaccine candidates, the two live, attenuated vaccines were the only ones that elicited strong immunity after a single dose. As none of these candidates have yet progressed beyond phase II clinical trials, development of new candidate vaccines and improvement of vaccination strategies remains an important area of research.

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

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 45, 23 October 2019, Pages 6787-6792
Review
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine use during humanitarian crises
Kevin van Zandvoort, Francesco Checchi, Emma Diggle, Rosalind M. Eggo, … Stefan Flasche
Pages 6787-6792
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common human commensal that causes a sizeable part of the overall childhood mortality in low income settings. Populations affected by humanitarian crises are at especially high risk, because a multitude of risk factors that are enhanced during crises increase pneumococcal transmission and disease severity. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) provide effective protection and have been introduced into the majority of routine childhood immunisation programmes globally, though several barriers have hitherto limited their uptake during humanitarian crises. When PCV coverage cannot be sustained during crises or when PCV has not been part of routine programmes, mass vaccination campaigns offer a quick acting and programmatically feasible bridging solution until services can be restored. However, we currently face a paucity of evidence on which to base the structure of such campaigns. We believe that, now that PCV can be procured at a substantially reduced price through the Humanitarian Mechanism, this lack of information is a remaining hurdle to PCV use in humanitarian crises. Considering the difficulties in conducting research in crises, we propose an evidence generation pathway consisting of primary data collection in combination with mathematical modelling followed by quasi-experimental evaluation of a PCV intervention, which can inform on optimal vaccination strategies that consider age targeting, dosing regimens and impact duration.

Journal of Modelling in Management
Publication date: 11 October 2019
The design of the vaccine supply network under uncertain condition
SJ Sadjadi, Z Ziaei, MS Pishvaee – 2019
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to design a proper supply chain network for the vaccine industry in Iran, which considers several features such as uncertainties in demands and cost, perishability of vaccines, wastages in storage, limited capacity and different priorities for demands.
Design/methodology/approach
This study presents a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model and using a robust counterpart approach for coping with uncertainties of model.
Findings
The presented robust model in comparison with the deterministic model has a better performance and is more reliable for network design of vaccine supply chain.
Originality/value
This study considers uncertainty in the network design of vaccine supply chain for the first time in the vaccine context It presents an MILP model where strategic decisions for each echelon and tactical decisions among different echelons of supply chain are determined. Further, it models the difference between high- and low-priority demands for vaccine.

Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2019.278
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 October 2019
First View
Measles outbreak from Hong Kong International Airport to the hospital due to secondary vaccine failure in healthcare workers
VCC Cheng, SC Wong, SCY Wong, S Sridhar…
Abstract
Objective:
To report an outbreak of measles with epidemiological link between Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and a hospital.
Methods:
Epidemiological investigations, patients’ measles serology, and phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin (H) and nucleoprotein (N) genes of measles virus isolates were conducted.
Results:
In total, 29 HKIA staff of diverse ranks and working locations were infected with measles within 1 month. Significantly fewer affected staff had history of travel than non–HKIA-related measles patients [10 of 29 (34.5%) vs 28 of 35 (80%); P < .01]. Of 9 airport staff who could recall detailed exposure history, 6 (66.7%) had visited self-service food premises at HKIA during the incubation period, where food trays, as observed during the epidemiological field investigation, were not washed after use. Furthermore, 1 airport baggage handler who was admitted to hospital A before rash onset infected 2 healthcare workers (HCWs) known to have 2 doses of MMR vaccination with positive measles IgG and lower viral loads in respiratory specimens. Infections in these 2 HCWs warranted contact tracing of another 168 persons (97 patients and 71 HCWs). Phylogenetic comparison of H and N gene sequences confirmed the clonality of outbreak strains. Conclusion: Despite good herd immunity with overall seroprevalence of >95% against measles, major outbreaks of measles occurred among HKIA staff having daily contact with many international pssengers. Lessons from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and measles outbreaks suggested that an airport can be a strategic epidemic center. Pre-exanthem transmission of measles from airport staff to HCWs with secondary vaccine failure poses a grave challenge to hospital infection control.

Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings
First Online: 05 October 2019
Factors Associated with Intention of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Initiation Among Females With and Without a History of Childhood Cancer
RN Hardin, KM Russell, JS Flynn, HL Gammel… –
Abstract
Vaccination is available to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) types that cause cervical and other cancers. This study aimed to describe and compare vaccine intention among young females with and without a cancer history, in addition to identifying factors associated with a HPV vaccination intention. Vaccine-naïve females (aged 18–26 years, n = 120) and maternal caregivers with vaccine-naïve daughters (aged 9–17 years, n = 197) completed surveys querying HPV vaccination intention, HPV knowledge, and communication, along with sociodemographic, medical, and health belief factors. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals for HPV vaccination intention. No differences in vaccine intention were identified across cancer and comparison groups. Vaccine intention and predictors of intention among vaccine-naïve females differ by age, and there is variation in the factors which influence vaccine intention by age group. These results suggest interventions should be tailored based on developmental level.

Pediatrics
October 2019
Article
Previsit Screening for Parental Vaccine Hesitancy: A Cluster Randomized Trial
DJ Opel, N Henrikson, K Lepere, R Hawkes, C Zhou…
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of vaccine hesitancy screening on childhood vaccine uptake.
METHODS: We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial in pediatric primary care clinics in Washington state. Vaccine-hesitant parents (VHPs) with a healthy newborn receiving health supervision at participating clinics were eligible. VHPs were identified by using a 4-item version of the validated Parent Attitudes About Childhood Vaccines Survey (PACV). Before their child’s 2- and 6-month health supervision visits, VHPs at intervention clinics completed the 15-item PACV embedded in a survey containing placebo items. Intervention providers received a summary of parents’ 15-item PACV responses and interpretation of their PACV score; discretion was given to providers regarding how they acted on this information. VHPs at control clinics completed only the placebo survey items, and their child’s provider received a summary of their responses; control providers remained blinded to parent VHP status. Our outcome was child immunization status at 8 months of age expressed as percent of days underimmunized. We compared outcomes in control and intervention participants using t test and linear mixed-effects regression.
RESULTS: We enrolled 24 clinics (12 in each arm) and 156 parents (65 in the intervention arm). Parent characteristics were similar across arms except more intervention (versus control) parents had a first-born child (60.9% vs 44%; P = .04). No significant difference in outcome was detected between arms (25.2% [95% confidence interval: 16.0% to 34.5%] vs 19.1% [95% confidence interval: 12.0% to 26.3%] mean days underimmunized in the intervention and control arms, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Vaccine hesitancy screening was not significantly associated with days underimmunized.

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 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
Vaccines and immunisation
School gates ‘breeding ground’ for vaccine myths, says NHS chief …
Head of health service in England calls for crackdown on misinformation about jabs
Last modified on Sat 12 Oct 2019 12.51 EDT

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
Africa
‘Alarming Upsurge’ in Measles Has Devastating Impact, WHO Warns
Measles is staging a devastating comeback in epidemics across the world as the virus exploits dangerous gaps in vaccination coverage, World Health Organization (WHO) experts said on Friday.
Oct. 11 By Reuters

Africa
Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Slows but Still Entrenched in Insecure Areas-WHO
The Ebola epidemic in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been confined to a rural area rife with militias and people on the move, making it harder to stamp out altogether, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
Oct. 10 By Reuters

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 12 Oct 2019
[No new relevant content]