Malaria eradication within a generation: ambitious, achievable, and necessary

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The Lancet
Sep 21, 2019 Volume 394 Number 10203 p979-1112
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

 

The Lancet Commissions
Malaria eradication within a generation: ambitious, achievable, and necessary
Richard G A Feachem, Ingrid Chen, Omar Akbari, Amelia Bertozzi-Villa, Samir Bhatt, Fred Binka, et al
50 years after a noble but flawed attempt to eradicate malaria in the mid-20th century, the global malaria community is once again seriously considering eradication. Momentum towards eradication has been building for decades, and more than half of the world’s countries are now malaria free. Since 2000, a surge of global progress has occurred, facilitated by the roll-out of new technologies and the substantial growth in political and financial commitment by countries, regions, and their global partners. Annual domestic and international spending on malaria increased from roughly US$1·5 billion in 2000 to $4·3 billion in 2016. Simultaneously, the number of countries with endemic malaria dropped from 106 to 86, the worldwide annual incidence rate of malaria declined by 36%, and the annual death rate declined by 60%…
…In this report, the Commission concludes that malaria eradication is possible, worthwhile, and affordable, and that the alternatives to eradication are untenable. We identify opportunities for specific actions that will overcome challenges and accelerate progress, starting with an immediate, firm, global commitment to achieving eradication by 2050.

Global trends in antimicrobial resistance in animals in low- and middle-income countries

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Science
20 September 2019 Vol 365, Issue 6459
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

 

Research Articles
Global trends in antimicrobial resistance in animals in low- and middle-income countries
By Thomas P. Van Boeckel, João Pires, Reshma Silvester, Cheng Zhao, Julia Song, Nicola G. Criscuolo, Marius Gilbert, Sebastian Bonhoeffer, Ramanan Laxminarayan
Science20 Sep 2019 Full Access
Growing demand for meat in developing economies increases antibiotic consumption and fuels the risk of antibiotic resistance.
Livestock antibiotic resistance
Most antibiotic use is for livestock, and it is growing with the increase in global demand for meat. It is unclear what the increase in demand for antibiotics means for the occurrence of drug resistance in animals and risk to humans. Van Boeckel et al. describe the global burden of antimicrobial resistance in animals on the basis of systematic reviews over the past 20 years (see the Perspective by Moore). There is a clear increase in the number of resistant bacterial strains occurring in chickens and pigs. The current study provides a much-needed baseline model for low- and middle-income countries and provides a “one health” perspective to which future data can be added.
Structured Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The global scale-up in demand for animal protein is the most notable dietary trend of our time. Since 2000, meat production has plateaued in high-income countries but has grown by 68%, 64%, and 40% in Asia, Africa, and South America, respectively. The transition to high-protein diets in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been facilitated by the global expansion of intensive animal production systems in which antimicrobials are used routinely to maintain health and productivity. Globally, 73% of all antimicrobials sold on Earth are used in animals raised for food. A growing body of evidence has linked this practice with the rise of antimicrobial-resistant infections, not just in animals but also in humans. Beyond potentially serious consequences for public health, the reliance on antimicrobials to meet demand for animal protein is a likely threat to the sustainability of the livestock industry, and thus to the livelihood of farmers around the world.
RATIONALE
In LMICs, trends in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animals are poorly documented. In the absence of systematic surveillance systems, point prevalence surveys represent a largely untapped source of information to map trends in AMR in animals. We use geospatial models to produce global maps of AMR in LMICs and give policy-makers—or a future international panel—a baseline for monitoring AMR levels in animals and target interventions in the regions most affected by the rise of resistance.
RESULTS
We identified 901 point prevalence surveys from LMICs reporting AMR rates in animals for common indicator pathogens: Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., nontyphoidal Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus. From 2000 to 2018, the proportion of antimicrobial compounds with resistance higher than 50% (P50) increased from 0.15 to 0.41 in chickens and from 0.13 to 0.34 in pigs and plateaued between 0.12 and 0.23 in cattle. Global maps of AMR (available at resistancebank.org) show hotspots of resistance in northeastern India, northeastern China, northern Pakistan, Iran, eastern Turkey, the south coast of Brazil, Egypt, the Red River delta in Vietnam, and the areas surrounding Mexico City and Johannesburg. Areas where resistance is just starting to emerge are Kenya, Morocco, Uruguay, southern Brazil, central India, and southern China. Uncertainty in our predictions was greatest in the Andes, the Amazon region, West and Central Africa, the Tibetan plateau, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Dense geographical coverage of point prevalence surveys did not systematically correlate with the presence of hotspots of AMR, such as in Ethiopia, Thailand, Chhattisgarh (India), and Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). The highest resistance rates were observed with the most commonly used classes of antimicrobials in animal production: tetracyclines, sulfonamides, and penicillins.
CONCLUSION
The portfolio of antimicrobials used to raise animals for food is rapidly getting depleted, with important consequences for animal health, farmers’ livelihoods, and potentially for human health. Regions affected by the highest levels of AMR should take immediate actions to preserve the efficacy of antimicrobials that are essential in human medicine by restricting their use in animal production. In some middle-income countries, particularly in South America, surveillance must be scaled up to match that of low-income African countries that are currently outperforming them despite more limited resources. Policy-makers coordinating the international response to AMR may consider sparing African countries from the most aggressive measures to restrict access to veterinary drugs, which may undermine livestock-based economic development and rightfully be perceived as unfair. However, in regions where resistance is starting to emerge, there is a window of opportunity to limit the rise of resistance by encouraging a transition to sustainable animal farming practices. High-income countries, where antimicrobials have been used on farms since the 1950s, should support this transition—for example, through a global fund to subsidize improvement in farm-level biosafety and biosecurity.

CRISPR-mediated live imaging of genome editing and transcription

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Science
20 September 2019 Vol 365, Issue 6459
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

CRISPR-mediated live imaging of genome editing and transcription
By Haifeng Wang, Muneaki Nakamura, Timothy R. Abbott, Dehua Zhao, Kaiwen Luo, Cordelia Yu, Cindy M. Nguyen, Albert Lo, Timothy P. Daley, Marie La Russa, Yanxia Liu, Lei S. Qi

 

Science20 Sep 2019 : 1301-1305 Restricted Access
A CRISPR-mediated imaging approach, LiveFISH, enables real-time tracking of DNA and RNA in living cells.
Tracking nucleic acids in living cells
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a powerful molecular technique for detecting nucleic acids in cells. However, it requires cell fixation and denaturation. Wang et al. found that CRISPR-Cas9 protects guide RNAs from degradation in cells only when bound to target DNA. Taking advantage of this target-dependent stability switch, they developed a labeling technique, named CRISPR LiveFISH, to detect DNA and RNA using fluorophore-conjugated guide RNAs with Cas9 and Cas13, respectively. CRISPR LiveFISH improves the signal-to-noise ratio, is compatible with living cells, and allows tracking real-time dynamics of genome editing, chromosome translocation, and transcription.
Abstract
We report a robust, versatile approach called CRISPR live-cell fluorescent in situ hybridization (LiveFISH) using fluorescent oligonucleotides for genome tracking in a broad range of cell types, including primary cells. An intrinsic stability switch of CRISPR guide RNAs enables LiveFISH to accurately detect chromosomal disorders such as Patau syndrome in prenatal amniotic fluid cells and track multiple loci in human T lymphocytes. In addition, LiveFISH tracks the real-time movement of DNA double-strand breaks induced by CRISPR-Cas9–mediated editing and consequent chromosome translocations. Finally, by combining Cas9 and Cas13 systems, LiveFISH allows for simultaneous visualization of genomic DNA and RNA transcripts in living cells. The LiveFISH approach enables real-time live imaging of DNA and RNA during genome editing, transcription, and rearrangements in single cells.

 

Immune correlates of the Thai RV144 HIV vaccine regimen in South Africa

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Science Translational Medicine
18 September 2019 Vol 11, Issue 510
https://stm.sciencemag.org/

 

Research Articles
Immune correlates of the Thai RV144 HIV vaccine regimen in South Africa
By Glenda E. Gray, Ying Huang, Nicole Grunenberg, Fatima Laher, Surita Roux, Erica Andersen-Nissen, Stephen C. De Rosa, Britta Flach, April K. Randhawa, Ryan Jensen, Edith M. Swann, Linda-Gail Bekker, Craig Innes, Erica Lazarus, Lynn Morris, Nonhlanhla N. Mkhize, Guido Ferrari, David C. Montefiori, Xiaoying Shen, Sheetal Sawant, Nicole Yates, John Hural, Abby Isaacs, Sanjay Phogat, Carlos A. DiazGranados, Carter Lee, Faruk Sinangil, Nelson L. Michael, Merlin L. Robb, James G. Kublin, Peter B. Gilbert, M. Juliana McElrath, Georgia D. Tomaras, Lawrence Corey
Science Translational Medicine18 Sep 2019 Full Access
In South Africans, the RV144 HIV vaccine regimen elicited robust immune responses that have been associated with vaccine efficacy.
Taking RV144 beyond Thailand
The RV144 vaccine trial in Thailand is the only HIV vaccine to show efficacy against HIV infection to date. Gray et al. designed the HVTN 097 trial to test this regimen in South Africa, where clade C HIV circulates; this clade is heterologous to the vaccine antigens. They intently examined immune protective responses previously identified in the RV144 trial and found that the vaccine seemed to be even more immunogenic in South Africans. CD4+ T cell responses were stronger and more common in HVTN 097, and the magnitude of protective antibody responses was greater compared to RV144. Their results indicate that the RV144 regimen or others like it could be protective in areas where HIV is endemic.

Identify, target, monitor: Experiences of a fresh approach to addressing immunization inequities in Pakistan

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 41 Pages 6017-6132 (24 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/41

 

Discussion Open access
Identify, target, monitor: Experiences of a fresh approach to addressing immunization inequities in Pakistan
Saadia Farrukh, Alyssa Sharkey, Richard Duncan, Paul Rutter, Andreas Hasman
Pages 6017-6021

Facilitators and barriers of human papillomavirus vaccine uptake in young females 18–26 years old in Singapore: A qualitative study

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 41 Pages 6017-6132 (24 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/41

 

Research article Abstract only
Facilitators and barriers of human papillomavirus vaccine uptake in young females 18–26 years old in Singapore: A qualitative study
Andrea Su En Lim, Raymond Boon Tar Lim
Pages 6030-6038

Optimization of frequency and targeting of measles supplemental immunization activities in Nigeria: A cost-effectiveness analysis

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 41 Pages 6017-6132 (24 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/41

 

Research article Open access
Optimization of frequency and targeting of measles supplemental immunization activities in Nigeria: A cost-effectiveness analysis
Marita Zimmermann, Kurt Frey, Brittany Hagedorn, A.J. Oteri, … Guillaume Chabot-Couture
Pages 6039-6047

Predictors of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis and influenza vaccination during pregnancy among full-term deliveries in a medically underserved population

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 41 Pages 6017-6132 (24 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/41

 

Research article Abstract only
Predictors of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis and influenza vaccination during pregnancy among full-term deliveries in a medically underserved population
Kamini Doraivelu, Sheree L. Boulet, Hope H. Biswas, Jenna C. Adams, … Denise J. Jamieson
Pages 6054-6059

The cost saving opportunity of introducing a card review into measles-containing vaccination campaigns

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 41 Pages 6017-6132 (24 September 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/41

 

Research article Open access
The cost saving opportunity of introducing a card review into measles-containing vaccination campaigns
Brittany L. Hagedorn, Alya Dabbagh, Kevin A. McCarthy
Pages 6093-6101

The Cellular Immune Response to Rabies Vaccination: A Systematic Review

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Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 21 Sep 2019)

 

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

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

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

Public Health
Volume 177, December 2019, Pages 71-79
Original Research
A systematic approach to map the adolescent human papillomavirus vaccine decision and identify intervention strategies to address vaccine hesitancy
S Marshall, LJ Sahm, AC Moore, A Fleming –
Highlights
:: The World Health Organization has declared vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten threats to global health in 2019.
:: Unsubstantiated safety concerns with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines continue to linger globally.
:: Theoretically informed behaviour change frameworks can be used to identify factors impacting HPV vaccine uptake.
:: Awareness and knowledge about HPV and its health sequelae was low among female adolescents, aged 14-16 years.
:: Education is a key area to address in future intervention studies to reduce HPV vaccine hesitancy.

 

Journal of Community Health
First Online: 13 September 2019
Original Paper
Association of State Legislation of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination with Vaccine Uptake Among Adolescents in the United States
NA Vielot, AM Butler, JG Trogdon, R Ramadas…
Abstract
We assessed the association of state legislation with adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in states that legislated information dissemination or administration of HPV vaccination. Using insurance claims, we calculated monthly HPV vaccination rates (November 2009–December 2017) among adolescents in states that passed HPV vaccination legislation during that period: Missouri (July 2010), Kentucky (February 2012), Indiana (March 2013), Oregon (June 2013). We used segmented regression to estimate levels and trends of HPV vaccination rates, comparing pre-legislation to post-legislation segments, adjusting for seasonal vaccination patterns and changes to the vaccination recommendation among males during the study period. Indiana’s legislation allowed pharmacists to administer HPV vaccination; legislation in Kentucky, Missouri, and Oregon included provisions HPV and cervical cancer education. No statistically significant increases in HPV vaccination levels or trends were observed in the post-legislation segments among adolescents overall; however, a significant post-legislation increase in vaccination trends was observed among boys in Missouri (β = 0.16, p = 0.03). Evidence for a positive impact of legislation on HPV vaccination rates is limited. The scarcity of policies that directly facilitate or promote HPV vaccination, and the breadth of exemptions to school vaccination requirements, may limit the effectiveness of these policies. Continuing efforts to introduce and pass legislation that directly facilitates HPV vaccination, combined with promoting existing evidence-based interventions, can provide opportunities to identify the most effective strategies to increase adolescent HPV vaccination rates.

Media/Policy Watch

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

 

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
DR Congo to introduce second Ebola vaccine
21 Sep 2019
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are planning to use a second Ebola vaccine to help control an outbreak that has killed more than 2,100 people.

 

Devex
https://www.devex.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
Global Views Vaccine hesitancy
Opinion: The real problem with vaccine hesitancy
By Seth Berkley // 18 September 2019
If we stopped vaccinating children, how long would it take before a host of deadly diseases came back with a vengeance? If the news that Albania, Czechia, Greece, and the United Kingdom have all now lost their official measles elimination status is anything to go by, the answer is not long at all.
Immunization coverage doesn’t have to drop by much before outbreaks start to occur. And with 130 million new children born globally every year, it would take just a year or two before mortality rates for diseases, like diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, measles and others, would once again start to soar…

 

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
Sep 17, 2019
Russia Confirms Explosion At Ex Bioweapons Lab Storing Ebola, Smallpox And Plague
A month after a deadly accident hit a Russian nuclear facility, new reports of an explosion at a state biotech lab housing​ deadly viruses have now been confirmed.
By Zak Doffman Contributor

 

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
Voice
The World Knows an Apocalyptic Pandemic Is Coming
But nobody is interested in doing anything about it.
By Laurie Garrett
| September 20, 2019, 12:48 PM
The ominous analysis was compiled by an independent panel, the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), which was assembled last year in response to a request from the office of the U.N. secretary-general, and convened jointly by the World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO). Co-chaired by the former WHO head and former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and the head of the international Red Cross, Elhadj As Sy, the GPMB commissioned expert studies and issued a scathing attack on the political, financial, and logistical state of pandemic preparedness affairs…
[See Milestones above for detail]

 

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
Asia Pacific
Philippines Confirms 2nd Polio Case After Declaring Outbreak
Philippine health officials on Friday confirmed a second case of polio in a 5-year-old child a day after declaring the country’s first outbreak in nearly two decades, and announced plans for a massive immunization program.
By The Associated Press

Health
As Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Drags On, Untracked Cases Sow Confusion
On tour in Africa, American officials said the U.S. would keep providing aid. But Congo’s response has been uneven, and the former health minister has been jailed.
By Donald G. McNeil Jr.

U.S.
U.S. Records No New Measles Cases for First Week Since January
Health officials recorded no new cases of measles in the United States last week, marking the first week without new cases of the disease since January, amid an outbreak largely linked to parents who declined to vaccinate their children.
By Reuters

 

Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Think Tanks et al

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Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new relevant content]

 

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new relevant content]

 

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
Upcoming Event
Securing Healthy Populations in a New Era of Global Immunization
September 27, 2019

Podcast Episode
Rethinking Vaccine Delivery
September 17, 2019 | By Nellie Bristol

 

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new relevant content]

 

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 21 Sep 2019
[No new relevant content]

Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review :: 14 September 2019

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Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review is a weekly digest  summarizing news, events, announcements, peer-reviewed articles and research in the global vaccine ethics and policy space. Content is aggregated from key governmental, NGO, international organization and industry sources, key peer-reviewed journals, and other media channels. This summary proceeds from the broad base of themes and issues monitored by the Center for Vaccine Ethics & Policy in its work: it is not intended to be exhaustive in its coverage. You are viewing the blog version of our weekly digest, typically comprised of between 30 and 40 posts below all dated with the current issue date

.– Request an Email Summary: Vaccines and Global Health : The Week in Review is published as a single email summary, scheduled for release each Saturday evening before midnight (EDT in the U.S.). If you would like to receive the email version, please send your request to david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org.

– pdf version:  A pdf of the current issue is available here: Vaccines and Global Health_The Week in Review_14 Sep 2019

– blog edition: comprised of the approx. 35+ entries posted below.

– Twitter:  Readers can also follow developments on twitter: @vaxethicspolicy.
.
– Links:  We endeavor to test each link as we incorporate it into any post, but recognize that some links may become “stale” as publications and websites reorganize content over time. We apologize in advance for any links that may not be operative. We believe the contextual information in a given post should allow retrieval, but please contact us as above for assistance if necessary.

Support this knowledge-sharing service: Your financial support helps us cover our costs and to address a current shortfall in our annual operating budget. Click here to donate and thank you in advance for your contribution.

.
David R. Curry, MS
Executive Director
Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy

Malaria vaccine launched in Kenya: Kenya joins Ghana and Malawi to roll out landmark vaccine in pilot introduction

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Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

 

Malaria vaccine launched in Kenya: Kenya joins Ghana and Malawi to roll out landmark vaccine in pilot introduction
Homa Bay, Kenya, 13 September 2019 – The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates the Government of Kenya for launching the world’s first malaria vaccine today in Homa Bay County, western Kenya.

The malaria vaccine pilot programme is now fully underway in Africa, as Kenya joins Ghana and Malawi to introduce the landmark vaccine as a tool against a disease that continues to affect millions of children in Africa.

The vaccine, known as RTS,S, will be available to children from 6 months of age in selected areas of the country in a phased pilot introduction. It is the first and only vaccine to significantly reduce malaria in children, including life-threatening malaria.

Malaria claims the life of one child every two minutes. The disease is a leading killer of children younger than 5 years in Kenya.

“Africa has witnessed a recent surge in the number of malaria cases and deaths. This threatens the gains in the fight against malaria made in the past two decades,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “The ongoing pilots will provide the key information and data to inform a WHO policy on the broader use of the vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa. If introduced widely, the vaccine has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives.”
First vaccination: a day to celebrate

Distinguished health officials, community leaders and health advocates gathered in Homa Bay County – one of eight counties in Kenya where the vaccine will be introduced in selected areas – to mark this historic moment with declarations of support for the promising new malaria prevention tool and to demonstrate a ceremonial first vaccination of a 6-month-old child.

Speaking at the event, WHO Representative to Kenya Dr Rudi Eggers said: “Vaccines are powerful tools that effectively reach and better protect the health of children who may not have immediate access to the doctors, nurses and health facilities they need to save them when severe illness comes. This is a day to celebrate as we begin to learn more about what this vaccine can do to change the trajectory of malaria though childhood vaccination.”

Thirty years in the making, the vaccine is a complementary malaria control tool – to be added to the core package of WHO-recommended measures for malaria prevention, including the routine use of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying with insecticides and timely access to malaria testing and treatment…

2019 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award :: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance :: Gavi receives the 2019 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award

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Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

 

2019 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award :: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
For providing sustained access to childhood vaccines around the globe, saving millions of lives, and for highlighting the power of immunization to prevent disease

The 2019 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award honors Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for providing sustained access to childhood vaccines around the globe, thus saving millions of lives, and for highlighting the power of immunization to prevent disease. By harnessing the latest scientific advances, collaborating, and exercising economic influence, Gavi ensures sufficient vaccine supplies at affordable prices, accelerates development and deployment of new vaccines, and strengthens healthcare systems. To date, Gavi has helped vaccinate more than 760 million children and saved over 13 million lives in 73 countries.

Bill Gates has famously said, “vaccines are a miracle” and, although they are a product of research and not supernatural forces, their effects touch on the divine. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), immunization prevents between 2 and 3 million deaths every year. Its success has created one of the most dramatic and cost-effective public health stories in history.

Gavi receives the 2019 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award
Award given for saving millions of lives by providing sustained access to childhood vaccines around the globe
Geneva, 10 September 2019 – The Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation announced today that Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has received the prestigious 2019 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award for providing sustained access to childhood vaccines in the world’s poorest countries, saving millions of lives and highlighting the power of immunisation to prevent diseases.

“It is a great honour for us to receive such a prestigious Award,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi the Vaccine Alliance. “Since its creation in 2000 at Davos, Gavi has been making it possible for the world’s most vulnerable children to receive the vaccines they need to live healthy, successful lives. Our collective work as an Alliance has prevented more than 13 million deaths in developing countries while child mortality was halved largely thanks to immunisation. I couldn’t be prouder of what we have accomplished together…

Emergencies

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Emergencies

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

Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
Disease Outbreak News (DONs) 6 September 2019
The intensity of Ebola virus disease (EVD) transmission in the North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces remains substantial, with 57 new cases reported since the last EVD in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Disease Outbreak News Update on 29 August.

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

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 11 September 2019
:: The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners and the United Arab Emirates co-hosted an informal reception as a pre-event ahead of the Polio Pledging Moment in the United Arab Emirates’-hosted Reaching the Last Mile Forum in Abu Dhabi, in November 2019. The GPEI also presented the 2019-2023 GPEI Investment Case.

Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Afghanistan — one wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case;
:: Pakistan— four wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases and 28 WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Central African Republic (CAR)— two circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases and one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample;
:: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)— one cVDPV2 case.

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

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 14 Sep 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: Disease Outbreak News (DONs) Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
6 September 2019

Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified
Mozambique floods – 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 14 Sep 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
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 14 Sep 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 – No new digest announcements identified
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 – No new digest announcements identified
EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

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

WHO & Regional Offices [to 14 Sep 2019]

Posted on by

WHO & Regional Offices [to 14 Sep 2019]
News release
WHO calls for urgent action to reduce patient harm in healthcare
13 September 2019: Millions of patients are harmed each year due to unsafe health care worldwide resulting in 2.6 million deaths annually in low-and middle-income countries alone.  Most of these deaths are avoidable. The personal, social and economic impact of patient harm leads to losses of trillions of US dollars worldwide. The World Health Organization is focusing global attention on the issue of patient safety and launching a campaign in solidarity with patients on the very first World Patient Safety Day on 17 September.
“No one should be harmed while receiving health care. And yet globally, at least 5 patients die every minute because of unsafe care,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We need a patient safety culture that promotes partnership with patients, encourages reporting and learning from errors, and creates a blame-free environment where health workers are empowered and trained to reduce errors.”…

9 September 2019
News release
Suicide: one person dies every 40 seconds

8 September 2019
News release
PAHO issues $3.5 million donor appeal for humanitarian health response in the Bahamas

 

::::::

Weekly Epidemiological Record, 13 September 2019, vol. 94, 37 (pp. 413–424)
Algeria and Argentina certified as malaria-free by WHO
Progress in eliminating onchocerciasis in the WHO Region of the Americas: doxycycline treatment as an end-game strategy
Performance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance and incidence of poliomyelitis, 2019

 

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Malaria vaccine launched in Kenya: Kenya joins Ghana and Malawi to roll out landmark…
13 September 2019
:: Ghana Health Service and Partners launch polio vaccination campaigns in Ghana 12 September 2019

:: Experts convene to chart a roadmap towards malaria elimination 10 September 2019

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: PAHO urges the health and education sectors to work together to create healthy schools (09/13/2019)
:: PAHO hurricane relief partners, the Dutch military, evacuate pregnant woman from Abaco (09/12/2019)
:: How to cope with the psychological impact of disasters (09/11/2019)
:: PAHO issues $3.5 million donor appeal for humanitarian health response in the Bahamas (09/08/2019)

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

WHO European Region EURO
:: RC69 opens on 16 September with review of progress in public health 13-09-2019
:: Moscow joins the WHO Regions for Health Network (RHN) 11-09-2019
:: Progress on health equity is stalling across Europe; new WHO report reveals gaps can be reduced within the lifetime of a single government 10-09-2019

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Japan contributions enable WHO support for Syrian children 12 September 2019
:: WHO sends life-saving medical supplies across Libya 9 September 20

WHO Western Pacific Region
No new digest content identified.

Announcements

Posted on by

Announcements

 

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

 

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

 

Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.gatesmri.org/
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit biotech organization. Our mission is to develop products to fight malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases—three major causes of mortality, poverty, and inequality in developing countries. The world has unprecedented scientific tools at its disposal; now is the time to use them to save the lives of the world’s poorest people
No new digest content identified.

 

CARB-X [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://carb-x.org/
CARB-X is a non-profit public-private partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research to tackle the global rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria.
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
Website not responding at inquiry

 

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

 

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

 

EDCTP [to 14 Sep 2019]
http://www.edctp.org/
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as well as other poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials
Latest news
No new digest content identified.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

GHIT Fund [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.ghitfund.org/newsroom/press
GHIT was set up in 2012 with the aim of developing new tools to tackle infectious diseases that devastate the world’s poorest people. Other funders include six Japanese pharmaceutical
No new digest content identified.

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

IAVI [to 14 Sep 2019]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
No new digest content identified.

 

 

International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA)
http://www.icmra.info/drupal/en/news
Statements and Press Releases
No new digest content identified.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

10 September 2019
Ending AIDS is everyone’s business

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

Journal Watch

Posted on by

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

Epidemic Situation of Tuberculosis in Prisons in the Central Region of China

Posted on by

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

 

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

Lessons from a training needs assessment to strengthen the capacity of routine immunization service providers in Nigeria

Posted on by

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

 

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

Vaccination uptake among Australian early childhood education staff: assessing perceptions, behaviours and workplace practices

Posted on by

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

 

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

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage across India: exploring the spatial heterogeneity and contextual determinants

Posted on by

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

 

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

Risk to bystanders in clinical trials: A symposium

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

 

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

Open science: The open clinical trials data journey

Posted on by

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

 

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

Transparency and objectivity in governance of clinical trials data sharing: Current practices and approaches

Posted on by

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

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

 

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

 

Biobanks in the Era of Genomic Data

Posted on by

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

 

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

‘Bioethical Realism’: A Framework for Implementing Universal Research Ethics

Posted on by

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

 

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

Characterizing scientific failure : Putting the replication crisis in context

Posted on by

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

 

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

The unpredictable journeys of spreading, sustaining and scaling healthcare innovations: a scoping review

Posted on by

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

 

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

The role of multilateral organizations and governments in advancing social innovation in health care delivery

Posted on by

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

 

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

Prevalence of Oral HPV Infection in Unvaccinated Men and Women in the United States, 2009-2016

Posted on by

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

 

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

Accelerating the Science of SCD Therapies—Is a Cure Possible?

Posted on by

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

 

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

Posted on by

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

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

CAR T-Cell TherapyA Microcosm for the Challenges Ahead in Medicare

Posted on by

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

 

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

Prioritizing impact to improve health services and reduce inequities in rural, remote and very remote locations

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

 

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

Concise Consent Forms Appreciated—Still Not Comprehended: Applying Revised Common Rule Guidelines in Online Studies

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

 

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