Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
Volume 14 Issue 1, February 2019
http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jre/current

Genomic Literacy and Awareness of Ethical Guidance for Genomic Research in Sub-Saharan Africa: How Prepared Are Biomedical Researchers?
Olubunmi Ogunrin, Funmilola Taiwo, Lucy Frith
First Published October 25, 2018; pp. 78–87
Preview
Achieving the objectives of rolling out genomic research programs in sub-Saharan Africa depends on how prepared indigenous biomedical researchers are for this type of research. We explored the level of preparedness of biomedical researchers in a sub-Saharan African country using in-depth interviews to obtain data on their understanding of genomics and genomic research and assess their awareness of the scope of the country’s code of health research ethics. Thirty biomedical researchers were interviewed. Only eight were familiar with concepts of genomics, a form of “genomic health literacy.” The majority were not aware of the country’s code of research ethics. This study showed that generally biomedical researchers were not genomic health literate, unaware of the code and its limitations as a source of ethical guidance for the conduct of genomic research. These findings underscore the need for educational training in genomics and creating awareness of ethical oversight for genomic research in sub-Saharan Africa.

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
February 2019, Issue 1, Pages 1-209
https://link.springer.com/journal/10903/21/1

Original Paper
Evaluation of Hepatitis B Virus Screening, Vaccination, and Linkage to Care Among Newly Arrived Refugees in Four States, 2009–2011
Kiren Mitruka, Clelia Pezzi, Brittney Baack…

New England Journal of Medicine
January 17, 2019  Vol. 380 No. 3
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Review Article
The Imperative for Climate Action to Protect Health
Andy Haines, M.D., and Kristie Ebi, M.P.H., Ph.D.
The WHO predicts that 250,000 deaths yearly from 2030 to 2050 will be attributable to climate change. Reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions would be expected to have substantial health benefits — for example, reduced air pollution could lead to a lower risk of noncommunicable disease.

PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 19 Jan 2019)

Progress in the HIV epidemic: Identifying goals and measuring success
Jeb Jones, Patrick S. Sullivan, James W. Curran
Collection Review | published 18 Jan 2019 PLOS Medicine
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002729

PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 19 Jan 2019)

Rapid antiretroviral therapy initiation in low- and middle-income countries: A resource-based approach
Mark W. Tenforde, A. Sarah Walker, Diana M. Gibb, Yukari C. Manabe
Essay | published 15 Jan 2019 PLOS Medicine
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002723

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://www.plosntds.org/
(Accessed 19 Jan 2019)

Review
Chikungunya as a paradigm for emerging viral diseases: Evaluating disease impact and hurdles to vaccine development
Giovanni Rezza, Scott C. Weaver
| published 17 Jan 2019 PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006919
Abstract
Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is an emerging infectious disease caused by an alphavirus transmitted by Aedes spp. mosquitoes. Because mosquito control programs are not highly efficient for outbreak containment, vaccines are essential to reduce the burden of disease. Although no licensed vaccine against CHIKF is yet available, many highly promising candidates are undergoing preclinical studies, and a few of them have been tested in human trials of phase 1 or 2. Here, we review recent findings regarding the need for a CHIKF vaccine and provide an update on vaccines nearing or having entered clinical trials. We also address needs to tackle bottlenecks to vaccine development—including scientific and financial barriers—and to accelerate the development of vaccines; several actions should be taken: (i) design efficacy trials to be conducted during the course of outbreaks; (ii) evaluate the opportunity for adopting the “animal rule”for demonstration of efficacy for regulatory purposes; (iii) strengthen the collective commitment of nations, international organizations, potential donors and industry; (iv) stimulate public and/or private partnerships to invest in vaccine development and licensure; and (v) identify potential markets for an effective and safe CHIKF vaccine.

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 19 Jan 2019]

Research Article
Demonstration of background rates of three conditions of interest for vaccine safety surveillance
Anne E. Wormsbecker, Caitlin Johnson, Laura Bourns, Tara Harris, Natasha S. Crowcroft, Shelley L. Deeks
Research Article | published 15 Jan 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210833

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 19 Jan 2019]

Retention of adults from fishing communities in an HIV vaccine preparedness study in Masaka, Uganda
Ubaldo Mushabe Bahemuka, Andrew Abaasa, Eugene Ruzagira, Christina Lindan, Matt A. Price, Anatoli Kamali, Pat Fast
Research Article | published 14 Jan 2019 PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198460

Science         
18 January 2019  Vol 363, Issue 6424
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

Editorial
Why we need fetal tissue research
By Sally Temple, Lawrence S. B. Goldstein
Science18 Jan 2019 : 20
Summary
A vocal minority in the United States is intent on stopping federal funding for research using human fetal tissue, citing stem cell–based or other alternatives as adequate. This view is scientifically inaccurate. It ignores the current limitations of stem cell research and disregards the value of fetal tissue research in finding therapies for incurable diseases. If there is to be continued rapid progress in treating cancer, birth defects, heart disease, and infectious diseases, then we need fetal tissue research.

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 5  Pages 677-762 (29 January 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/4

Conference report
Vaccine acceptance: Science, policy, and practice in a ‘post-fact’ world
Katie Attwell, Eve Dube, Arnaud Gagneur, Saad B. Omer, … Angus Thomson
Pages 677-682
Abstract
Suboptimal vaccination uptake may be associated with outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in many parts of the world. Researchers and practitioners working on improving vaccine acceptance and uptake gathered together for the fifth annual meeting on vaccine acceptance, organized by the Fondation Mérieux at its conference centre in Veyrier-du-Lac, France, to share their experiences in building, improving and sustaining vaccine confidence and uptake. The importance and value of truly listening to people and seeking to understand the perspectives of vaccine hesitant people was emphasized throughout the meeting. The benefits of social marketing, which can be used to influence behavior that benefit individuals and communities for the greater social good, and its integration into strategies aimed at improving vaccine acceptance and uptake, were discussed. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) need tools and training to help them engage effectively in vaccination acceptance conversations with parents and other patients. Two potential tools, motivational interviewing (MI) and AIMS (Announce, Inquire, Mirror, Secure), were presented. Examples of MI approaches that have successfully improved vaccination acceptance and uptake included a project in Canada aimed at parents just after the birth of their baby. The role of mandates to increase vaccination uptake in the short-term was discussed, but to achieve sustainable vaccination uptake this must be complemented with other strategies. These annual meetings have led to the creation of an informal community of practice that facilitates cross-pollination between the various disciplines and different settings of those involved in this area of research and implementation. It was agreed that we must continue our efforts to promote vaccine acceptance and thus increase vaccination uptake, by fostering more effective vaccination communication, monitoring of the media conversation on vaccination, designing and rigorously evaluating targeted interventions, and surveillance of vaccine acceptance and uptake with pertinent, reliable measures.

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 5  Pages 677-762 (29 January 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/4

Short communications
Increasing human papillomavirus vaccination at the recommended age
Xia Lin, Lauren Shrader, Loren Rodgers, Shannon Stokley, Lauri E. Markowitz
Pages 686-689

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 5  Pages 677-762 (29 January 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/4

Evidence of decreased HPV vaccine acceptance in Polish communities within Scotland
K.G. Pollock, B. Tait, J. Tait, K. Bielecki, … D.R. Gorman
Pages 690-692

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 5  Pages 677-762 (29 January 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/4

Research article  Abstract only
The views of key stakeholders around mandatory influenza vaccination of hospital and aged care staff: Examining the current climate in Australia
Alexis Moran, Maria Agaliotis, Holly Seale
Pages 705-710

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 5  Pages 677-762 (29 January 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/4

Research article  Abstract only
Exploring California’s new law eliminating personal belief exemptions to childhood vaccines and vaccine decision-making among homeschooling mothers in California
Pamela McDonald, Rupali J. Limaye, Saad B. Omer, Alison M. Buttenheim, … Daniel A. Salmon
Pages 742-750

Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 5  Pages 677-762 (29 January 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/4

Research article  Abstract only
First case in China of vaccine-associated poliomyelitis after sequential Inactivated and bivalent oral polio vaccination
Xiangdong Peng, Xiaojiang Hu, Miguel A. Salazar
Pages 751-754

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

Open Access  Communication
Measles at Work: Status of Measles Vaccination at a Multinational Company
by Nora Moussli, Emmanuel Kabengele and Emilien Jeannot
Vaccines 2019, 7(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7010008 – 16 January 2019
Abstract
Background: This study aims to evaluate the status of measles vaccination among employees working for a multinational company. It also assesses the effectiveness of an on-site prevention campaign. In keeping with the guidelines of the World Health Organization regarding measles awareness, the Federal Office of Public Health in Switzerland aims to eliminate measles by 2020.
Methods: A questionnaire about measles vaccination was sent by e-mail and via a fluid survey. Logistic regression models examined the associations between explicative variables and the status of complete measles immunization. The status of complete measles immunization was used as the primary outcome.
Results: 17% of the participants were not aware of their measles immunization status, 14% had had only one dose of the vaccination, and only 24% had two doses. Male employees had a lower probability of being vaccinated against measles than women [aOR=0.62; 95% CI: 0.43–0.86]. Employees of Swiss and African ori1gin had a higher probability of being vaccinated than employees of European origin (aOR=.94; 95% CI: 1.13–3.33).
Conclusions: Based on the results of the questionnaire, further efforts are needed to promote measles vaccination through awareness campaigns so that employees become more aware of the importance of measles immunization

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

International Journal of MCH and AIDS
2018; 7(1): 192–206.
Integration of Neonatal and Child Health Interventions with Pediatric HIV Interventions in Global Health
BL Smith, S Zizzo, A Amzel, S Wiant, MC Pezzulo… –
In the last decade, many strategies have called for integration of HIV and child survival platforms to reduce missed opportunities and improve child health outcomes. Countries with generalized HIV epidemics have been encouraged to optimize each clinical encounter to bend the HIV epidemic curve. This systematic review looks at integrated child health services and summarizes evidence on their health outcomes, service uptake, acceptability, and identified enablers and barriers.

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 Jan 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]
 
 
The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]
 
 
Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]
 
 
Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019

PublicHealth
Jan 16, 2019,
What Andy Samberg And Sandra Oh Got Right At The Golden Globes: Vaccines Are Worth Celebrating
Bill Frist, Contributor
Last week at the Golden Globes, hosts Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh made headlines as they tried to give out free flu shots to celebrities in the audience. This surprise stunt showed famous stars looking shocked and nervous as needle-wielding nurses descended from the stage to offer vaccinations. Samberg joked, “If you are an anti-vaxxer, just put a napkin on—perhaps over—your head and we will skip you.”
This segment certainly got laughs, but perhaps more importantly it got the flu vaccine—and vaccinations in general—back into public discourse…
 
 
Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]
 
 
Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
Ebola Has Gotten So Bad, It’s Normal
Africa isn’t just dealing with an outbreak anymore—and that’s bad news for everyone.
Laurie Garrett  January 15, 2019,
Nearly 600 people have contracted Ebola since last August in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, making the ongoing outbreak the second largest in the 43-year history of humanity’s battle with the deadly virus. And there is a genuine threat that this Congo health crisis—the 10th the African nation has faced—could become essentially permanent in the war-torn region bordering South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, making a terrible transition from being epidemic to endemic.
Despite having a tool kit at its disposal that is unrivaled—including a vaccine, new diagnostics, experimental treatments, and a strong body of knowledge regarding how to battle the hemorrhage-causing virus—the small army of international health responders and humanitarian workers in Congo is playing whack-a-mole against a microbe that keeps popping up unexpectedly and proving impossible to control. This is not because of any special attributes of the classic strain of Ebola—the same genetic strain that has been successfully tackled many times before—but because of humans and their behaviors in a quarter-century-old war zone…
 
 
The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]
 
 
New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]
 
 
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
Jan. 14
New York Confronts Its Worst Measles Outbreak in Decades
The disease spread within ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities where vaccination rates are low and some are suspicious of government health workers.

Jan. 14
China Investigates Latest Vaccine Scandal After Violent Protests
   The inquiry comes after hundreds of Chinese parents demonstrated outside a local government office, angered that their children had received expired polio vaccines.
 
 
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/home-page?_wsjregion=na,us&_homepage=/home/us
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]
 
 
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
Rep.-elect Mark Green walks back claim that vaccines cause autism
By Felicia Sonmez
December 12, 2018
Rep.-elect Mark Green (R-Tenn.) is walking back comments at a town hall in which he promoted the conspiracy theory that vaccines cause autism and said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may have “fraudulently managed” data on the topic.

Green, a physician who last month won the House seat being vacated by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), made the remarks Tuesday night in response to a question from a town hall attendee.

“Let me say this about autism,” Green said, according to a video of the exchange posted by the Tennessean. “I have committed to people in my community, up in Montgomery County, to stand on the CDC’s desk and get the real data on vaccines, because there is some concern that the rise in autism is the result of the preservatives that are in our vaccines.”

He added that, as a doctor, he could approach the issue “academically” and make his case against the CDC “if they really want to engage me on it.”

“But it appears that some of that data has been, honestly, maybe fraudulently managed,” he said.

In a statement Wednesday night, Green said that his comments about vaccines had been “misconstrued.”

“I want to reiterate my wife and I vaccinated our children, and we believe, and advise others they should have their children vaccinated,” he said…

Think Tanks et al

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

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

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

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
January 7, 2019
Public Health Threats and Pandemics
The Ebola Virus
Endemic to the African tropics, the Ebola virus has killed thousands in recent years, putting the World Health Organization and major donor countries in the limelight as they’ve grappled with how to respond to outbreaks.
Backgrounder by Claire Felter and Danielle Renwick
 

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 19 Jan 2019
January 18, 2019 News Release
Ebola Spreads amid Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and U.S. Role Remains Limited
A new KFF issue brief examines the international and U.S. response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, now the second largest ever recorded, as authorities struggle to contain the virus’ spread amid violence in an active combat zone.
Conflict in the Ebola-affected region has impeded the response from the start, but conditions worsened following the DRC’s contested national elections in December. The brief notes the limited U.S. role with restricted deployment of key personnel due to safety concerns.

World Economic Forum    [to 19 Jan 2019]
https://agenda.weforum.org/news/
Selected News Releases
 Risks to Global Businesses from New Era of Epidemics Rival Climate Change
News 18 Jan 2019

• The number and kind of infectious disease outbreaks have increased significantly over the past 30 years
• Since 2011, the world has seen nearly 200 epidemic events per year
• Pandemics will be the cause of average annual economic losses of 0.7% of global GDP – or $570 billion – a threat similar in scale to that estimated for climate change in the coming decades
• Companies operating globally can take action to mitigate threats posed by epidemics
• Read the full report and view data visualization of corporate risk here

Milestones :: Perspectives

Global Fund Announces US$14 Billion Target to Step Up the Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria Ahead of Lyon Conference in October 2019

11 January 2019

PARIS – The Global Fund today announced its fundraising target for the next three-year cycle, outlining how a minimum of US$14 billion will help save 16 million lives, cut the mortality rate from HIV, TB and malaria in half, and build stronger health systems by 2023. The summary of the Sixth Replenishment Investment Case describes what can be achieved by a fully funded Global Fund, the new threats facing global health progress today, and the risks if we don’t step up the fight now.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his strong support for the Global Fund’s replenishment target today. Joined in Paris by Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands, World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and French Minister of Solidarity and Health Agnes Buzyn, President Macron stressed the need for global collaboration to end the epidemics. France is a founding member of the Global Fund and will host the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment Conference in Lyon on 10 October 2019.

“We must relaunch efforts to fight health inequalities at the international level,” said President Macron. “We are hosting the Sixth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Lyon in 2019. We will step up our action to tackle the major pandemics. I call on everyone here to mobilize.”…

The full Global Fund Sixth Replenishment Investment Case will be presented and discussed by global health leaders at the Preparatory Meeting of the Global Fund Sixth Replenishment, hosted by the government of India in New Delhi on 8 February 2019.

Sixth Replenishment Investment Case [Summary – PDF]

Milestones :: Perspectives

144th Session of the WHO Executive Board

24 January – 1 February 2019 Coordinated Universal Time

Geneva, Switzerland

Selected Agenda Content

EB144/1 – Provisional agenda
EB144/1 (annotated) – Provisional agenda (annotated)

EB144/8 – Public health preparedness and response
Report of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme

EB144/9 – Polio Eradication
EB144/10 – Polio Transition

EB144/11 Rev.1 – Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

EB144/12 – Universal health coverage
Primary health care towards universal health coverage
EB144/13 – Universal health coverage
Community health workers delivering primary health care: opportunities and challenges
EB144/14 – Universal health coverage
Preparation for the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on universal health coverage

EB144/17 – Medicines, vaccines and health products
Access to medicines and vaccines
EB144/18 – Medicines, vaccines and health products
Cancer medicines
EB144/19 – Follow-up to the high-level meetings of the United Nations General Assembly on health-related issues
Antimicrobial resistance

EB144/21 – Follow-up to the high-level meetings of the United Nations General Assembly on health-related issues
Ending tuberculosis

EB144/23 – Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits
Implementation of decision WHA71(11) (2018)

EB144/24 – Member State mechanism on substandard and falsified medical products

EB144/27 – Promoting the health of refugees and migrants
Draft global action plan, 2019–2023

Milestones :: Perspectives

Ebola – Democratic Republic of the Congo

23: Situation report on the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu
8 January 2019 [Excerpts]
…Case management
On 24 November 2018, MoH announced the launch of a randomized control trial for Ebola therapeutics. This first-ever multi-drug randomized control trial within an outbreak setting, is an important step towards finding an effective evidence-based treatment for Ebola. The trial is coordinated by WHO and led and sponsored by the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) which is the principal investigator. The trial has begun in the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) ETC in Beni, where patients are enrolled in the study after obtaining voluntary informed consent. MSF treatment centres are also preparing to launch the trial at their sites in the near future.

Until other ETCs are ready to launch the trial, they will continue to provide therapeutics under the Monitored Emergency Use of Unregistered Interventions (MEURI) (compassionate use) protocol, in collaboration with the MoH and the INRB, together with supportive care measures. WHO continues to provide technical clinical expertise on-site at all treatment centres. UNICEF is providing nutritional treatment and psychological support for all hospitalized patients.

As of 6 January 2019, a total of 151 patients are hospitalized in ETCs, of which 29 are confirmed cases, receiving compassionate therapy.

As of 4 January 2019, Katwa ETC has been opened and admitted three suspected cases.

…Implementation of ring vaccination protocol
As of 6 January 2019, a total of 56,509 individuals have been vaccinated since the start of the outbreak.
 

::::::

DONs  Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo   10 January 2019   
[Excerpt]
…WHO risk assessment
Unchanged: “…risk of national and regional spread is very high”

::::::

::::::

Emergencies
 
 
POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 08 January 2019
:: During the four-day visit to polio endemic countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan, WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reiterated WHO’s commitment to help endemic, outbreak and at-risk countries rid of poliovirus. Read the press release here.
:: In Mozambique, a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) outbreak is confirmed.
 
 
Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Afghanistan – two WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Pakistan – nine WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Mozambique – one new case of cVDPV2.
 
 
WHO DG calls for concerted efforts to end polio during his visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan
10/01/2019
Endemic countries, WHO and partners are committed to eradicate polio
For Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, the start to the new year was marked with a four-day visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan from 5-8 January. The visit came at the heels of his new role as the Chair of the Polio Oversight Board (POB) on 1 January, a committee which oversees and guides the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, signalling the Board’s utmost commitment towards eradication of polio for good.
Accompanied by WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, Dr Tedros’ well-knit, compact visit covered a lot of bases from field visits to high-level meetings with heads of state from both the countries, giving the POB an opportunity to see that while polio may still be in endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but the process to achieve the goal of ending polio is not far from realization.
“We must all give our best on this last mile to eradicate polio once and for all. My wish for 2019 is for zero polio transmission. You have WHO’s full support to help reach every child and stop this virus for good,” Dr Tedros said…

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

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 Jan 2019]
Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: 23: Situation report on the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu  8 January 2019
:: DONs  Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo   10 January 2019
[See Milestones above for more detail]
 
 
Bangladesh – Rohingya crisis – No new announcements identified
Myanmar – No new announcements identified
Nigeria – No new announcements identified
Somalia – No new announcements identified
South Sudan – No new announcements identified
Syrian Arab Republic – No new announcements identified
Yemen – No new announcements identified
 
::::::
 
WHO Grade 2 Emergencies  [to 12 Jan 2019]
occupied Palestinian territory – No new announcements identified
Brazil (in Portugese) – No new announcements identified
Cameroon  – No new announcements identified
Central African Republic  – No new announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new announcements identified
Hurricane Irma and Maria in the Caribbean – No new announcements identified
Iraq – No new announcements identified
Libya – No new announcements identified
MERS-CoV – No new announcements identified
Niger – No new announcements identified
Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017) – No new announcements identified
Sudan – No new announcements identified
Ukraine – No new announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new announcements identified
 
::::::
 
WHO Grade 1 Emergencies  [to 12 Jan 2019]
Afghanistan
Chad
Indonesia – Sulawesi earthquake 2018
Kenya
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Mali
Namibia – viral hepatitis
Peru
Philippines – Tyhpoon Mangkhut
Tanzania

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

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 announcements identified
Yemen – No new 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.
Ethiopia  – No new announcements identified
Somalia  – No new announcements identified

::::::

“Other Emergencies”
Indonesia: Central Sulawesi Earthquake – No new announcements identified 

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

Editor’s Note:
We will cluster these recent emergencies as below and continue to monitor the WHO webpages for updates and key developments.

EBOLA/EVD  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.who.int/ebola/en/
:: 23: Situation report on the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu  8 January 2019
:: DONs  Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo   10 January 2019
[See Milestones above for more detail]
 
 
MERS-CoV [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://who.int/emergencies/mers-cov/en/
– No new announcements identified.
 
 
Yellow Fever  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/yellowfev/en/
– No new announcements identified.
 
 
Zika virus  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/zika/en/
– No new announcements identified.

WHO & Regional Offices [to 12 Jan 2019]

“Zero polio transmission and health for all”, WHO Director-General gives new year’s wish to the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan
8 January 2019   News Release
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted WHO’s commitment to the final push to eradicate polio on a 4-day visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan – the only two countries where wild poliovirus cases were reported last year. He also commended the governments of both countries for their efforts to provide universal access to health services…

::::::

144th Session of the WHO Executive Board
24 January – 1 February 2019 Coordinated Universal Time
Geneva, Switzerland
[See selected agenda content in Milestones above]

::::::

 Weekly Epidemiological Record, 11 January 2019, vol. 94, 01/02 (pp. 1–16)
:: Meeting of the International Task Force for Disease Eradication, April 2018
:: Immunization and Vaccine-related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (IVIR-AC) recommendations  September 2018

::::::

WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO

Selected Featured News
:: New Hope with Ebola Drug Trial  11 January 2019
WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
– No new announcement identified

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: Polio-free WHO South-East Asia Region
Sanjit Das
On 13 January this year WHO South-East Asia Region marks eight years since the last case of wild poliovirus.
The Region continues to be polio-free due to ongoing efforts by member countries, partners and the people themselves to ensure all children are protected with polio vaccines.
A strict vigil is being maintained against polioviruses.

WHO European Region EURO
:: Close collaboration yields progress on TB prevention and care in the Russian Federation 09-01-2019

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: WHO delivers medical supplies to support emergency health care in north-east Syria 9 January 2019
:: WHO Director-General visits Afghanistan for continued efforts on polio eradication and health financing  5 January 2019
WHO Western Pacific Region
– No new announcement identified

CDC/ACIP [to 12 Jan 2019]

http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
Friday, January 11, 2019
CDC Provides First In-Season Estimates of Flu Illnesses, Medical Visits, and Hospitalizations
According to new data released by CDC, so far during the 2018-2019 season between about 6 and 7 million people have been sick with flu, up to half of those people have sought medical care for their illness, and between 69,000 and 84,000 people have been hospitalized from flu.  This is the first time these estimates— which cover the period from October 1, 2018 through January 5, 2019— are being provided during the flu season. CDC has estimated the burden of flu since 2010…

MMWR News Synopsis for Friday, January 1, 2019
Establishing a Baseline for Cervical Cancer Screening Coverage — India, 2015–2016
Among women ages 30-49, fewer than one in three Indian women in the age range for screening for cervical cancer reported having been screened. Measuring cervical cancer screening and identifying socioeconomic factors associated with the acceptance of screening can be used to plan targeted interventions, screening campaigns, and evaluation to help India meet the goal of universal cervical cancer screening. Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of new cancer cases among women in India. In 2016, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India recommended population-based cervical cancer screening for all women ages 30-65 years. In 2015-16, for the first time, one of the largest national surveys (over 700,000 women) conducted in India asked reproductive-aged women if they had ever been screened for cervical cancer. Fewer than one in three Indian women (ages 30-49) reported having been screened for cervical cancer. There was substantial geographic variation, and screening rates were higher among women with more education, greater wealth, and who had ever been married.

Africa CDC   [to 12 Jan 2019]

https://au.int/en/africacdc
No new digest content identified.

China CDC 

http://www.chinacdc.cn/en/
New website launched…no “news” or “announcements” page identified.

National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China

http://en.nhfpc.gov.cn/
Selected Updates/ Press Releases/ Notices
No new digest content identified.

Announcements
 
 
BMGF – Gates Foundation  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute    [to 12 Jan 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 Jan 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 Jan 2019]
http://cepi.net/
Posted on 07TH JAN 2019 by Mario Christodoulou
CEPI launches call for proposals to develop vaccines against Rift Valley fever and Chikungunya viruses
OSLO (Norway)
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has launched a call for proposals to develop human vaccines against Rift Valley fever and Chikungunya viruses. This will be CEPI’s third call for proposals since January, 2017. USD$ 48 million of funding will be made available through this call and it is expected to fund up to eight projects.
The broadening of CEPI’s vaccine portfolio to include Rift Valley fever and Chikungunya viruses has been based on wide consultation and advice from CEPI’s Scientific Advisory Committee and on three main criteria: the public health impact of these diseases, that no vaccines are currently available for human use, and the feasibility of vaccine development.
This opportunity will be open, worldwide, to research and development organisations with expertise in vaccine development. The closing date for funding applications is March 5, 2019…
 
 
EDCTP    [to 12 Jan 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 Jan 2019]
http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
European Medicines Agency  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
News and press releases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
European Vaccine Initiative  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
No new digest content identified.
 
 
FDA [to 12 Jan 2019]
January 07, 2019
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on the agency’s new actions under the Pre-Cert Pilot Program to promote a more efficient framework for the review of safe and effective digital health innovations
 
 
Fondation Merieux  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.fondation-merieux.org/
Mérieux Foundation co-organized event
Dengue pre-vaccination screening based on serostatus: rapid tests and implementation strategies
January 14 – 16, 2019 – Les Pensières Center for Global Helath, Veyrier du Lac (France)
 
 
Gavi [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.gavi.org/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
GHIT Fund   [to 12 Jan 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 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
11 January 2019
Global Fund Announces US$14 Billion Target to Step Up the Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria Ahead of Lyon Conference in October 2019
[See Milestones above for detail]
 
 
Hilleman Laboratories   [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.hillemanlabs.org/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Human Vaccines Project   [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.humanvaccinesproject.org/media/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IAVI  [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.iavi.org/newsroom
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFFIm
http://www.iffim.org/library/news/press-releases/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IVAC  [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/index.html
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IVI   [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.ivi.int/
IVI News & Announcements
January 4, 2019
IVI Director General addresses ‘neglected diseases’ in STAT News
 
 
JEE Alliance  [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.jeealliance.org/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.msf.org/
Selected News; Project Updates, Reports
No new digest content identified.
 
 
NIH  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
January 10, 2019
The science is clear: with HIV, undetectable equals untransmittable
— NIH officials discuss scientific evidence and principles underlying the U=U concept.
ARTICLE: RW Eisinger, CW Dieffenbach, AS Fauci. HIV viral load and transmissibility of HIV infection: undetectable equals untransmittable. Journal of the American Medical Association DOI: 10.1001/jama.2018.21167 (2019).

January 10, 2019
AI approach outperformed human experts in identifying cervical precancer
— Algorithm could revolutionize cervical cancer screening, especially in low-resource settings
 
 
PATH  [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.path.org/media-center/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Sabin Vaccine Institute  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.sabin.org/updates/pressreleases
No new digest content identified.
 
 
UNAIDS [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.unaids.org/en
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
10 January 2019
Traversing rivers and jungles to reach indigenous peoples in remote parts of Brazil
Indigenous health worker Jijuké Hukanaru Karajá works as a nurse in the Indigenous Health District of Araguaia, named after one of Brazil’s major rivers located in the eastern Amazon basin. She has been working with indigenous peoples for many years and criss-crosses between Brazil’s cities and indigenous villages to provide crucial health services. Ms Karajá feels very proud to be a part of the Brazilian indigenous public health system, having followed in her father’s footsteps…
 
 
UNICEF  [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases
Selected Press Releases/Reports/Statements
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Confidence Project  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
No new digest content identified.
 
 
Wellcome Trust  [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
No new digest content identified.
 
 
The Wistar Institute   [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Release
Jan. 8, 2019
First-in-Class DNA-encoded Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Rapidly Advances into the Clinic
Multisector collaboration yields first-in-human clinical trial for testing novel Zika antibody therapy. 
 
 
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)   [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2018/
No new digest content identified.

::::::
 
BIO    [to 12 Jan 2019]
https://www.bio.org/insights/press-release
Jan 11 2019
BIO Applauds House Passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act
“Members of the House have sent a strong signal to the American people about their commitment to prioritizing health security by providing the resources needed to fully prepare for and defend against biological threats. Strengthening the pipeline of medical products, drugs and devices that will safeguard the nation during an emergency or pandemic is vital to our national security.”
 
 
DCVMN – Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network  [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.dcvmn.org/
No new digest content identified.
 
 
IFPMA   [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
10 January 2019
R&D biopharmaceutical industry embraces NEW Code of Practice to boost business integrity worldwide
:: The new Code of Practice in place from 1 January 2019, imposes a complete ban on gifts and promotional aids
:: Industry moves beyond compliance and reaffirms its commitment to ensuring an ethical framework as a way to increase integrity and trust
:: Industry presents new Code to patients and healthcare professionals
 
 
PhRMA    [to 12 Jan 2019]
http://www.phrma.org/press-room
No new digest content identified.

Journal Watch

   Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review continues its weekly scanning of key peer-reviewed journals to identify and cite articles, commentary and editorials, books reviews and other content supporting our focus on vaccine ethics and policy. Journal Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues the Center is actively tracking. We selectively provide full text of some editorial and comment articles that are specifically relevant to our work. Successful access to some of the links provided may require subscription or other access arrangement unique to the publisher.

If you would like to suggest other journal titles to include in this service, please contact David Curry at: david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 12 Jan 2019)

Debate
Research ethics oversight in Norway: structure, function, and challenges
While the development and evaluation of clinical ethics services in Norway has been recognized internationally, the country’s research ethics infrastructure at times may have been less well developed. In 2016, media interest in the controversial nature of some health services research and pilot studies highlighted gaps in the system with certain types of research having no clear mechanisms through which they may be given due independent consideration. It is not clear that new legislation, implemented in 2017, will address this problem.
Authors: R. Froud, T. J. Meza, K. O. Ernes and A. M. Slowther
Citation: BMC Health Services Research 2019 19:24
Published on: 10 January 2019

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 12 Jan 2019)

Research article
Rates of hospitalization and death for all-cause and rotavirus acute gastroenteritis before rotavirus vaccine introduction in Kenya, 2010–2013
Rotavirus vaccine was introduced in Kenya immunization program in July 2014. Pre-vaccine disease burden estimates are important for assessing vaccine impact.
Authors: Richard Omore, Sammy Khagayi, Billy Ogwel, Reuben Onkoba, John B. Ochieng, Jane Juma, Stephen Munga, Collins Tabu, Sergon Kibet, J. Pekka Nuorti, Frank Odhiambo, Jason M. Mwenda, Robert F. Breiman, Umesh D. Parashar and Jacqueline E. Tate
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2019 19:47
Published on: 11 January 2019
 

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

Research article
Participants’ awareness of ethical compliance, safety and protection during participation in pharmaceutical industry clinical trials: a controlled survey
Authors: Gerardo González-Saldivar, René Rodríguez-Gutiérrez, Jose Luis Viramontes-Madrid, Alejandro Salcido-Montenegro, Neri Alejandro Álvarez-Villalobos, Victoria González-Nava and José Gerardo González-González
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics 2019 20:2
Published on: 8 January 2019
Abstract
Background
The rapid increase of industry-sponsored clinical research towards developing countries has led to potentially complex ethical issues to assess. There is scarce evidence about the perception of these participants about the ethical compliance, security, and protection. We sought to evaluate and contrast the awareness and perception of participants and non-participants of industry-sponsored research trials (ISRT) on ethical, safety, and protection topics.
Methods
A Cases-control survey conducted at twelve research sites in México. Previous and current participants of ISRT (cases) as well as non-participants (controls) with one of four chronic diseases, were asked to complete the survey which focused on ethical compliance and protection issues of ISRT, and the perception of participating in a trial.
Results
A total of 604 cases and 604 controls were surveyed. Cases significantly answered that ethics committees are aware of what is happening in studies (50.5% vs. 33.8%, P = ≤ 0.001), and that medical care of industry-sponsored research trials is better than their usual medical care (77.2% vs. 38.2%, P = < 0.001). The same proportion of cases and controls thought patients must receive economical reimbursement for participating in a research study (49.5% vs. 53.1%, P = 0.205). The informed consent of the pharmaceutical clinical trial was fully read by 90.4% of the cases. Most cases were satisfied or very satisfied with their overall study participation (35.6 and 62.3%, respectively).
Conclusion
Previous and current participants of industry-sponsored research trials have a more positive attitude towards ethics committees, the quality of medical care of the research trials, and the main purpose of economical reimbursements, when compared to non-participants.

BMC Medicine
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/content
(Accessed 12 Jan 2019)

Research article
The impact of repeated vaccination on influenza vaccine effectiveness: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Conflicting results regarding the impact of repeated vaccination on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) may cause confusion regarding the benefits of receiving the current season’s vaccine.
Authors: Lauren C. Ramsay, Sarah A. Buchan, Robert G. Stirling, Benjamin J. Cowling, Shuo Feng, Jeffrey C. Kwong and Bryna F. Warshawsky
Citation: BMC Medicine 2019 17:9
Published on: 10 January 2019

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 12 Jan 2019)

Research article
Maternal perceptions of childhood vaccination: explanations of reasons for and against vaccination
Understanding reasons for and against vaccination from the parental perspective is critical for designing vaccination campaigns and informing other interventions to increase vaccination uptake in Canada. The o…
Authors: Deborah A. McNeil, Melissa Mueller, Shannon MacDonald, Sheila McDonald, Vineet Saini, James D. Kellner and Suzanne Tough
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:49
Published on: 10 January 2019

Epidemiology and Infection
Volume 147 – 2019
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/latest-issue

Original Paper
Screening of more than 2000 Hungarian healthcare workers’ anti-measles antibody level: results and possible population-level consequences

1. Lengyel, A. Marossy, N. Ánosi, S. L. Farkas, B. Kele, É. Nemes-Nikodém, V. Szentgyörgyi, I. Kopcsó, M. Mátyus

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268818002571
Published online: 11 September 2018, e7
Abstract
Due to the European measles epidemic and the increased number of imported cases, it can be theorised that the risk of exposure among Hungarian healthcare workers (HCWs) has increased. In 2017, the increased measles circulation in the region led to the emergence of smaller local and hospital epidemics. Therefore, our objective was to determine the herd immunity in the high-risk group of HCWs. A hospital-based study of detecting anti-measles IgG activity was performed in 2017 and included 2167 employees of the Military Medical Centre (Hungary). The screening of HCWs presented a good general seropositivity (90.6%). The highest seroprevalence value (99.1%) was found in the age group of 60 years or older. The lowest number of seropositive individuals was seen in the 41–45 years (86.2%) age group, indicating a significant herd immunity gap between groups. Regarding the Hungarian data, there might be gaps in the seroprevalence of the analysed HCWs, implying that susceptible HCWs may generate healthcare-associated infections. This study suggests that despite the extensive vaccination and high vaccine coverage, it is still important to monitor the level of protective antibodies in HCWs, or in a representative group of the whole population of Hungary, and possibly in other countries as well.

Health Research Policy and Systems
http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content
[Accessed 12 Jan 2019]

Research
The determinants of vaccination in a semi-rural area of Vientiane City, Lao People’s Democratic Republic: a qualitative study
Immunisation is a cost-effective and highly efficacious public health intervention, saving over 20 million lives in the last two decades due to decreases in childhood bacterial infections. In the Lao People’s …
Authors: Vanphanom Sychareun, Lucy Rowlands, Phoutsomphong Vilay, Jo Durham and Alison Morgan
Citation: Health Research Policy and Systems 2019 17:2
Published on: 9 January 2019

JAMA Pediatrics
January 2019, Vol 173, No. 1, Pages 3-112
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Viewpoint
Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and School Entry RequirementsPolitically Challenging, but Not Impossible
Ellen Daley, PhD, MPH; Erika Thompson, PhD, MPH; Gregory Zimet, PhD
JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173(1):6-7. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.3327
This Viewpoint promotes implementing state-level school entry requirements for the human papillomavirus vaccine for US adolescents.

JAMA Pediatrics
January 2019, Vol 173, No. 1, Pages 3-112
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Participant Protection in Phase 1 Pediatric Cancer Trials
Jonathan Kimmelman, PhD; Marcin Waligora, PhD; Holly Fernandez Lynch, JD, MBe
JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173(1):8-9. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.3629
This Viewpoint describes changes in the regulatory environment for phase 1 research involving children and discusses improvements to patient protection.

JAMA Pediatrics
January 2019, Vol 173, No. 1, Pages 3-112
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

Original Investigation
Duration of Pediatric Clinical Trials Submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration
Kanecia O. Zimmerman, MD, MPH; P. Brian Smith, MD, MPH, MHS; Ann W. McMahon, MD, MS; et al.
JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173(1):60-67. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.3227
This study characterizes the duration of clinical trials submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for pediatric drug approvals, with a focus on drugs used for long-term therapy.
Safety and Immunogenicity of Early Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Vaccination in Infants Who Are Preterm and/or Have Low Birth Weights- A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Shiraz Badurdeen, MRCPCH; Andrew Marshall, DPhil; Hazel Daish, MRCPCH; et al.
open access
JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173(1):75-85. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.4038
This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the safety and efficacy of bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination at birth or later points in infants who are preterm and/or had low birth weights compared with ones who are full term and/or had normal birth weights.

Journal of Community Health
Volume 44, Issue 1, February 2019
https://link.springer.com/journal/10900/44/1

Original Paper
Social Determinants of Health and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Among Young Adults, National Health Interview Survey 2016
Erika L. Thompson, Brittany L. Rosen, Sarah B. Maness

The Lancet
Jan 12, 2019  Volume 393Number 10167p103-198
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

Comment
Health-emergency disaster risk management and research ethics
Emily Y Y Chan, Katharine Wright, Michael Parker

Nature 
Volume 565 Issue 7738, 10 January 2019
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

Human genome editing: ask whether, not how
The scientific community’s response to the CRISPR twins should not pre-empt broader discussion across society, warns J. Benjamin Hurlbut.

1. Benjamin Hurlbut

Nature 
Volume 565 Issue 7738, 10 January 2019
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

Letter | 02 January 2019
Genomic insights into the 2016–2017 cholera epidemic in Yemen
Isolates of the Vibrio cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa from Yemen are from a single sublineage of the seventh pandemic El Tor (7PET) lineage and are susceptible to several commonly used antibiotics as well as to polymyxins.
François-Xavier Weill, Daryl Domman […]  & Marie-Laure Quilici

Nature 
Volume 565 Issue 7738, 10 January 2019
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

Letter | 19 December 2018
Actively personalized vaccination trial for newly diagnosed glioblastoma
In a phase I trial, highly individualized peptide vaccines against unmutated tumour antigens and neoepitopes elicited sustained responses in CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, respectively, in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
Norbert Hilf, Sabrina Kuttruff-Coqui […]  & Wolfgang Wick

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 1, January 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/24/issues/12
Medicine in the digital age
As Nature Medicine celebrates its 25th anniversary, we bring our readers a special Focus on Digital Medicine that highlights the new technologies transforming medicine and healthcare, as well as the related regulatory challenges ahead.

Editorial | 07 January 2019
Medicine in the digital age
As Nature Medicine celebrates its 25th anniversary, we bring you a special Focus on Digital Medicine that highlights the new technologies transforming medicine and healthcare, as well as the related regulatory challenges ahead.

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 1, January 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/24/issues/12
Medicine in the digital age
As Nature Medicine celebrates its 25th anniversary, we bring our readers a special Focus on Digital Medicine that highlights the new technologies transforming medicine and healthcare, as well as the related regulatory challenges ahead.

News Feature | 07 January 2018
Twenty-five ways clinical trials have changed in the last 25 years
Exploring the evolution, from analysis and endpoints to registration and regulations
Mike May

Nature Medicine
Volume 25 Issue 1, January 2019
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/24/issues/12
Medicine in the digital age
As Nature Medicine celebrates its 25th anniversary, we bring our readers a special Focus on Digital Medicine that highlights the new technologies transforming medicine and healthcare, as well as the related regulatory challenges ahead.

Review Article | 07 January 2019
Privacy in the age of medical big data
The increased amount of health care data collected brings with it ethical and legal challenges for protecting the patient while optimizing health care and research.

1. Nicholson Price II  & I. Glenn Cohen

New England Journal of Medicine
January 10, 2019  Vol. 380 No. 2
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

Perspective 
Disease and Famine as Weapons of War in Yemen
Amir M. Mohareb, M.D.,
and Louise C. Ivers, M.D., M.P.H., D.T.M.&H.
Audio Interview
Interview with Dr. Amir Mohareb on the humanitarian crisis and violations of medical neutrality in Yemen. (10:45)Download
The infliction of suffering in the war in Yemen has particularly toxic characteristics that demand attention from health care providers worldwide: the destruction of health care facilities and the spread of disease and hunger as apparent means of waging war.

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://www.plosntds.org/
(Accessed 12 Jan 2019)

Economic burden of dengue in Indonesia
Mardiati Nadjib, Ery Setiawan, Septiara Putri, Joshua Nealon, Sophie Beucher, Sri Rezeki Hadinegoro, Vetty Yulianty Permanasari, Kurnia Sari, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, Erna Kristin, Dewa Nyoman Wirawan, Hasbullah Thabrany
Research Article | published 10 Jan 2019 PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007038
Abstract
Background
Dengue is associated with significant economic expenditure and it is estimated that the Asia Pacific region accounts for >50% of the global cost. Indonesia has one of the world’s highest dengue burdens; Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the primary and secondary vectors. In the absence of local data on disease cost, this study estimated the annual economic burden during 2015 of both hospitalized and ambulatory dengue cases in Indonesia.
Methods
Total 2015 dengue costs were calculated using both prospective and retrospective methods using data from public and private hospitals and health centres in three provinces: Yogyakarta, Bali and Jakarta. Direct costs were extracted from billing systems and claims; a patient survey captured indirect and out-of-pocket costs at discharge and 2 weeks later. Adjustments across sites based on similar clinical practices and healthcare landscapes were performed to fill gaps in cost estimates. The national burden of dengue was extrapolated from provincial data using data from the three sites and applying an empirically-derived epidemiological expansion factor.
Results
Total direct and indirect costs per dengue case assessed at Yogyakarta, Bali and Jakarta were US$791, US$1,241 and US$1,250, respectively. Total 2015 economic burden of dengue in Indonesia was estimated at US$381.15 million which comprised US$355.2 million for hospitalized and US$26.2 million for ambulatory care cases.
Conclusion
Dengue imposes a substantial economic burden for Indonesian public payers and society. Complemented with an appropriate weighting method and by accounting for local specificities and practices, these data may support national level public health decision making for prevention/control of dengue in public health priority lists.

Author summary
Dengue, an infection transmitted by mosquitos, is a public health concern particularly in tropical/subtropical areas and the Asia Pacific region where it is associated with a significant cost to society. Indonesia has one of the world’s highest dengue burdens but Indonesia-specific data on cost are lacking. To estimate the annual economic burden of dengue in Indonesia, this study collected data from public/private hospitals and health centres in three provinces (Yogyakarta, Bali and Jakarta) during 2015. We estimated cost of illness using the societal perspective: calculations of costs included those that were directly paid by the healthcare system, as well as costs incurred by the patients (or their family/care givers) and their lost productivity. The costs from the three provinces were then used as the basis for extrapolating cost of illness in Indonesia. The authors confirmed that dengue imposed a substantial economic burden for Indonesian public payers and society. Based on 2015 data, the authors estimated total economic burden of dengue in Indonesia at US$381.15 million. Of this, US$355.2 million related to patients treated in hospitals and US$26.2 million was for patients treated in health centres. Establishing a better understanding of the burden of dengue in Indonesia will help to guide public health decision-making at a national level and support prevention and control initiatives for this disease.