PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://www.plosntds.org/
(Accessed 9 Jun 2018)
Ensuring no one is left behind: Urgent action required to address implementation challenges for NTD control and elimination
Alison Krentel, Margaret Gyapong, Olumide Ogundahunsi, Mary Amuyunzu-Nyamongo, Deborah A. McFarland
Viewpoints | published 07 Jun 2018 PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006426
PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
of America
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/
[Accessed 9 Jun 2018]
Trends in health inequalities in 27 European countries
Johan P. Mackenbach, José Rubio Valverde, Barbara Artnik, Matthias Bopp, Henrik Brønnum-Hansen, Patrick Deboosere, Ramune Kalediene, Katalin Kovács, Mall Leinsalu, Pekka Martikainen, Gwenn Menvielle, Enrique Regidor, Jitka Rychtaříková, Maica Rodriguez-Sanz, Paolo Vineis, Chris White, Bogdan Wojtyniak, Yannan Hu, and Wilma J. Nusselder
PNAS June 4, 2018. 201800028; published ahead of print June 4, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1800028115
Significance
Inequalities in mortality and morbidity among socioeconomic groups are a highly persistent phenomenon despite having been the focus of public health policy in many countries. The United States has recently witnessed a widening of health inequalities due to rising mortality and morbidity among the lowly educated. Our study shows that, despite the financial crisis, most European countries have experienced an improvement in the health of the lowly educated in recent years. In Eastern Europe, this even represents a reversal as compared with previous decades. The 2008 financial crisis has had mixed effects without widening health inequalities. Our results suggest that European countries have been successful in avoiding an aggravation of health inequalities.
Abstract
Unfavorable health trends among the lowly educated have recently been reported from the United States. We analyzed health trends by education in European countries, paying particular attention to the possibility of recent trend interruptions, including interruptions related to the impact of the 2008 financial crisis. We collected and harmonized data on mortality from ca. 1980 to ca. 2014 for 17 countries covering 9.8 million deaths and data on self-reported morbidity from ca. 2002 to ca. 2014 for 27 countries covering 350,000 survey respondents. We used interrupted time-series analyses to study changes over time and country-fixed effects analyses to study the impact of crisis-related economic conditions on health outcomes. Recent trends were more favorable than in previous decades, particularly in Eastern Europe, where mortality started to decline among lowly educated men and where the decline in less-than-good self-assessed health accelerated, resulting in some narrowing of health inequalities. In Western Europe, mortality has continued to decline among the lowly and highly educated, and although the decline of less-than-good self-assessed health slowed in countries severely hit by the financial crisis, this affected lowly and highly educated equally. Crisis-related economic conditions were not associated with widening health inequalities. Our results show that the unfavorable trends observed in the United States are not found in Europe. There has also been no discernible short-term impact of the crisis on health inequalities at the population level. Both findings suggest that European countries have been successful in avoiding an aggravation of health inequalities.
Preventive Medicine
Volume 111 Pages 1-476 (June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/preventive-medicine/vol/111/suppl/C
Regular Articles
Variation in health beliefs across different types of cervical screening non-participants
Open access – Original research article
Pages 204-209
Laura A.V. Marlow, Rebecca A. Ferrer, Amanda J. Chorley, Jessica B. Haddrell, Jo Waller
Abstract
Understanding factors associated with different types of cancer screening non-participation will help with the development of more targeted approaches for improving informed uptake. This study explored patterns of general health beliefs and behaviour, and cancer-specific beliefs across different types of cervical screening non-participants using the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM). A population-representative sample of women in Britain completed a home-based survey in 2016. Women classified as non-participants (n=839) completed additional questions about health beliefs.
Some general health beliefs and behaviours, as well as cancer-specific beliefs, were associated with particular types of non-participation. For example, those who scored higher on fatalism were more likely to be unaware of screening (OR=1.74, 95%CI: 1.45–2.08) or unengaged with screening (OR=1.57, CI: 1.11–2.21). Women with greater deliberative risk perceptions were less likely to be unengaged with screening (OR=0.74 CI: 02.55–0.99) and less likely to have decided against screening (OR=0.71, CI: 0.59–0.86). Women who had seen a general practitioner in the last 12 months were less likely to be unaware (O=0.49, CI: 0.35–0.69), and those reporting cancer information avoidance were more likely to be unengaged with screening (OR=2.25, CI: 1.15–4.39). Not wanting to know whether one has cancer was the only factor associated with all types of non-participation.
Interventions to raise awareness of screening should include messages that address fatalistic and negative beliefs about cancer. Interventions for women who have decided not to be screened could usefully include messages to ensure the risk of cervical cancer and the relevance and benefits of screening are well communicated.
Science
08 June 2018 Vol 360, Issue 6393
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl
Editorial
Still not ready for Ebola
By Thomas R. Frieden
Science08 Jun 2018 : 1049
Summary
Ebola is back. The disease that killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa just a few years ago has returned, striking the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Last week, intervention with a new vaccine was initiated to help contain the outbreak, adding another tool to a response that is exponentially better than it was 4 years ago. But we are not out of the woods. No matter how long this Ebola outbreak continues, the world faces critical tests in its battle against deadly pathogens. Unlike 2014, when delayed recognition of Ebola led to undetected disease spread, the DRC promptly admitted it had an outbreak and called for assistance. The World Health Organization (WHO) did not try to minimize the problem. Rapid response units from within the DRC and around the world deployed immediately. And, fortunately, the DRC has well-trained epidemiologists as well as laboratory capacity to test for the virus.
Tropical Medicine & International Health
Volume 23, Issue 6 Pages: i-iv, 581-690 June 2018
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/13653156/current
Original Research Papers
Dengue Fever and Aedes aegypti in indigenous Brazilians: seroprevalence, risk factors, knowledge and practices
Rafael Henrique Machado Sacramento, Fernanda Montenegro de Carvalho Araújo, Danielle Malta Lima, Carlos Carlos Henrique Alencar, Victor Emanuel Pessoa Martins, Lucas Venâncio Araújo, Tais Castelo de Oliveira, Luciano Pamplona de Góes Cavalcanti
Pages: 596-604
First Published: 19 April 2018
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
Short communication
Reintroducing OPV in Israel on the journey to global polio eradication – Estimation at a low rate of contraindicated population
Pages 3717-3720
Chen Rosenberg Danziger, Emilia Anis, Ethel-Sherry Gordon, Itamar Grotto, Yehuda L. Danon
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
Review
Knowledge gaps persist and hinder progress in eliminating mumps
Review article
Pages 3721-3726
Ramanathan, E.A. Voigt, R.B. Kennedy, G.A. Poland
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
Regular papers
Challenges of cold chain quality for routine EPI in south-west Burkina-Faso: An assessment using automated temperature recording devices
Original research article
Pages 3747-3755
Sow, C. Sanou, C. Medah, M. Schlumberger, … E. Betsem
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
Willingness and influential factors of parents to vaccinate their children with novel inactivated enterovirus 71 vaccines in Guangzhou, China
Original research article
Pages 3772-3778
Tiegang Li, Hui Wang, Yin Lu, Qin Li, … Zhicong Yang
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
Conditional admission, religious exemption type, and nonmedical vaccine exemptions in California before and after a state policy change
Original research article
Pages 3789-3793
Alison M. Buttenheim, Malia Jones, Caitlin Mckown, Daniel Salmon, Saad B. Omer
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
Decline of HPV infections in Scandinavian cervical screening populations after introduction of HPV vaccination programs
Original research article
Pages 3820-3829
Joakim Dillner, Mari Nygård, Christian Munk, Maria Hortlund, … Susanne K. Kjaer
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
An innovative medical school curriculum to address human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy
Original research article
Pages 3830-3835
Abigail M. Schnaith, Erica M. Evans, Caleb Vogt, Andrea M. Tinsay, … Britt K. Erickson
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
Determinants of cost of routine immunization programme in India
Open access – Original research article
Pages 3836-3841
Susmita Chatterjee, Arpita Ghosh, Palash Das, Nicolas A. Menzies, Ramanan Laxminarayan
Vaccine
Volume 36, Issue 26 Pages 3717-3882 (18 June 2018)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/36/issue/26
Vaccine hesitancy around the globe: Analysis of three years of WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form data-2015–2017
Open access – Original research article
Pages 3861-3867
Sarah Lane, Noni E. MacDonald, Melanie Marti, Laure Dumolard
From Google Scholar & other sources: Selected Journal Articles, Newsletters, Dissertations, Theses, Commentary
Journal of Clinical Oncology
36, no. 15_suppl (May 20 2018) 1553-1553.
Cancer Prevention, Hereditary Genetics, and Epidemiology
Long-term effectiveness and immunogenicity of quadrivalent HPV vaccine in young men: 10-year end-of study analysis.
Stephen Goldstone, Anna Giuliano, Joel Palefsky, Alain Luxembourg, Show More
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2018.36.15_suppl.1553 Journal of Clinical Oncology – published online before print June 1, 2018
Abstract
Background: The quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine prevented HPV6/11/16/18-related persistent infection and external genital lesions in young men in an international, randomized, placebo-controlled pivotal efficacy study. We report the end-of-study analysis of a long-term follow up (LTFU) extension study that assessed the effectiveness and immunogenicity of the qHPV vaccine through 10 years after the first dose.
Methods: In the 3-year base study, young men (16-26 years old) were randomized 1:1 to receive a 3-dose regimen of qHPV vaccine or placebo; we report results from those who received 3 doses of qHPV vaccine in the base study and participated in the LTFU. The entire study population was assessed annually in the 7-year LTFU for HPV6/11-related genital warts and HPV6/11/16/18-related external genital lesions (EGL), and a subpopulation was assessed for HPV6/11/16/18-related anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) or anal cancer. Persistence of anti-HPV6/11/16/18 antibodies was evaluated from serum samples collected 48-72 months (first LTFU visit) and 10 years post-Dose 1.
Results: A total of 917 participants were followed for effectiveness for up to 11.5 years (median: 9.5 years) post-Dose 3. There were no new cases of HPV6/11-related genital warts, HPV6/11/16/18-related EGL, or HPV6/11/16/18-related high-grade AIN during the LTFU (Years 3 to 10 of the study) in the per-protocol population. One case of low-grade AIN (AIN1) with positive PCR results for HPV6 and HPV58 was reported. Seropositivity rates assessed by competitive Luminex immunoassay (cLIA) were > 97% at Month 7 (1 month post-Dose 3); remained high over time for HPV6, 11, and 16; and decreased over time for HPV18 (40.2% at Month 120 by cLIA). Seropositivity rates at Month 120 assessed by IgG Luminex immunoassay (a more sensitive assay) were > 90% for all 4 HPV types.
Conclusions: The qHPV vaccine provides durable protection from vaccine-type–related anogenital disease and elicits persistent HPV antibody responses through 10 years post-vaccination onset in 16-26–year-old men. Clinical trial information: NCT00090285.
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.
Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 9 Jun 2018
Bill And Melinda Gates Start A Nonprofit Biotech In Boston
Matthew Herper, Forbes Staff
The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, which is holding an event today to show off its plans, will aim to develop new medicines and vaccines for malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrhea, which together account for 2.6 million deaths a year globally, many of them in children.
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 9 Jun 2018
Africa
WHO Chief Says Ebola Outbreak in Congo Is Stabilizing
June 8, 2018
A deadly Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo is stabilizing, giving reason for cautious optimism, the head of the World Health Organization said on Friday.
Europe
Romania’s Measles Outbreak Kills Dozens of Children
June 8, 2018
An outbreak of measles in Romania has killed dozens of infants and children, with 200 new cases reported each week.
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/home-page?_wsjregion=na,us&_homepage=/home/us
Accessed 9 Jun 2018
Africa
Experimental Ebola Treatments Approved for the Democratic Republic of Congo
By Nicholas Bariyo
June 6, 2018 2:05 pm ET
The Democratic Republic of Congo approved the use of five experimental Ebola treatments on patients suffering from the hemorrhagic fever, as drug companies and health workers scramble to use the current outbreak to help find a cure for the deadly virus.
Think Tanks et al
CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 9 Jun 2018
Podcast Episode
Innovative Data Initiatives to Improve Immunization Equity
June 4, 2018 | By Nellie Bristol
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_2 Jun 2018
– 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
Milestones :: Perspectives
EBOLA/EVD [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.who.int/ebola/en/
STRATEGIC RESPONSE PLAN FOR THE EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE OUTBREAK MAY 2018 – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
29 May 2018 :: 22 pages
WHO: Ebola vaccine provides protection and hope for high-risk communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
30 May 2018
…”Ring vaccination is a new and vital tool in the control of Ebola,” said Dr Michael Ryan, WHO Assistant Director-General, Emergency Preparedness and Response. “I just spent the day out with the vaccination teams in the community, and for the first time in my experience, I saw hope in the face of Ebola and not terror. This is a major milestone for global public health.”
The ring vaccination is led by the National Institute of Biomedical Research and the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is working with a wide range of partners, including WHO, Médecins sans Frontières and UNICEF. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, contributed funds towards the operational costs, and through an agreement with Merck, the vaccine developer, helped ensure that 300 000 investigational doses of the vaccine are available in case of an outbreak. The vaccination is being provided to the contacts of confirmed cases, and the contacts of contacts, as well as healthcare workers, front line responders and other people with potential exposure to Ebola…
The Africa CDC Deploys Teams to the Province of Equator in the DRC to Support the Response to the Ebola Outbreak
June 01, 2018
Addis Ababa, 01 June 2018- After recruiting and training 18 Congolese volunteers, Arica CDC has just deployed them to Equator province to support the response to Ebola Virus Disease in DR Congo.
The responders, who are former volunteers of the African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) in the 2014-16 outbreak, also participated in the post-Ebola enhanced surveillance in the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2017 in the province of Bas-Uélé.
Distributed in 4 subgroups, Africa CDC volunteers will be based in Mbandaka (Headquarters of the province of Equator), Bikoro, Itipo (Epicenter of the ongoing epidemic) and Iboko. This multi-disciplinary team is composed of epidemiologists, physicians, communication experts, infection prevention and control experts, and a data manager. They will support the efforts of the Congolese government in epidemiological surveillance, case management, laboratory diagnostic, water, hygiene and sanitation as well as communication and social mobilization.
In the meantime, the Africa CDC today held a task force meeting to further plan for the African Union support to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC. The meeting, chaired by the Africa CDC director Dr John Nkengasong received a situation report on the current status and deliberated on the concept of operations.
DRC: MSF begins Ebola vaccination trial in Bikoro to help curb outbreak
Press release
NEW YORK/KINSHASA, MAY 29, 2018—The international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) started vaccinating Ebola frontline workers yesterday in Bikoro, Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The vaccination, which is being conducted with Epicentre—MSF’s research arm—will also be offered to contacts of patients. The start of the Bikoro trial comes about a week after health care workers in Mbandaka began receiving the vaccine.
The vaccination trial—which is only one element of the larger strategy to control the spread of Ebola—will be administered using a “ring” approach. This involves identifying newly diagnosed and laboratory-confirmed Ebola patients, locating the people they have been in contact with—often family members, neighbors, colleagues, and friends—and vaccinating them. This type of approach aims to help contain and prevent the spread of infection.
This investigational vaccine (rVSVDG-ZEBOV-GP) has not yet been licensed and is being implemented through a study protocol, which has been accepted by national authorities and the Ethical Review Board in Kinshasa, as well as MSF’s Ethical Review Board.
Participation in this vaccine trial is voluntary and free, participants receive information on the vaccine before consenting, and those who choose to be vaccinated are carefully monitored over a period of time. “Given that it has not yet been licensed, we will be closely monitoring the vaccination,” said Micaela Serafini, MSF’s medical director in Geneva…
Milestones :: Perspectives
WADEM Position Statement: Accurate Reporting of Public Health Information
Board of Directors, WADEM – World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine
Prehospital & Disaster Medicine
Volume 33 – Issue 3 – June 2018
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X18000420
Published online: 01 June 2018, p. 229
The mission of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM; Madison, Wisconsin USA) is the global improvement of prehospital and emergency health care, public health, and disaster health and preparedness. Accurate and transparent release of public health information is necessary to inform response and recovery activities associated with disasters.
The resolution to adopt the international health regulations in 2005 recognized the World Health Organization’s (Geneva, Switzerland) leadership in monitoring and responding to public health emergencies. 1
Preservation of global health security is reliant upon timely reporting of emergencies and health threats to enable appropriate preparedness and response. 2
Withholding, suppression, delayed, or deliberate inaccurate reporting of public health information presents a risk to of potential health threats to populations. The restriction of epidemiological health information hampers efforts to respond to events. 3
The transparent and timely release of public health information is logical, ethical, and required to maintain and improve global health.
As such, WADEM endorses that:
[References available at title link]
Emergencies
POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 29 May 2018 [GPEI]
:: At last week’s World Health Assembly (WHA), ministers of health and delegates reviewed progress being achieved through national emergency action plans in remaining endemic countries. Delegates noted that wild poliovirus transmission is now at the lowest ever levels in history.
:: To prepare for a polio-free world, Member States adopted a landmark resolution on poliovirus containment, and endorsed the 5-year strategic action plan on polio transition, which outlines how essential polio functions such as surveillance, laboratory networks and core infrastructure can support the implementation of the Post-Certification Strategy (PCS) to sustain a polio-free world, and can be integrated into the immunization or health emergencies’ programme, or mainstreamed into national health systems.
:: Member States expressed overwhelming commitment to fully implement and finance all strategies to secure a lasting polio-free world in the very near term. Rotary International, speaking on behalf of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), offered an impassioned plea to the global community to eradicate a human disease for only the second time in history, and ensure that no child will ever again be paralysed by any form of poliovirus anywhere.
Summary of newly-reported viruses this week:
Pakistan: Four new WPV1-positive environmental samples reported.
Afghanistan : One new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case and two new WPV1-positive environmental samples reported.
::::::
::::::
WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 2 Jun 2018]
::::::
WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 2 Jun 2018]
[Several emergency pages were not available at inquiry]
Myanmar
:: Preventive, contingency measures reinforced as monsoon sets in Cox’s Bazar
SEAR/PR/1690
Cox’s Bazar, 1 June 2018: With rains starting to intermittently flood the Rohingya refugee camps, the World Health Organization and other health sector partners are further strengthening preventive and contingency measures to minimize the health impact of monsoons for the nearly 1.3 million vulnerable populations in Cox’s Bazar.
WHO and health sector partners are working with Bangladesh government to maintain life-saving primary and secondary health services for Rohingya refugees and their host communities in the ongoing rainy season. Heavy rains, floods and cyclone are expected to further deteriorate the already suboptimal water and sanitation conditions in the overcrowded refugee camps, increasing the risk of infectious disease such as acute watery diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis, dengue fever and malaria, among others,” Dr Bardan Jung Rana, WHO Representative to Bangladesh, said.
As a preventive measure, a massive cholera vaccination campaign was conducted in May targeting one million people – the refugees, their host communities and people residing in close vicinity to the camps. This was the second massive cholera vaccination campaign for the Rohingyas, with 900,000 doses administered in November-December last year.
As part of the contingency measures, 22 diarrhea treatment centers (DTC) with a total bed capacity of 597, and hundreds of oral rehydration points (ORPs), have been set up across the various camps.
Sixteen mobile medical teams (MMTs) have been constituted, trained and kept ready for immediate deployment in the event of outbreak of infectious diseases, floods and landslide. Each MMT constitutes of a doctor, paramedic/nurse, midwife, dispenser, and protection officer, and has been trained to deliver immediate life-saving first line of services, and facilitate referrals.
WHO has prepositioned 75 metric tons of cholera treatment supplies. WHO’s stockpile for monsoons also includes 20 basic Inter-Agency Emergency Health Kits (IEHKs) with drugs, medical devices and equipment to meet the health needs of 200 000 people for three months. All medical equipment and supplies have been stocked-up at locations identified as secure during the mapping of health facilities. The supplies are for use by health sector partners and MMTs…
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UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises.
Yemen
:: Yemen Humanitarian Update Covering 22 – 28 May 2018 | Issue 17 [EN/AR]
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UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
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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 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.who.int/ebola/en/
[See Milestones above for detail]
MERS-CoV [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://who.int/emergencies/mers-cov/en/
DONs
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – United Arab Emirates
28 May 2018
Zika virus [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/zika/en/
DONs
Zika virus infection – India
26 May 2017
WHO & Regional Offices [to 2 Jun 2018]
Weekly Epidemiological Record, 1 June 2018, vol. 93, 22 (pp. 321–328)
:: Progress towards control of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome – South-East Asia Region, 2000–2016
::::::
WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
Selected Featured News
:: Ebola vaccine provides protection and hope for high-risk communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 30 May 2018
:: Borno state boosts immunity of over 200 000 children against measles disease in newly accessible areas 28 May 2018
:: WHO enhances real-time surveillance in resource limited and hard to reach areas of South Sudan using a mobile-based reporting system 28 May 2018
:: WHO deploys personnel to rapidly control cholera outbreak in Adamawa state 28 May 2018
WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: New report shows tobacco use is falling, but more needed to protect people from heart diseases and other noncommunicable diseases (05/31/2018)
:: Get vaccinated against measles and rubella before travelling to the World Cup, advises PAHO/WHO (05/29/2018)
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Turkey donates US$ 1.2 million to WHO for response to health emergency in Gaza Strip
27 May 2018
:: Big plan, small details – how microplans in Afghanistan ensure we can end polio
27 May 2018
WHO Western Pacific Region
:: Ministry of Health in Mongolia, WHO and partners take steps to protect women and girls against cervical cancer May 2018
CDC/ACIP [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.cdc.gov/media/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
MMWR News Synopsis for May 31, 2018
Progress Toward Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control – South-East Asia Region, 2000-2016
Substantial progress has been made towards rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) control in the South-East Asia Region since 2000, with a 37 percent decrease in reported regional rubella incidence following introduction of rubella containing vaccine (RCV) in six additional countries, achievement of high routine RCV coverage after introduction, and enhancement of laboratory-supported surveillance. In 2013, the 66th session of the Regional Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region (SEAR) adopted the goal of measles elimination and rubella and CRS control by 2020. Rubella infection is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects. Infection during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, can result in miscarriage, fetal death, or a constellation of congenital malformations known as CRS. Substantial progress has been made towards rubella and CRS control in SEAR since 2000. During 2010-2016, reported rubella incidence decreased by 37 percent across the region. This report summarizes progress toward rubella and CRS control in SEAR during 2000–2016.
Register for upcoming June ACIP meeting
June 20-21, 2018
Deadline for registration:
Non-US Citizens: May 16, 2018
US Citizens: June 11, 2018
Registration is NOT required to watch the live meeting webcast or to listen via telephone.
Africa CDC [to 2 Jun 2018]
https://au.int/en/africacdc
June 01, 2018
The Africa CDC Deploys Teams to the Province of Equator in the DRC to Support the Response to the Ebola Outbreak
[See Ebola/EVD above for more detail]
ECDC – European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control [to 2 Jun 2018]
https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/home
Risk Assessment
Rapid risk assessment: Mass gathering event, FIFA World Cup, Russia 2018
28 May 2018
The aim of this document is to assess the health risks related to communicable diseases for EU/EEA citizens during their stay in Russia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the public health implications for European countries after travellers return to their countries. This assessment provides the basis for ECDC’s monitoring of health threats during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Announcements
EDCTP [to 2 Jun 2018]
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
1 June 2018
EDCTP launches €118 million investment
EDCTP published its 2018 calls for proposals after approval of its 2018 work plan. The eleven calls represent an overall investment of €118 million in clinical research and research capacity in sub-Saharan Africa.
29 May 2018
Invitation to Financial and Project Management Training for EDCTP2 grantees
EDCTP is inviting current and future grantees to participate in a one-day workshop on financial and project management of EDCTP2 grants. The workshop will be held in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 12 July 2018.
.
European Medicines Agency [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/
01/06/2018
Meeting highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) 28-31 May 2018
Nine medicines recommended for approval, including two orphans
28/05/2018
Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) meeting of 23–25 May 2018
New vaccine to reduce the incidence of intramammary infections in cows/heifers recommended for approval …
.
European Vaccine Initiative [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.euvaccine.eu/news-events
01 June 2018
TRANSVAC: European Training in Vaccinology
First call for training modules
25 May 2018
Data protection & GDPR
EVI and Processing personal data on the basis of the EU/EEA General Data Protection Regulation
.
FDA [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm
May 30, 2018 –
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on the signing of the Right to Try Act
.
GHIT Fund [to 2 Jun 2018]
https://www.ghitfund.org/
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 ·
June 1, 2018
GHIT’s 2017 Annual Report Published
GHIT Fund Website Renewed
Together we are better, together we are GHIT [film]
May 27, 2018 | Publications
Strategic Plan 2018 Published
.
IVI [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.ivi.int/
[Undated]
Mr. George Bickerstaff elected Chair of IVI Board of Trustees, Dr. Hanna Nohynek Vice-Chair
The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) today announced that Mr. George Bickerstaff, currently Vice-Chair and Board member since 2009, has been elected as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Institute and Dr. Hanna Nohynek, a Board member since 2016, has been elected as Vice-Chair of the Board. Both appointments are for three-year terms.
Mr. Bickerstaff is a leader in business and philanthropy, with over 35 years of experience in healthcare and finance. He is currently Managing Director of M.M. Dillon & Co., a private investment bank which he co-founded, and previously held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Novartis Pharma AG. He has also worked at Dun & Bradstreet and General Electric…
Dr. Nohynek, the new Vice-Chair, is currently Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Head of Infectious Diseases Control and Vaccines Unit at the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland. A practicing physician and vaccinologist, Dr. Nohynek has served on expert committees evaluating the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) and rotavirus vaccine in Finland, and as a technical advisor to the European Union, IVI, the World Health Organization, Gavi, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and several vaccine manufacturers.
IVI Director General, Dr. Jerome Kim said, “IVI is very pleased to welcome Mr. George Bickerstaff, Chair and Dr. Hanna Nohynek, Vice-Chair, in their new appointments. I am sure they will continue to bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the leadership of the board. Under their guidance, IVI will fulfill its commitment to accelerate vaccine research and development to give vulnerable people everywhere the opportunity to lead healthy and productive lives.”
.
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases
Press release
South Africa Takes Landmark Step to Ensure More People Have Access to Lifesaving Medicines
June 01, 2018
The government of South Africa released its new intellectual property policy this week, proposing important amendments to the country’s flawed patent law which will help ensure improved access to affordable generic medicines, said the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Friday.
Press release
DRC: MSF begins Ebola vaccination trial in Bikoro to help curb outbreak
NEW YORK/KINSHASA, MAY 29, 2018—The international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) started vaccinating Ebola frontline workers yesterday in Bikoro, Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The vaccination, which is being conducted with Epicentre—MSF’s research arm—will also be offered to contacts of patients. The start of the Bikoro trial comes about a week after health care workers in Mbandaka began receiving the vaccine.
[See Milestones above for more detail]
.
NIH [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases
May 30, 2018
NIH scientists show how tularemia bacteria trick cells to cause disease
— Findings could play a role in developing effective treatment strategies.
.
PATH [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.path.org/news/index.php
Press release
Over 1,000 people in Vietnam have taken pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs to reduce the risk of HIV infection
Ho Chi Minh City, Tuesday, May 29, 2018—Today at a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Health Organization (WHO), and PATH revealed that nearly 1,200 people at high risk of HIV have enrolled in pilot oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programs in Vietnam in order to reduce their risk of infection.
PrEP is a combination of two antiretroviral drugs, which, if taken daily as prescribed, can reduce the risk of HIV infection for people who are at high risk (including men who have sex with men [MSM], transgender women [TGW], and the HIV-negative partners of those diagnosed with HIV) by 92 to 99 percent. WHO has recommended the use of PrEP for people at substantial risk of HIV since 2015, as part of a combination HIV prevention strategy that includes the use of condoms…
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UNAIDS [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.unaids.org/en
29 May 2018
A pledge to respond to falsified and substandard health products in francophone Africa
Twenty-five countries and 10 international organizations have pledged to respond to falsified and substandard medicines in French-speaking Africa.
On the sidelines of the 71st session of the World Health Assembly on 22 May, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and UNAIDS, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Fondation Chirac, hosted a conference entitled Access to Quality Medicines and Other Medical Products in Francophone Africa, which brought together nearly 400 participants, including a number of health ministers. They adopted a declaration with commitments to advance access for all, especially the poorest, to assured-quality health products…
The signed declaration aims to foster mechanisms to assure the quality of all health products that reach the African market. Therefore, it calls for the strengthening of health regulatory capacities in the continent, paving the road for the local production of medicines.
OIF’s Secretary-General, Michaëlle Jean, would like the document to be the basis of an action plan. “We intend to raise this with all heads of state and government of the francophone area at the 17th Francophonie Summit in October, mobilizing them around concrete solutions and sustainable financing at the national, regional and international levels,” she said.
Declaration text: http://media.ip-watch.org/weblog/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Draft-Declaration-of-international-conference-on-access-to-medicines23052018_0000.pdf?082995
28 May 2018
HIV transmission filmed live by French scientists
A team of French researchers has succeeded in filming HIV infecting a healthy cell. UNAIDS spoke to Morgane Bomsel, Research Team Director at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), about the feat.
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Vaccine Education Center – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center
Published on May 23, 2018
Dr. Offit Addresses New Hepatitis B Vaccine for Adults
In this video, Dr. Offit talks about the vaccine technology advancements used to make the improved hepatitis B vaccines for adults. These include the advent of a new adjuvant that evokes a stronger immune response and delivers better protection: https://youtu.be/5r2LUcJWoy8
.
Wellcome Trust [to 2 Jun 2018]
https://wellcome.ac.uk/news
News / Published: 29 May 2018
New fund to support groundbreaking open research
Our new Open Research Fund supports innovative approaches that enable data, code or other research outputs to be discovered, accessed and reused.
It will allow researchers from any discipline to do experiments at the cutting edge of open research and evaluate the benefits and risks of their approach.
The awards are:
:: for new activities or to develop existing activities
:: open to individuals or teams from anywhere in the world
:: up to £50,000 each.
We’ll be accepting applications once a year.
Robert Kiley, Head of Wellcome’s Open Research team, says: “We believe the research community are best placed to devise new and innovative ways to make research outputs more open and usable.
“These awards provide a unique opportunity for the most interesting and groundbreaking proposals to be developed, tested and evaluated.”
.
The Wistar Institute [to 2 Jun 2018]
https://www.wistar.org/news/press-releases
Press Release May. 30, 2018
Wistar Receives Grant from the Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis Foundation for Health and Policy to Support the Breast Cancer Research Consortium
The Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis Foundation for Health and Policy (JKTG Foundation) awarded The Wistar Institute a $840,000 grant, over three years, to support the Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis Breast Cancer Research Consortium at Wistar.
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/press-releases/2018/
30/05/18
International partnership to address human-animal-environment health risks gets a boost
Paris, 30 May 2018 – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) today agreed to step up joint action to combat health threats associated with interactions between humans, animals and the environment.
In a Memorandum of Understanding signed today, FAO, OIE and WHO agreed to strengthen their long-standing partnership, with a strong focus on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR)…
Joint activities under the new agreement will include:
:: Supporting the Interagency Coordination Group on AMR established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2016, as well as the continuing implementation of the Global Action Plan on AMR
:: Engaging with countries to reinforce national and regional human health, animal health and food safety services
:: Improving inter-agency collaboration in foresight analysis, risk assessment, preparedness building and joint responses to emerging, remerging and neglected infectious diseases at the animal-human-ecosystems interface
:: Addressing food safety challenges requiring a multi-sector approach in the context of reinforcing food security.
:: Promoting coordinated research and development to achieve a common understanding of the highest priority zoonotic diseases and the research and development needed to prevent, detect, and control them
:: Developing a Voluntary Code of Conduct to reinforce implementation of international standards on responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials.
::::::
BIO [to 2 Jun 2018]
https://www.bio.org/insights/press-release
access to the medicines they need …”
IFPMA [to 2 Jun 2018]
http://www.ifpma.org/resources/news-releases/
28 May 2018
The R&D-based pharmaceutical industry supports the World Health Organization 5-year work plan and welcomes new
Geneva – IFPMA, the voice of the biopharmaceutical innovation and health progress around the world, made a series of statements during the 71st World Health Assembly. As the Assembly kicked off, IFPMA called for even greater collaboration as being critical to future global health progress. In his inaugural and closing remarks, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director General, highlighted the role of the private sector and the need to engage in “whatever partnerships are open to us, in whatever way we can, to achieve our goal”.
During this year’s Assembly, IFPMA celebrated its 50th anniversary and launched a report “50 Years of Global Health Progress” at the event “Continuing progress in global health: Working together for the future”. Reflecting on a productive Assembly: Thomas Cueni, IFPMA’s Director General stated: “We offer our support to WHO in this new era of global health partnerships to deliver on our shared objective for improved health outcomes and impacts. In tackling the healthcare challenges of the developing world, we need to leave our own ‘comfort zone’ and collaborate with others, be it in engaging on health systems reform or in partnerships to bring innovative medicines to millions of more people in resource constrained settings.”
IFPMA was pleased that the WHO General Program of Work (GPW) was approved. In its statement, IFPMA welcomed the ambitious goals and the focus on outcomes and impact: “We strongly agree that the private sector is a key partner to achieving its targets and we stand ready to play our part. As a non-State actor in longstanding official relations with WHO, we look forward to continuing and strengthening our history of collaboration to help WHO in catalysing the scaling up and sustainability of effective, health innovations”…
Reports/Research/Analysis/Commentary/Conferences/Meetings/Book Watch/Tenders
Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review has expanded its coverage of new reports, books, research and analysis published independent of the journal channel covered in Journal Watch below. Our interests span immunization and vaccines, as well as global public health, health governance, and associated themes. If you would like to suggest content to be included in this service, please contact David Curry at: david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org
Access to Medicine Foundation makes case for fixing the antibiotic market
New white paper unpacks systemic causes of antibiotic shortages and calls for global action to rebuild the market.
Thursday, 31 May 2018
Download the white paper
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 31 May 2018 – Today, the Access to Medicine Foundation warns that antibiotic supply chains are on the brink of collapse, putting basic healthcare at risk, in a new white paper titled “Shortages, stockouts and scarcity: the issues facing the security of antibiotic supply and the role for pharmaceutical companies”. Urgent action is needed to rebuild the antibiotics market. The paper shows how some pharmaceutical companies are responding.
Between 2001 and 2013, 148 national antibiotic shortages occurred in the United States alone. In 2010, 15 countries reported national shortages of injectable streptomycin, jeopardising the treatment of tuberculosis patients. An ongoing penicillin shortage is currently affecting at least 39 countries, now including Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, the US and India. In Brazil, this shortage coincided with a syphilis outbreak that, as a result, could not be brought under control. Between 2012 and 2015, the number of babies born in Brazil with congenital syphilis has more than doubled.
“Antibiotic shortages are occurring because the antibiotics market just doesn’t work well enough. Pharma companies need to be incentivised to keep producing antibiotics. There is definitely no easy fix. But without a global push to address the systemic causes, we risk being unable to treat common infections, such as from contaminated food or simple wounds.” Jayasree K. Iyer, Executive Director of the Access to Medicine Foundation…
Time to deliver: report of the WHO Independent High-Level Commission on Noncommunicable Diseases
WHO
1 June 2018 :: 44 pages ISBN: 978-92-4-151416-3
:: Download in English
:: Download the Summary in English
Despite the many proven interventions and commitments to combat NCDs, progress has been slow and uneven globally. The WHO Independent High-level Commission on NCDs was convened by the WHO Director-General in October 2017 to advise him on how countries can accelerate progress. The Commission’s report includes six key recommendations.
Press Release
Commission calls for urgent action against chronic diseases
1 June 2018 News Release Geneva
A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) Independent High-level Commission on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) calls for urgent action to address chronic diseases and mental health disorders. It demands high-level political commitment and the immediate scaling up of actions to address the epidemic of NCDs, the world’s leading causes of death and ill health…
Journal Watch
Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review continues its weekly scanning of key peer-reviewed journals to identify and cite articles, commentary and editorials, books reviews and other content supporting our 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 Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 2 Jun 2018)
Research article
Summary results of the 2014-2015 DARPA Chikungunya challenge
Emerging pathogens such as Zika, chikungunya, Ebola, and dengue viruses are serious threats to national and global health security. Accurate forecasts of emerging epidemics and their severity are critical to minimizing subsequent mortality, morbidity, and economic loss. The recent introduction of chikungunya and Zika virus to the Americas underscores the need for better methods for disease surveillance and forecasting.
Authors: Sara Y. Del Valle, Benjamin H. McMahon, Jason Asher, Richard Hatchett, Joceline C. Lega, Heidi E. Brown, Mark E. Leany, Yannis Pantazis, David J. Roberts, Sean Moore, A Townsend Peterson, Luis E. Escobar, Huijie Qiao, Nicholas W. Hengartner and Harshini Mukundan
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2018 18:245
Published on: 30 May 2018
BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 2 Jun 2018)
Research article
Lessons learned from the 2009–2010 H1N1 outbreak for the management of the 2013 silent polio outbreak
The Israeli Ministry of Health (MoH) encountered two substantial outbreaks during the past decade: the H1N1 swine flu outbreak during 2009–2010 and the silent polio outbreak during 2013. Although both outbreaks share several similar characteristics, the functioning of the Israeli MoH was different for each case. The aim of this study was to identify factors that contributed to the change in the MoH response to the polio outbreak in light of the previous 2009–2010 H1N1 outbreak.
Authors: Iftach Sagy, Paula Feder-Bubis, Victor Novack, Tal Peleg-Sagy and Dan Greenberg
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2018 18:241
Published on: 29 May 2018
Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 96, Number 6, June 2018, 369-440
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/96/6/en/
EDITORIALS
No end to cholera without basic water, sanitation and hygiene
– Maggie Montgomery, Megan Wilson Jones, Ibrahim Kabole, Rick Johnston & Bruce Gordon
http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.18.213678
Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 96, Number 6, June 2018, 369-440
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/96/6/en/
RESEARCH
Monographs for medicines on WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines
– Lukas Roth, Melissa Adler, Tanvi Jain & Daniel Bempong
http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.17.205807
Abstract
Objective
To raise awareness about the importance of public pharmaceutical standards, identify if and, if so, where current pharmacopeias are falling short in the development of new and complete monographs and foster collaboration among the various pharmacopeias, to prioritize, develop and make available standards for those key medicines for which no complete monographs exist.
Methods
In August 2017, we mined eight pharmacopeias to identify which of the 669 medicines in the 20th edition of the World Health Organization’s Model List of Essential Medicines were covered by complete or incomplete monographs. The pharmacopeias we included were the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, the British Pharmacopoeia, the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission, the International Pharmacopoeia, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Mexican Pharmacopoeia, the Pharmacopeia of the People’s Republic of China and the United States Pharmacopeia.
Findings
For 99 (15%) of the medicines on the Model List, no monographs were available in any of the eight pharmacopeias investigated. Only 3% (1/30) of the cardiovascular medicines listed, but 28% (9/32) of the antiretroviral medicines and 23% (6/26) of the antimalarial medicines lacked monographs.
Conclusion
There appear to be no public standards for many so-called essential medicines. To address this shortfall, a greater collaboration in the global health community is needed.
Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 96, Number 6, June 2018, 369-440
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/96/6/en/
POLICY & PRACTICE
The global burden of kidney disease and the sustainable development goals
– Valerie A Luyckx, Marcello Tonelli & John W Stanifer
http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.17.206441
Abstract
Kidney disease has been described as the most neglected chronic disease. Reliable estimates of the global burden of kidney disease require more population-based studies, but specific risks occur across the socioeconomic spectrum from poverty to affluence, from malnutrition to obesity, in agrarian to post-industrial settings, and along the life course from newborns to older people. A range of communicable and noncommunicable diseases result in renal complications and many people who have kidney disease lack access to care. The causes, consequences and costs of kidney diseases have implications for public health policy in all countries. The risks of kidney disease are also influenced by ethnicity, gender, location and lifestyle. Increasing economic and health disparities, migration, demographic transition, unsafe working conditions and environmental threats, natural disasters and pollution may thwart attempts to reduce the morbidity and mortality from kidney disease. A multisectoral approach is needed to tackle the global burden of kidney disease. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) emphasize the importance of a multisectoral approach to health. We map the actions towards achieving all of the SDGs that have the potential to improve understanding, measurement, prevention and treatment of kidney disease in all age groups. These actions can also foster treatment innovations and reduce the burden of such disease in future generations.
Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 96, Number 6, June 2018, 369-440
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/96/6/en/
LESSONS FROM THE FIELD
Oral cholera vaccine in cholera prevention and control, Malawi
– Maurice M’bangombe, Lorenzo Pezzoli, Bruce Reeder, Storn Kabuluzi, Kelias Msyamboza, Humphreys Masuku, Bagrey Ngwira, Philippe Cavailler, Francesco Grandesso, Adriana Palomares, Namseon Beck, Allison Shaffer, Emily MacDonald, Mesfin Senbete, Justin Lessler, Sean M Moore & Andrew S Azman
http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.17.207175
Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 2 Jun 2018]
Research
1 June 2018
UNICEF’s contribution to the adoption and implementation of option B+ for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV: a policy analysis
The adoption of the Option B+ policy marked a departure from established processes for PMTCT policy formulation which had been led by WHO with the support of technical experts, and in which recommendations were developed following shifts in evidence. Rather, changes were spurred by a country-level initiative, and a set of strategically framed arguments that resonated with funders and country-level actors. This bottom-up approach, supported by normative agencies, was transformative. For UNICEF, alignment between the organisation’s country focus and the policy’s underpinning values, enabled it to work with partners and accelerate widespread policy change.
Authors: M. F. Chersich, E. Newbatt, K. Ng’oma and I. de Zoysa
Health Research Policy and Systems
http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content
[Accessed 2 Jun 2018]
Research
31 May 2018
Development of measurable indicators to enhance public health evidence-informed policy-making
Ensuring health policies are informed by evidence still remains a challenge despite efforts devoted to this aim. Several tools and approaches aimed at fostering evidence-informed policy-making (EIPM) have been developed, yet there is a lack of availability of indicators specifically devoted to assess and support EIPM. The present study aims to overcome this by building a set of measurable indicators for EIPM intended to infer if and to what extent health-related policies are, or are expected to be, evidence-informed for the purposes of policy planning as well as formative and summative evaluations.
Authors: Valentina Tudisca, Adriana Valente, Tommaso Castellani, Timo Stahl, Petru Sandu, Diana Dulf, Hilde Spitters, Ien Van de Goor, Christina Radl-Karimi, Mohamed Ahmed Syed, Natasa Loncarevic, Cathrine Juel Lau, Susan Roelofs, Maja Bertram, Nancy Edwards and Arja R. Aro
Health Research Policy and Systems
http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content
[Accessed 2 Jun 2018]
Research
30 May 2018
Collaborative and partnership research for improvement of health and social services: researcher’s experiences from 20 projects
Getting research into policy and practice in healthcare is a recognised, world-wide concern. As an attempt to bridge the gap between research and practice, research funders are requesting more interdisciplinary and collaborative research, while actual experiences of such processes have been less studied. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to gain more knowledge on the interdisciplinary, collaborative and partnership research process by investigating researchers’ experiences of and approaches to the process, based on their participation in an inventive national research programme. The programme aimed to boost collaborative and partnership research and build learning structures, while improving ways to lead, manage and develop practices in Swedish health and social services.
Authors: M. E. Nyström, J. Karltun, C. Keller and B. Andersson Gare
Humanitarian Exchange Magazine
Number 71 March 2018
https://odihpn.org/magazine/humanitarian-response-urban-areas/
Humanitarian response in urban areas
Humanitarian crises are increasingly affecting urban areas either directly, through civil conflict, hazards such as flooding or earthquakes, urban violence or outbreaks of disease, or indirectly, through hosting people fleeing these threats. The humanitarian sector has been slow to understand how the challenges and opportunities of working in urban spaces necessitate changes in how they operate. For agencies used to working in rural contexts, the dynamism of the city, with its reliance on markets, complex systems and intricate logistics, can be a daunting challenge. Huge, diverse and mobile populations complicate needs assessments, and close coordination with other, often unfamiliar, actors is necessary.
[Reviewed earlier]
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 14, Issue 5 2018
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current
Commentary Article
Review
Challenges and opportunities for meningococcal vaccination in the developing world
Rouba Shaker, Danielle Fayad & Ghassan Dbaibo
Pages: 1084-1097
Published online: 23 Feb 2018
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 14, Issue 5 2018
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current
Commentary Article
Successful African introduction of a new Group A meningococcal conjugate vaccine: Future challenges and next steps
Marc LaForce, Mamoudou Djingarey, Simonetta Viviani & Marie-Pierre Preziosi
Pages: 1098-1102
Published online: 08 Nov 2017
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 14, Issue 5 2018
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current
Article commentary
Developmental strategy for a new Group A meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenAfriVacR)
Prasad S. Kulkarni, Suresh S. Jadhav & F. Marc LaForce
Pages: 1103-1106
Published online: 01 Dec 2017
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 14, Issue 5 2018
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current
Review
Vaccine prevention of meningococcal disease in Africa: Major advances, remaining challenges
Mustapha M. Mustapha & Lee H. Harrison
Pages: 1107-1115
Published online: 16 Jan 2018
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 14, Issue 5 2018
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current
Article
Impact of serogroup A meningococcal conjugate vaccine for Africa
James M. Stuart
Pages: 1116-1117
Published online: 16 Jan 2018
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 14, Issue 5 2018
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current
Review
Impact of meningococcal vaccination on carriage and disease transmission: A review of the literature
Paul Balmer, Cynthia Burman, Lidia Serra & Laura J. York
Pages: 1118-1130
Published online: 09 May 2018
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 14, Issue 5 2018
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current
Article commentary
Vaccination strategies for the prevention of meningococcal disease
Scott Vuocolo, Paul Balmer, William C. Gruber, Kathrin U. Jansen, Annaliesa S. Anderson, John L. Perez & Laura J. York
Pages: 1203-1215
Published online: 13 Apr 2018
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (formerly Human Vaccines)
Volume 14, Issue 5 2018
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/khvi20/current
Article
Public policy for meningococcal vaccination
Claire Cameron
Pages: 1216-1217
Published online: 16 Jan 2018
Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine
Volume 11, Issue 2 Pages: 69-129 May 2018
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/17565391/current
Articles
Reporting quality of trial abstracts—improved yet suboptimal: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of literature to determine if the publication of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) abstract guideline in 2008 was followed by change in reporting quality of randomized controlled trial (RCT) abstracts. …The change in reporting quality of RCT abstracts is far from satisfactory, as evidenced by suboptimal post‐CONSORT rates and wide CIs of effect sizes for majority of improved items. Mere publication of CONSORT–abstract guideline, without strict endorsement has failed to translate into good quality abstracts.
Viswas Chhapola, Soumya Tiwari, Rekha Brar, Sandeep Kumar Kanwal
Pages: 89-94
First Published: 20 February 2018
The Lancet
Jun 02, 2018 Volume 391 Number 10136 p2185-2294
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current
Articles
Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016
A key component of achieving universal health coverage is ensuring that all populations have access to quality health care. Examining where gains have occurred or progress has faltered across and within countries is crucial to guiding decisions and strategies for future improvement. We used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) to assess personal health-care access and quality with the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index for 195 countries and territories, as well as subnational locations in seven countries, from 1990 to 2016.
GBD 2016 Healthcare Access and Quality Collaborators
Open Access
New England Journal of Medicine
May 31, 2018 Vol. 378 No. 22
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal
Perspective – Shattuck Lecture
Innovation for Pandemics
Bill Gates
We need a clear road map for a comprehensive pandemic preparedness and response system, because lives, in numbers too great to comprehend, depend on it.
New England Journal of Medicine
May 31, 2018 Vol. 378 No. 22
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal
Review Article
Statistics in Medicine: Multiplicity Considerations in Clinical Trials
A Dmitrienko and R.B. D’Agostino, Sr.
Making multiple comparisons increases the likelihood that a chance association could be interpreted as causal. A number of statistical approaches can facilitate the precise interpretation of clinical trial results.
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 