Families USA's Global Health Initiative advocates for U.S. policies that advance global health research, with the goal of developing medical technologies to improve global health.
April 7, 2009
In This Issue:
Policy Updates
1. Fiscal Year 2010 Budget
News and Reports
2. Glaxo Offers Patents to Aid Research
3. $1.7 Million Gates Foundation Grant to Enhance Global Understanding of Parasitic Genomes
4. Hard-to-Cure TB Poses New Global Health Threat
5. Tuberculosis: H.I.V. Infection Sharply Raises Risk for TB, Report Says
6. All-Out Effort Stops River Blindness in Guatemala
7. Gates Foundation, NSF Collaborate on Ag Research
Events
8. Unite for Sight: Global Health and Innovation Summit
9. Trust for America's Health Congressional Briefing
Policy Updates
1. Fiscal Year 2010 Budget
The House of Representatives and the Senate are currently developing their respective versions of budget resolutions. The budget resolutions will allocate funding for various government functions such as health care and foreign assistance. We expect that a final agreement will be reached in the next few weeks, some time in mid-April. After the final budget resolution is passed, the full Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate will determine how much each of its subcommittees will receive. Then deliberations over annual appropriations will ensue (determining how much funding each agency will receive in fiscal year 2010).
News and Reports
2. Glaxo Offers Patents to Aid Research
Glaxo Offers Patents to Aid Research (Wall Street Journal, March 25, 2009)
“GlaxoSmithKline PLC will donate more than 800 of its patents to a pool that will be open to all researchers trying to develop medicines for neglected diseases, the company said Tuesday, elaborating on an earlier pledge to do more for the developing world.”
To read the article, click here.
3. $1.7 Million Gates Foundation Grant to Enhance Global Understanding of Parasitic Genomes
$1.7 Million Gates Foundation Grant to Enhance Global Understanding of Parasitic Genomes (UPENN Almanac, March 31, 2009)
The University of Pennsylvania received a $1.7 million grant from the Gates Foundation to research neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis, African sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease. Through genome research, scientists hope to “expedite the development of new treatments and diagnoses for use in the laboratory, clinic and field.”
To read the article, click here.
4. Hard-to-Cure TB Poses New Global Health Threat
Hard-to-Cure TB Poses New Global Health Threat (Associated Press, March 30, 2009)
“ ‘TB is now taking on a deadly new form—one that will spread further,’ said Cornelia Hennig, the World Health Organization's TB program coordinator for China. ‘We can choose: Either we act now with rational and proven approaches, or we pay later with a worsening epidemic.’ “
To read the article, click here.
5. Tuberculosis: H.I.V. Infection Sharply Raises Risk for TB, Report Says
Tuberculosis: H.I.V. Infection Sharply Raises Risk for TB, Report Says (New York Times, March 30, 2009)
“One-quarter of all deaths from tuberculosis are in patients also infected with the AIDS virus, twice as many as previously thought, the World Health Organization said last week.”
To read the article, click here.
6. All-Out Effort Stops River Blindness in Guatemala
All-Out Effort Stops River Blindness in Guatemala (Reuters, March 30, 2009)
“Dogged education and distribution of an anti-parasitic drug have virtually eradicated river blindness in badly affected parts of Guatemala, researchers reported.”
To read the article, click here.
7. Gates Foundation, NSF Collaborate on Ag Research
Gates Foundation, NSF Collaborate on Ag Research (Seattle Times, March 30, 2009)
“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Science Foundation said Monday they would infuse $48 million into research to help farmers in the developing world. The groups are asking scientists to propose innovative projects addressing drought, pests, disease, soil quality and other problems facing small farmers.”
To read the article, click here.
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8. Unite for Sight: Global Health and Innovation Summit
Date: April 18 -19, 2009
Place: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
For more information, click here.
9. Trust for America's Health Congressional Briefing
Germs Go Global Why Emerging Infectious Diseases Are a Threat to America
Date: Friday, April 17, 2009
Place: Room B339, Rayburn House Office Building
Time: 12:00-1:00 P.M.
To RSVP, e-mail: Dara Alpert Lieberman at dlieberman@tfah.org
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Tell us YOUR global health story!
Have you lived or worked in a developing country? Have you witnessed the hardships and struggles of communities living with illness and without treatment? Or perhaps you fell ill while abroad? Whatever your global health story is, we want to know it. Click here to tell us your story.
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