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.
May 6, 2008
In This Issue:
Policy
1. What's Needed to Fight Malaria?
2. NIH and CDC Budget Appropriations
News
3. Hope Springs Eternal on First World Malaria Day
4. NIAID Describes Research Priorities to Fight Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
5. In Search of an AIDS Vaccine
6. Kenya: Malaria Vaccine Passes Clinical Trials
7. Measles in U.S. at Highest Level Since 2001
Events
8. Stephen Lewis, former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa to Speak at NIH
9. Infectious Disease Threats: What’s Next?
Policy
1. What's Needed to Fight Malaria?
“It is imperative that stakeholders in the fight against malaria maximize global access to existing proven interventions including insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying with insecticides, and effective medications. Simultaneously, we must increase investment in developing new, improved technologies for controlling malaria, including effective drugs, insecticides, and vaccines.” -Malaria Community
Read A Malaria Community Statement, with contributions by Families USA Global Health Initiative, which calls on Congress to commit to specific leadership steps in the fight against malaria.
2. NIH and CDC Budget Appropriations
No legislative action has been scheduled yet. However, it is possible that the House Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee will consider its version of an NIH/CDC funding bill within the next two months. The full House Appropriations Committee will consider the bill two or three weeks after the subcommittee.
The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee will consider its version of an NIH/CDC funding bill after the House subcommittee has taken action, followed by the full Senate Appropriations Subcommittee.
There is still time to remind members of Congress that research funding is important for progress on global health. To find out what you can affect change, visit our Action Center.
Read more about the President’s Budget Request for NIH and CDC in fiscal year 2009.
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3. Hope Springs Eternal on First World Malaria Day
“By calling on our members of Congress and demanding that they increase and sustain research on malaria vaccines, drugs, bed-nets, and insecticides through NIH and CDC, we can make sure that this time, we settle the matter once and for all. We can be the generation that eradicates malaria.” -Ron Pollack
Read the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, on World Malaria Day.
4. NIAID Describes Research Priorities to Fight Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
"The challenge of TB control is further compounded by the rise of drug-resistant TB, and we anticipate that the NIAID research agenda for [MDR-TB and XDR-TB will] contribute substantively to the fight against this emerging threat."
– Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID, NIH.
Read a summary of the NIAID research agenda.
5. In Search of an AIDS Vaccine
In Search of an AIDS Vaccine (Washington Post, April 21, 2008)
While we share the impatience of those who want a cure, that solution will require better science.
6. Kenya: Malaria Vaccine Passes Clinical Trials
Kenya: Malaria Vaccine Passes Clinical Trials (AllAfrica.com, April 24, 2008)
The war against malaria, a leading global killer, has moved ahead with the announcement of successful clinical trials of a vaccine for children-the group that is most vulnerable to the disease.
7. Measles in U.S. at Highest Level Since 2001
Measles in U.S. at Highest Level Since 2001 (New York Times, May 2, 2008)
There have been more measles cases in the past four months of 2008 than in all of 2006. Read more about measles outbreaks in the U.S. and its spread among mostly unvaccinated people.
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8. Stephen Lewis, Former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, to Speak at NIH
NIH's Fogarty International Center/NIH presents Race Against Time: Searching for Hope in AIDS-Ravaged Africa. More details.
Stephen Lewis
Co-Director of AIDS-Free World
Former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa
Tuesday, May 6
11:30am-12:30pm
Masur Auditorium, Clinical Center (Building 10)
NIH, Bethesda, MD
Reception will follow
9. Infectious Disease Threats: What’s Next?
New diseases are just a plane ride away. HIV/AIDS likely came to the U.S. in 1969 carried by a single person and, today, more than 1 million Americans have HIV/AIDS. Dengue has invaded our shores. So has West Nile Virus. What’s next?
Families USA Global Health Initiative hosted a congressional briefing on April 16. Dr. Ali Khan (CDC) and Dr. Peter Daszak (Consortium for Conservation Medicine) shared their experience in infectious disease threats and their work in addressing them. Learn more about emerging infectious diseases and how they travel the globe.
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Malaria Trivia
You probably know that malaria is spread through mosquitoes, but did you know that it has been used as a treatment for syphilis? Test your knowledge about malaria by taking our short quiz.
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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