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.
November 18, 2008
In This Issue:
Policy Updates
1. Looking Forward: A New Administration
News and Reports
2. HIV Scare Unnerves a St. Louis High School
3. Health Economist Says New U.S. Administration Must Modify HIV/AIDS Policy
4. Health Research Spending Tops [$160] Billion, Yet Investment Fails to Meet the Needs of Developing Countries
5. African Researchers Plan Malaria Vaccine Trial
6. The War on Dengue Fever
7. U.S. Navy and U.S. Army to Develop Dengue DNA Vaccine Formulated with Vical’s Vaxfectin® Adjuvant
Events
8. Congressional Briefing: Global Health IS America’s Health
9. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 57th Annual Meeting
Policy Updates
1. Looking Forward: A New Administration
Families USA looks forward to working with President-Elect Obama to make progress in global health research. We are pleased with Mr. Obama’s expressed interest in advancing medical research and improving global health.
News and Reports
2. HIV Scare Unnerves a St. Louis High School
HIV Scare Unnerves a St. Louis High School (New York Times, November 8, 2008)
“Life, however, has been far from normal for students at this struggling high school in suburban St. Louis since they learned last month that as many as 50 of their classmates may have been exposed to H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS.”
To read the article, click here.
3. Health Economist Says New U.S. Administration Must Modify HIV/AIDS Policy
Health Economist Says New U.S. Administration Must Modify HIV/AIDS Policy
(Voice of America, November 4, 2008)
“President George W. Bush’s administration has in recent years won widespread international praise for its efforts to prevent AIDS and treat people infected with HIV. Health workers expect the new American president to continue, and even expand, these initiatives. International health economist Mead Over advises the next administration in Washington to modify the current US strategy to provide AIDS relief to many in the developing world from an “Emergency Plan” to what he terms a ‘sustainable policy.’ ”
To read the article, click here.
4. Health Research Spending Tops [$160] Billion, Yet Investment Fails to Meet the Needs of Developing Countries
Health Research Spending Tops [$160] Billion, Yet Investment Fails to Meet the Needs of Developing Countries (Medical News Today, November 3, 2008)
“A report launched by the Global Forum for Health Research reveals global expenditure on health research in 2005 was [$160.3] billion—the greatest sum ever spent on health research, up from [$125.8] billion in 2003. Yet despite the high investment levels research is failing to address the significant health needs of low- and middle-income countries.”
To access this guide, click here.
5. African Researchers Plan Malaria Vaccine Trial
African Researchers Plan Malaria Vaccine Trial (Associated Press, November 10, 2008)
“A medical trial involving 16,000 children across Africa will be a challenge to human, scientific and communications resources on the world's poorest continent, three researchers hoping to develop the first malaria vaccine said Monday.”
To read the article describing their work, click here.
6. The War on Dengue Fever
The War on Dengue Fever (New York Times, November 3, 2008)
"Dengue is seldom seen in the United States or Europe, though it is the second-most common cause (after malaria) of feverish symptoms for Western tourists returning from developing countries. But it is important to the Army: American soldiers have contracted dengue as recently as the 1990s, on missions in Haiti and Somalia.”
To read the newsletter, click here.
7. U.S. Navy and U.S. Army to Develop Dengue DNA Vaccine Formulated with Vical’s Vaxfectin® Adjuvant
U.S. Navy and U.S. Army to Develop Dengue DNA Vaccine Formulated with Vical’s Vaxfectin® Adjuvant (Marketwatch.com, November 6, 2008)
"Dengue is the scourge of the tropics today, just as yellow fever was before the widespread use of an effective vaccine," said Vijay B. Samant, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vical. "Dengue presents a serious threat to almost half the world's population living in or traveling to endemic regions. The U.S. government's program, intended to develop a vaccine to protect troops being deployed to dengue-endemic regions, is among the most advanced.”
To read the article, click here.
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8. Congressional Briefing: Global Health IS America’s Health
Date: November 18, 2008
Time: 12 pm - 2:00pm
Place: Rayburn House Office Building Room 2168 (Gold Room)
For more information go here.
9. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 57th Annual Meeting
Date: December 7 - 11, 2008
Location: Sheraton New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
For more information go here.
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