July 12, 2016
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Gigi Kwik Gronvall, Matthew P. Shearer, and Hannah Collins
This document summarizes the governmental policies and regulations for biosafety in research laboratories in the nations of Brazil, China, India, Israel, Pakistan, Kenya, Russia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Previous research suggests a lack of international norms governing biosafety precautions for dangerous or especially contagious pathogens; by describing a variety of biosafety governance approaches in these nations, the project team discovered areas of commonality which could be further developed into international norms.
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Public Health & Healthcare Preparedness
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COMMENTARY United States Health Care Reform: Progress to Date and Next Steps. President Barack Obama explains why policy makers should build on progress made by the Affordable Care Act by continuing to implement the Health Insurance Marketplaces and delivery system reform, increasing federal financial assistance for Marketplace enrollees, introducing a public plan option in areas lacking individual market competition, and taking actions to reduce prescription drug costs. Although partisanship and special interest opposition remain, experience with the Affordable Care Act demonstrates that positive change is achievable on some of the nation's most complex challenges. (JAMA, 7/11/16)
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITY Protecting and Improving Public Health Globally: Building and Strengthening Public Health Impact, Systems, Department of Health and Human Services. The US Government's Global Health Security Agenda envisions a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases -- where it is possible to prevent or mitigate the impact of naturally occurring outbreaks and intentional or accidental releases of dangerous pathogens, rapidly detect and transparently report outbreaks when they occur, and employ an interconnected global network that can respond effectively to limit the spread of infectious disease outbreaks in humans and animals, mitigate human suffering and the loss of human life, and reduce economic impact. (Grants.gov, 7/8/16)
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NEWS US Army Partners with Sanofi Pasteur to Develop Zika Vaccine. Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) scientists and collaborators are moving rapidly to develop and test the Zika Purified Inactivated Virus (ZPIV) vaccine candidate because it builds on "a flavivirus vaccine platform WRAIR previously developed which has been proven to be safe, effective, and able to meet regulatory requirements of the US FDA," said Col. Stephen Thomas, an Army infectious diseases physician, vaccinologist, and the WRAIR Zika program lead. (Global Biodefense, 7/6/16)
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BLOG Global Health Security: How is the US Doing? A Joint External Evaluation Team specifically recognized the challenges any federal public health system faces, and advised the US to continue improving the understanding of the International Health Regulations among different federal and state agencies. Their observations will help drive improvements for programs throughout CDC and the nation. The US requested this unbiased review of its response capabilities and hopes that the entire world will do the same. (CDC, 7/5/16)
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NEWS Army Metes Out Punishment in Anthrax Scandal. The Army has disciplined 10 of 12 civilian and military personnel deemed responsible for the poor laboratory practices and the "culture of complacency" that led to the bungled shipments of deadly anthrax samples to 50 states and nine foreign countries. (USA TODAY, 7/5/16)
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WEBINAR HHS Summit to Accelerate Zika Diagnostics Development. The objectives of the Summit are to accelerate development of Zika Diagnostics for FDA EUA or clearance; facilitate developer access to clinical samples; identify solutions to improve Zika diagnostic assay sensitivity and specificity; and allow assay developers and reagent creators the opportunity to form collaborations for better Zika diagnostics. The Summit will be held July 15, 8:30 AM - 5 PM EST. In-person registration for the Summit has been closed; additional attendees may participate via web conference. (MedicalCountermeasures.gov, 7/16)
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CONFERENCE Superbugs & Superdrugs USA: The Global Attack Against Bacteria's Defensive Walls. This conference will provide a timely platform for both pharmaceutical and healthcare experts to share their research updates and insights in this subject -- driving the rebuild of a global defensive wall of bacteria. Speakers include Christopher Houchens (Branch Chief, Antibacterials Program, BARDA) and Rosemarie Aurigemma (Chief, Biodefense Drug Development Section, NIH). The conference will take place November 14-15, 2016. Registration is required. (SMi, 7/16)
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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS Uniquely Skilled Senior Anti-Microbial Resistance Technical Advisor (AMR USSTA). The AMR USSTA will serve in USAID's Global Health Fellows Program, where s/he will aim to increase the quality of the technical and strategic capacity across USAID's entire Infectious Diseases portfolio including TB, Malaria, NTDs, HIV, and other relevant disease areas. S/he will also coordinate across the disease areas within USAID and across the United States Government agencies. Application period open until 8/31/16. (USAID, 7/16)
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FELLOWSHIP Public Health Fellowship in Government. The Fellowship in Government provides a unique public policy learning experience, demonstrates the value of science-government interaction and enhances public health science and practical knowledge in government. APHA is looking for candidates with strong public health credentials and an interest in serving as a staff person in the US Congress. Applications due by midnight EST on August 15, 2016. (APHA, 7/16)
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Homeland Security & Disaster Preparedness
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NEWS The Weird Science of Forecasting Global Crisis. The CIA pays political scientists to predict instability -- and they're usually right. In 1994, the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence commissioned the Political Instability Task Force, formerly known as the State Failure Task Force, a clairvoyant-esque squad of social-scientist brainiacs charged with churning global political data into global instability forecasts. (War is Boring, 7/10/16)
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NEWS US Experienced at Least 8 Billion-Dollar Disasters So Far This Year. We're only halfway through 2016 and the US has already seen eight weather and climate-related disasters that have each met or exceeded $1 billion in damages. These eight disasters resulted in the loss of 30 lives, and caused at least $13.1 billion, according to an analysis by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information. (NOAA, 7/7/16)
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Radiological & Nuclear Disaster Preparedness
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Science & Technology Policy
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COMMENTARY Policy Implications of Aging in the NIH-Funded Workforce. This analysis, conducted by researchers at the US Census Bureau, the National Science Foundation, NIH, and the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, suggests that the collective aging of the NIH-funded independent investigator workforce is not solely the product of any policy or mechanism. Rather, it is an accumulation of multiple factors including a shift in perceptions, expectations, and the general structure of the extramural workforce, as well as global macroeconomic factors. (Cell, 7/7/16)
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GUIDANCE User Guide for Medical Educators. The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (Bioethics Commission) has developed educational materials for use in traditional and nontraditional educational settings to provide educators with contemporary examples of real-life ethical challenges addressed by a presidential commission. The purpose of this guide is to highlight the most relevant materials for educators in medicine and the health sciences. (Bioethics.gov, 7/5/16)
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Strengthening our National Trauma System. US House Committee on Energy & Commerce, Subcommittee on Health. 7/12/16, 10 AM, Rayburn 2322. More
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Oversight of CERCLA Implementation. US House Committee on Energy & Commerce, Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy. 7/13/16, 10 AM, Rayburn 2123. More
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Disrupter Series: Health Care Apps. US House Committee on Energy & Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. 7/13/16, 10:15 AM, Rayburn 2322. More
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Zika in the Western Hemisphere: Risks and Response. US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues. mm/dd/yyyy, time (am/pm), Building name, room no. More
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