The World Health Organization (WHO) has once more raised the red flag over the lack of new antibacterial treatments being developed to address the mounting threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In its annual ‘pipeline report’, which assesses those antibacterial drugs in preclinical and clinical development, WHO describes the pipeline as “stagnant” and “far from meeting […] Continue reading ->
The drug Bulevirtide can successfully treat and even potentially cure Hepatitis D – the most acute diseases of the hepatitis family and hardest to treat until now, according to the results of a Phase III trial of the drug announced on Thursday, the opening day of the International Liver Congress 2022 (ILC 2022). An estimated 12 […] Continue reading ->
A new $100 million initiative to identify and reach zero-dose children – those who have not received a single routine vaccine shot – has been launched today by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and World Vision (WV). The Zero-Dose Immunization Programme (ZIP) will be led by the International […] Continue reading ->
Africa CDC wants to be able to declare public health emergencies of continental security but the WHO warns this could be a risky move that could isolate African countries and create confusion regarding response. The World Health Organization’s African Regional Office (WHO AFRO) has found itself explaining its disapproval of the Africa CDC’s quest for […] Continue reading ->
Rich countries are rushing to get doses – but African countries say they should get the vaccines first for a disease endemic to the continent. A plan by the World Health Organization (WHO) to create a vaccine sharing mechanism that will attempt to provide equitable access to vaccines effective against monkeypox disease will only be […] Continue reading ->
A new sublicense agreement for a COVID-19 antibody test has been announced Thursday by the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) on behalf of the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) and South African company Biotech Africa. The new agreement builds on the first non-exclusive licensing agreement announced by WHO and MPP last year with […] Continue reading ->
In just a matter of three days, the number of monkeypox cases reported to WHO outside of central and west Africa has doubled – with reports Wednesday of some 550 cases in more than 30 countries outside of the countries where the disease is endemic, WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press […] Continue reading ->
Pfizer will provide all of its current and future patent-protected medicines and vaccines available in the United States and the European Union on a not-for-profit basis to 45 lower-income countries where some 1.5 billion people live. However, critics have questioned whether the announcement has been timed to undermine a possible waiver on intellectual property for […] Continue reading ->
A team of health professionals and Noma survivors called on the World Health Organization on Tuesday to list the deadly infection of the mouth and face as a neglected tropical disease (NTD) so that it can receive the attention it needs to be eradicated. “We hope that we can bring global attention to this disease […] Continue reading ->
More stable funding for WHO, but only incremental progress on reforms in global pandemic response are expected out of the upcoming World Health Assembly, where member states also will debate and discuss over two dozen other critical health issues that don’t always make the headlines. The 75th World Health Assembly, WHO’s annual meeting of member […] Continue reading ->