The US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA) is investigating Moderna’s patents for allegedly failing to disclose federal funding, making it the second US agency to review the company’s patents. The BARDA probe comes just days after the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) began an investigation into Moderna’s patents, after pharma watchdog […] Continue reading ->
The United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is investigating Moderna, a company developing a much hyped COVID-19 vaccine candidate, for allegedly failing to disclose federal funding on its US patent applications. A Moderna spokesperson on Monday told Health Policy Watch that “the Company believes it has complied with applicable patent reporting requirements regarding patent filings.” […] Continue reading ->
A new US $200 million program, financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to strengthen health data systems in developing countries. USAID is currently developing the scope of this project, including country participation, according to a spokesperson from global health NGO and partner on the project, Vital Strategies. Strengthening health information systems […] Continue reading ->
This week, the Africa Center for Disease Control (Africa CDC) will be launching a continent-wide antibody study to measure the true extent of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, where reported coronavirus cases are much lower than initial dire predictions. Africa CDC Director John Nkengasong announced the study at a regular Thursday press briefing. Just a […] Continue reading ->
Russia’s speedy approval of a COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday has drawn widespread criticism from Health Ministers, researchers, and even a Russian pharma industry group.  However, it has also spurred interest and offers to collaborate on testing the new vaccine in other countries, including from quarters as farflung as Israel and the Philippines. The Russian COVID-19 […] Continue reading ->
More than US $100 billion will be required just to scale-up manufacturing and ensure worldwide distribution of a coronavirus vaccine, said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in prepared remarks at a WHO press conference on Monday. He said that the World Health Organization’s ACT Accelerator consortium has received only 10% of the funding that […] Continue reading ->