Global Preparedness Monitoring Board warns world needs ‘coherent and concerted’ reforms to end COVID-19, prevent future pandemics
According to a new report from the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), the world is broken in its inequality, division, and lack of accountability, making a health emergency ecosystem incapable of ending the COVID-19 pandemic or preventing another. The opportunity for reform is... Read More »
Sen. Markey, Rep. Krishnamoorthi advocate for global vaccination goal plan
U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) forwarded correspondence to three agencies seeking an outline regarding administration plans to vaccinate 70 percent of the world population by September 2022. Markey and Krishnamoorthi, co-founders of the COVID-19... Read More »
Global access to COVID-19 oral antiviral molnupiravir to be licensed through MPP, Merck agreement
This week, an agreement was reached between the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Merck pledges low-cost access to the investigational oral COVID-19 antiviral molnupiravir worldwide, with a particular focus on 105 low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback... Read More »
CISA announces appointment of Wyman to Senior Election Security Lead
On Monday, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced that Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman would serve the Biden administration as CISA's Senior Election Security Lead. An expert on elections and an experienced Secretary of State, Wyman’s appointment... Read More »
INOVIO concludes enrollment of 220 participants for Phase 1B Lassa Fever vaccine trial
Biotechnology company INOVIO finished enrollment for a West Africa-based Phase 1B clinical trial of INO-4500, its DNA vaccine candidate for Lassa Fever, this week. A full complement of 220 participants will participate in this first trial for a Lassa fever vaccine in West Africa. The area was... Read More »
IAFC supports FEMA wildfire combating efforts
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is encouraging Congress to support Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) programs to address efforts to combat nationwide wildfires. IAFC personnel recently testified before the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and... Read More »
Moderna announces plans to supply COVID-19 vaccines to African Union
Moderna Inc. announced Monday it had a new memorandum of understanding to make up to 110 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine available to the African Union. The company said it is prepared to deliver the first 15 million doses in the fourth quarter of 2021, with 35 million doses... Read More »
CDC pledges $26M for development of advanced infectious disease forecasting, analytics
With the investment of $26 million announced this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hopes to modernize the science of infectious disease prediction and analytics. The first investments from CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA) -- which is expected... Read More »
House Republicans tout bills seeking to address homeland security improvements
House Committee on Homeland Security lawmakers said the panel has advanced 12 measures to bolster homeland security, which includes five Homeland Republican bills. “Homeland Republicans continue to deliver results for the American people aimed at strengthening our homeland security and... Read More »
HAVANA Act funding included in appropriations bill
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced the inclusion of HAVANA Act funding in the draft Department of Defense Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2022. The bill authored by Collins authorizes the CIA Director and Secretary of State to provide additional financial support for American public... Read More »
Trahan, McKinley BIO Act to be featured in House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing
Legislation from U.S. Reps. Lori Trahan (D-MA) and David B. McKinley (R-WV) will be considered in an upcoming hearing hosted by the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, the legislators said Monday. The Bolstering Infectious Outbreaks (BIO) Preparedness Workforce Act... Read More »
HHS to invest $70M to accelerate COVID-19 test developers regulatory progress, revise regulatory path overall
As part of ongoing efforts to increase COVID-19 test access, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced this week that it would trigger major investments into accelerating the regulatory pathway for at-home COVID-19 tests and hopes to revise the regulatory pathway... Read More »
Bill seeks to limit domestic terrorists from holding security clearances
U.S. Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Jason Crow (D-CO) introduced legislation this week limiting domestic terrorists from holding security clearances in the wake of the FBI announcing it has nearly tripled its domestic terrorism caseload. The No Clearance For Domestic Terrorists Act (H.R. 5513)... Read More »
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine produces strong immune response in children ages 6 to 11, new data says
According to top line data from a Phase 2/3 study of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine among children ages 6-11, released this week, the company determined that two doses given a month apart produced a strong antibody response -- stronger, even, than those seen in adults. Conducted in collaboration... Read More »