Dear community, here is this week’s global health review!
WHO launches new pandemic prevention plan, as COVID deaths fall 95 per cent (UN News, April 26, 2023)
> The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday launched a new initiative to help strengthen countries’ ability to plan for, and deal with, another deadly pandemic like COVID-19, as latest figures show a huge fall in COVID deaths this year. https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/04/1136052
New Africa CDC Head Proposes Airline Tax to Fund Health (Health Policy Watch, April 27, 2023)
> The new head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya, wants to introduce a tax on all airline passengers on the continent to help finance health. https://healthpolicy-watch.news/new-africa-cdc-head-proposes-airline-ta…
Updated International Health Regulations More Important Than Pandemic Accord ? (Health Policy Watch, April 28, 2023)
> As the current US Senate is unlikely to ratify a pandemic accord, it might make more sense for World Health Organization (WHO) member states to invest more effort in ensuring that the International Health Regulations (IHR) are adapted to respond to the next pandemic. https://healthpolicy-watch.news/updated-international-health-regulation…
WHO has Terminated Eight Staffers’ Contracts for Sexual Misconduct in Past Seven Months (Health Policy Watch, April 16, 2023)
> Four World Health Organization (WHO) staff or consultants had their contracts terminated as a result of sexual misconduct allegations in the last quarter of 2022 – the most of any year so far. https://healthpolicy-watch.news/who-terminated-8-staffers-sexual-miscon…
EU publishes proposed drug laws overhaul, setting up tussle with industry (Reuters, April 27, 2023)
> Brussels on Wednesday published a long-awaited draft of its proposed overhaul of laws governing the European Union's pharmaceuticals industry, setting up a tussle with drugmakers which warn they will invest and innovate elsewhere. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-publishe…
EU Pharma Reform Proposes Cuts in Regulatory Protections & Faster Drug Approval Times (Pink Sheet, April 26, 2023)
> Proposals for the overhaul of the EU pharmaceutical legislation will make medicines more available, accessible and affordable while supporting innovation and boosting the “competitiveness and attractiveness” of Europe’s pharma industry, the European Commission claims. The research-based industry thinks otherwise, saying cuts in regulatory protections will undermine R&D. https://pink.pharmaintelligence.informa.com/PS148116/EU-Pharma-Reform-P…
EU to link pharma incentives to public health objectives (Pinsent Masons, April 27, 2023)
> New medicines will obtain different levels of regulatory data protection in the EU in future under proposals that seek to link the extent of protection available to the extent to which the product serves public health objectives. https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/eu-to-link-pharma-incentives…