Category: Vaccine

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) Republican Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday broke with West Virginias GOP-majority Legislature to veto a bill that would have loosened one of the countrys strictest school vaccination policies.

West Virginia is only one of a handful of states in the U.S. that offers only medical exemptions to vaccine requirements. The bill would have allowed some students who dont attend traditional public institutions or participate in group extracurriculars like sports to be exempt from vaccinations typically required for children starting day care or school.

Our kids are our future, Justice said in a letter explaining the veto. They are our most important resource, and I will protect them with everything I have.

The governor said West Virginia is way ahead of the pack in protecting children from preventable diseases like measles because of its school vaccine policy. He said he had to defer to the licensed medical professionals who overwhelmingly spoke out in opposition to the legislation.

I hear how strongly people believe in one side or the other on this subject, and I respect all opinions, he said. But I must follow the guidance of our medical experts on this subject.

Justice, who is running for Democrat U.S. Sen. Joe Manchins seat, received immense pressure to reject the bill from health care leaders, educators and parents. He refused to answer whether or not he planned to sign it before Wednesdays veto, saying he needed time to think through the decision.

The veto came on the last day before a key deadline that would have allowed the bill to go into law without Justices signature.

The bill, which received majority support in both legislative chambers even with an overwhelming lack of support from health care leaders, would have exempted private and parochial schools from state law and allowed them to develop and enforce their own policies on vaccinations. Virtual-only public school students would also have been exempt.

All students participating in West Virginia school activities that result in competition, including but not limited to sports, would still have needed to be vaccinated.

The bill was publicly opposed by the head of the states two teachers unions, the West Virginia Hospital Association and the West Virginia Medical Association, among other organizations.

Dr. Clay Marsh, West Virginia Universitys vice president and executive dean for health sciences, also urged Justice to vote against the bill. As COVID-19 Czar for the State of West Virginia, Marsh was tapped as a trusted advisor when it came to preventing spread of the virus in the state.

Justice was hailed by state health care leaders for his pro-vaccine stance during the coronavirus pandemic. When the COVID-19 vaccine was developed, Justice was among the first top elected officials in the country to receive a shot, even livestreaming the inoculation on social media.

Before Justice vetoed the bill, Kanawha-Charleston Health Officer Dr. Steven Eshenaur said he was deeply worried about the consequences that could come from the legislation being made law.

Yes, personal freedom is vital to our way of life in West Virginia and America, and I am all for it, he said in a statement. But not when the lives of children are in danger.

Eshenaur said state leaders owe it to children to keep them safe, healthy and free of disability if its in their power to do so.

Hear this on repeat: If you are anti-vaccination, you are pro-disease. Its as simple as that, he said.

West Virginia law requires children to receive vaccines for chickenpox, hepatitis-b, measles, meningitis, mumps, diphtheria, polio, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough, unless they receive a medical exemption. West Virginia does not require COVID-19 vaccinations.

Health care leaders say other states have used West Virginias immunization requirements as a model to strengthen their immunization requirements after experiencing measles outbreaks. West Virginia, along with California, Connecticut, Maine and New York, are the only states without nonmedical vaccination requirements.

But a growing number of parents in the state have expressed frustration with the states policy and say they should have the freedom to make their own decisions about their childrens vaccination status.

West Virginia University School of Medicine Professor Dr. Alvin Moss was one of a handful of doctors supportive of the bill, arguing before the Senate Health Committee that the states current compulsory vaccination policy is medically unethical because it doesnt allow informed consent.

In 2017, the anti-vaccine requirement group West Virginians for Health Freedom had 300 families as members. The organization has grown to at least 3,000 members in 2024, Moss said.

The bills original intent, as introduced in the state House of Delegates, was to eliminate vaccine requirements for students in public virtual schools. It was expanded in a House committee to allow private schools to set their own vaccination standards, unless a student participates in sanctioned athletics.

The bill also created a religious exemption for any child whose parents or guardians present a letter stating the child cannot be vaccinated for religious reasons. That was taken out in the Senate.

More here:

West Virginia Gov. Justice vetoes bill that would have loosened school vaccine policies - The Associated Press

Genome extraction of AP33, AP65, and -actinin proteins

The sequences of AP33 (accession number: Q65ZG5), AP65 (accession number: Q27093), and -actinin (accession number: O96524) proteins were extracted from the UniProtKB database.

Prediction of B cell epitopes for all three proteins, AP33, AP65, and -actinin, was done using Bepipred and IEDB servers (Kolaskar and Tongaonkar) (Additional file 1: Table S1).

IEDB and Rankpep databases were also used to predict T cell epitopes. The allelic group for MHCII alleles DRB1*0101, *0301, *0401, *0701, *0801, *1101, *1301, *1501, which covers the genetic background of most humans, was selected. The most important epitopes with the highest score were selected (Additional file 2: Table S2).

The regions of AP33, AP65, and -actinin proteins with the highest epitope abundance are considered as the target domain for vaccine design to select the domains that make up the vaccine candidate. Finally, nine epitope-rich domains from these three proteins were selected as vaccine candidates, which contain a large number of B cell and T cell epitopes (Table1).

By combining selected epitope-rich domains at different positions using EAAAK, EAAAKEAAAK, and GGGGS linkers, several protein constructs were designed. The designed constructs were evaluated based on physicochemical properties, antigenicity, and secondary and tertiary structure, and finally the most suitable construct was introduced as a vaccine candidate (Additional file 3: S3) (Fig.1a, b).

a Schematic diagram of the final construct of the multiepitope protein. b The tertiary structure of the designed protein

Using the EXPASY ProtParam server (http://expasy.org/tools/protparam.html), the physical and chemical properties of the designed structures such as the number of amino acids, molecular weight, PI, number of charged amino acids, amino acid composition, hydrophobicity, and hydrophilicity were obtained. The results of this investigation showed that our designed vaccine candidate protein finally consisted of 780 amino acids and had a molecular weight of 85,190.25daltons (Table2). The instability index (<40) indicates that the designed protein has high stability to induce an immunogenic response. The instability index of our vaccine candidate was 35.8, which classifies the protein as stable. The aliphatic index of the recombinant protein was calculated to be 86.04, indicating the stability of this protein at different temperatures (Table2).

The Vaxijen 2.0 server predicts the designed protein as an antigen with a threshold score0.4 (score: 0.4983). The Evaller web server was used to check the allergenicity of the designed structure. The designed protein was not allergenic. The solubility of the vaccine candidate was also evaluated using the Protein-sol server. Our selected protein has a solubility score of 0.555. Solubility-scaled proteins using the Protein-sol server that have a score greater than 0.45 indicate a higher solubility than the average soluble E.coli protein from the experimental solubility dataset [45]; therefore, our designed protein has a high solubility.

The GOR software was used to check the second structure of the designed structures. The amino acids that make up these recombinant proteins are involved in the formation of random coils, alpha helixes, and beta strands. The results showed that out of 780 amino acids, 430 amino acids (55.13%) are alpha helix, 96 amino acids (12.31%) are extended strands, and 254 amino acids (32.56%) are random coils (Fig.2a). Tertiary structures were predicted by the I-TASSER server for designed protein sequences. All structures were validated and the best structure was selected. Predicted tertiary structures were evaluated using the MolProbity, ProSA-web, and SAVES servers. The MolProbity server was used to evaluate the structural similarity of new proteins to the best-known structures of similar proteins (http://molprobity.biochem.duke.edu/help/validation_options/summary_table_guide.html). On MolProbity analysis, the protein structure analysis was evaluated based on the Clash score and the MolProbity score. The SAVES server (https://saves.mbi.ucla.edu/) was also used to check the Ramachandran plot and evaluate the placement of amino acids in the favored, allowed, and disallowed regions.

Predicting and validating the secondary and tertiary structure of the vaccine candidate. a Secondary structure of the designed protein. b Validation of the tertiary structure of the protein by ProSA-web. c Validation of the tertiary structure of the protein by Ramachandran plot

On MolProbity evaluation, it was found that the Clash score for this protein was 2.49 (99% similar to the structures). Also, the MolProbity score was 2.13 (69% similar to the best structures). ProSA-web analyzed a 3D model of the vaccine candidate using an energy plot and Z-score. ProSA-web analyzed a 3D model of the vaccine candidate using energy plot and Z-score. The Z-score of the selected protein was 3.44, which was within the range of native protein structure (Fig.2b). The evaluation of the Ramachandran diagram also showed that 97.4% of the amino acids were in the favored and allowed region and 2.6% were in the nonallowed areas, indicating the appropriate structure predicted for the protein (Fig.2c).

Ellipro servers were used to predict this type of epitope (Fig.3af). The 3D structure of the designed vaccine protein used in the Ellipro server was predicted by the I-TASSER server. The most antigenic epitopes with a score above 0.5 is presented in Table3.

The most potent vaccine candidate conformational epitopes designed using the Ellipro server. a Epitope with score 0.901, b Epitope with score 0.736, c Epitope with score 0.723, d Epitope with score 0.657, e Epitope with score 0.641, f: Epitope with score 0.596

Cluspro 2.0 was used to study the proteinprotein binding between the designed vaccine candidate with TLR4 and TLR2. To select the best interaction, the parameters of the weighted score and number of clusters calculated by Cluspro 2.0 were evaluated. In addition, hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds between the vaccine candidate and TLR4 and TLR2 were investigated using the LIGPLOT tool. Finally, we considered the lowest energy and the lowest affinity (Kd) obtained from the PRODIGY web server as essential standards for selecting the strongest complexes. The results showed that there is a strong interaction between the vaccine candidate with TLR4 and TLR2 (Table4). Interactions between TLR2 (Fig.4) and TLR4 (Fig.5) and the designed vaccine candidate were observed using PyMOL and LIGPLOT. As shown in Figs.4 and 5, the vaccine candidate made a strong interaction with the active site of the receptors, and this binding includes the essential amino acids Ile319, Phe322, Phe325, Tyr326, Val348, Phe349, and Pro352 for TLR2 and the amino acids Arg434, Arg380, Lys341, Lys263, and Gln339 for TLR4.

a Graphic representation of the interaction of the designed vaccine candidate with the TLR2 complex. b LIGPLOT representation of the amino acids involved in the interaction between the protein vaccine candidate and TLR2. *Hydrogen bonds between receptors (blue) and the protein vaccine candidate (green) and hydrophobic interactions with receptors (black) and the protein vaccine candidate (blue) are indicated by dark green lines

a Graphical representation of the interaction of the designed vaccine candidate with the TLR4 complex. b LIGPLOT representation of the amino acids involved in the interaction between the protein vaccine candidate and TLR4. *Hydrogen bonds between receptors (blue) and the protein vaccine candidate (green) and hydrophobic interactions with receptors (black) and the protein vaccine candidate (blue) are indicated by dark green lines

To verify the stability of the designed protein structure and proteinreceptor complexes, MD simulation was performed for up to 100ns. The RMSD parameter is used when analyzing the results of MD simulations of proteins and complexes to obtain the degree of movement of the protein or atoms when the ligand is placed in the active site of the receptor and to evaluate the stability of the structure, deviation, and conformations of the protein or complex during the simulation period. A lower RMSD value indicates more stability and less fluctuations during the simulation. The analysis of the results related to the RMSD of the designed protein and the complexes showed that the designed protein reached stability after about 10ns and its average RMSD was 0.95nm (Fig.6a). This stability is maintained during the simulation up to 100ns. Also, proteinTLR2 complexes with an average of 1.7nm are stable during the simulation (Fig.6a). The proteinTLR4 complex reached stability after about 40ns with an average RMSD of 1.1nm, and considering that the fluctuations during 40100ns are less than 0.3nm, it can be concluded that the complex has reached stability (Fig.6a). Another parameter that has been investigated in the evaluation of MD simulations is the Rg, which is evaluated the amount of compression changes during the MD simulation. Rg is defined as the distribution of a proteins atoms around its axis and is widely used in the calculation of protein behavior. Therefore, this variable allows us to analyze the overall dimensions of the protein, and the more stable the compression of the protein is during the simulation, it indicates the stability of the protein and the complexes. As the graph shows, the fluctuations of the designed protein alone and in interaction with TLR4 and TLR2 are stable during the simulation (Fig.6b).

a RMSD results of the designed protein and proteinTLR2 and proteinTLR4 complexes in unit time (ns). b Rg results of the designed protein and proteinTLR2 and proteinTLR4 complexes per unit time. c RMSF results of the designed protein in the noninteracting form and in the interacting form with TLR2 and TLR4

The RMSF of the amino acid residues can be used to evaluate the motion and flexibility of the structure. In addition, we decided to perform an RMSF analysis to examine the changes in the backbone atoms of the designed protein and the proteinTLR4 and proteinTLR2 complexes. In this analysis, the average value of changes of each residue during the simulation was plotted. As shown in Fig.6c, the RMSF values show small fluctuations (less than 0.3nm) for most amino acids in proteinTLR4 and proteinTLR2 complexes compared with the designed protein. These results show that the designed protein becomes more stable in interaction with the immune system receptors.

Snapshots taken at 0, 50, 75, and 100ns intervals to check the state of the vaccine during the simulation showed that the structure of the vaccine and the site of interaction of the vaccine with the receptors were stable during the simulation (Fig.7ac).

Snapshots of 0, 50, 75, and 100ns of MD simulation of the vaccine candidate and ligandreceptor complexes. a The vaccine candidate, b vaccine candidateTLR2, and c vaccine candidateTLR4 complexes. Brown: 0ns; blue: 50ns; purple: 75ns; light green: 100ns

Using covariance matrices of C atoms, PCA calculates the significant motions of atom pairs associated with vital biological functions. The first two principal components (PC1 and PC2) of the candidate vaccine, candidate vaccineTLR2 and candidate vaccineTLR4 complexes were generated by projecting the trajectories onto their respective eigenvectors. Figure8 shows the PCA of the three structures. The plot shows that most of the common essential subspace was occupied by the vaccine candidateTLR2 and vaccine candidateTLR4 complexes. In the Eigenvector (EV) plots, the three structures shared a common conformational subspace. The sampling of both systems demonstrates the stability of the complexes and the vaccine candidate in the simulation. In addition, the FELs of the first and second PCA showed that the vaccine candidate, vaccine candidateTLR2 and vaccine candidateTLR4 complexes had global energy minima of 7.71, 7.54, and 7.15kJmol1, respectively (Fig.9). The Gibbs energy landscape shows the same energy range for all three structures and it can be argued that the structures have not undergone sudden drastic changes and are stable. These results are consistent with the analysis of RMSD, Rg, and RMSF values.

Conformational sampling in principal component analysis. Two-dimensional projection of trajectories showing conformational sampling of the vaccine candidate and vaccine candidateTLR2 and vaccine candidateTLR4 complexes

The Gibbs energy landscape plot during 100 ns of simulation. a The vaccine candidate, b Vaccine candidate-TLR2, c Vaccine candidate-TLR4 complexes

The C-ImmSim server was used to simulate the immune system response to the designed vaccine candidate. Figure7 shows the simulation of the host immune response to the vaccine candidate protein. Antigen and immunoglobulin parameters, cytokine production, TH cell population and B cell population were examined in this evaluation. An increase in IgM levels indicates the initial host response. In addition, a secondary response to the designed protein as antigen is indicated by increased levels of B cell population (Fig.10a), TH cell population (Fig.10b), and IgG1 and IgG2 (Fig.10c). There was also a significant increase in the levels of cytokines and interleukins after immunization, especially interferon- (Fig.10d). Interpretation of the results indicates that the vaccine candidate is capable of stimulating the immune system to produce cytokines and antibodies against T.vaginalis.

In silico immunity simulation against protein antigen designed as a vaccine candidate using C-ImmSim web server. Simulations after three injections at steps 1, 336, and 672 are presented. a B cell population. b TH cell population. c Antigen and immunoglobulin. d Cytokine production

Codon optimization was performed using the JCat tool. After codon optimization, the sequence length of the designed structure was 2352 nucleotides. The codon compatibility index and the GC content of the nucleotide sequence before the optimization were 0.311% and 66.24%, respectively. After codon optimization, the parameters were 1% and 50.73%, respectively (Fig.11a, b). The simulation of the optimized sequence of the vaccine candidate in pET-28a(+) using the SnapGene software showed that the vaccine candidate sequence is clonable in pET-28a(+) (Fig.12a). In the middle of the designed construct, there is a cleavage site for HindIII and BsrGI enzymes, so we set the first and last sequence of the construct with NcoI and XhoI enzymes, respectively. Double digestion with NcoI and XhoI enzymes showed presence of vaccine candidate (2346bp) together with pET-28a(+) vector (5231bp) (Fig.12b).

Codon optimization using the JCat web server. a Before optimization, b after optimization

a Cloning of the designed protein construct into the pET-28a vector (shown in blue). b Informatics evaluation of the cloning of the designed protein by double digest

More here:

Introduction of protein vaccine candidate based on AP65, AP33, and -actinin proteins against Trichomonas vaginalis ... - Parasites & Vectors

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of cervical cancer by nearly 90%1; however, only an estimated 60% of adult women have been vaccinated for HPV.2 Researchers at NYU Langone, including Catherine Herrman, MD, investigated whether offering HPV vaccines at the time of abortion care could increase vaccination rates among women of reproductive age.

The quality improvement initiative was done at a clinic that offers abortion services. The researchers gave staff extra training about HPV and the vaccine. They also created a new system for talking to patients about the vaccine and getting them vaccinated. This system included prompts for doctors to talk to patients about the vaccine, making it easier for patients to get the vaccine during their clinic visit, and reminding patients to come back for the extra shots they need.

Before the new system was in place, about 24% of women who could have gotten the HPV vaccine were counseled, and about 7% started the vaccine series. After the new system was put in place, these numbers went up to 69% and 34%, respectively.3

The researchers also found that most of the women who got the vaccine were Hispanic or Latina and spoke Spanish as a first language.

The study shows that giving HPV vaccines in clinics that offer abortion services is a viable method to get more patients vaccinated for HPV, thus lowering cervical cancer risks for patients as they age.

In an interview with Targeted OncologyTM, Herrman, second-year fellow at NYU Langone, discussed findings and implications from the study she presented at the 2024 Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Annual Meeting on Womens Health.

Targeted Oncology: What was the rationale behind the study you presented at SGO? Herrman: Despite a lot of data about how effective the HPV vaccine is at preventing cervical cancer, the vaccination rates in the United States are still quite low. Unfortunately, both HPV and cervical cancer are disproportionately affecting women who belong to groups that have been marginalized. To improve that vaccine uptake and help resolve these disparities, we felt like a creative solution was needed, which was why we thought of abortion care. It is common; 1 in 4 women get an abortion during the reproductive years, and it may help capture women earlier in the reproductive years when the vaccine is most likely to be beneficial.

What was the methodology for your analysis?

[We did a] quality improvement study. Before we initiated our workflow, we did a retrospective chart review in the preceding 6 months leading up to when we implemented the study workflow, just to capture our baseline counseling and vaccination rates. Then, we implemented the workflow for 31 weeks that incorporated 4 different tenets. The first was standardizing counseling. To do that, we embedded a standardized note template that everyone could use. We also did some in-person education with providers, and then also provided them with a handout on commonly asked patient questions to help with their counseling. We then also worked with our [post anesthesia care unit] and clinic nursing teams to help streamline same-day vaccinations for patients who were either getting a medical or surgical abortion. We also had a follow-up workflow that consisted of a tracking list that was embedded within the [electronic medical record]. Patients were scheduled by the nurse administering their current vaccine for their follow-up vaccine. We also did reminder texts or phone calls based on patient preference.

Can you discuss your findings?

Before we implemented the workflow, we had 265 patients who were eligible for vaccination in the 6 months leading up to the study. Only 20.3% of those patients were counseled on HPV vaccination. Of the eligible patients, only 6.8% went on to start the series. After we implemented this study, we had 300 patients who were eligible. During the 31 weeks that we had the study running, the counseling rate increased to 68.7%. Of the patients who are counseled, 63% accepted it. Among the patients who accepted it, 78.5% received at least 1 dose. Our overall rate of patients who were eligible who then received at least 1 dose of the vaccine went from 6.8% to 34%.

During the study period, our data on completing the vaccine series [are not] fully mature yet. We are still waiting on several [patients] to determine whether or not they have completed it. But we have had 41.4% of the 99 patients who were due for a subsequent dose come back to get at least 1 additional dose and we've had 13 patients who have completed the series.

Were there any patients subgroups where this initiative appeared particularly effective?

We did not do any sort of subgroup analysis, but I will say that our cohort was quite diverse. We naturally sort of had a breakdown of what some people might consider subgroups in other studies. Our median age was 30. The most common language among the patients who were vaccinated with Spanish; that was 66% of patients. We had self-identified ethnicity data on 50 of the patients. The most common was Ecuadorian, that was at 41%. We also had Mexican at 12%, and Dominican at 8%. We had a very diverse group of patients.

What are the implications of these findings for patients and clinicians?

I think the conclusions we can draw from this is that it is feasible and effective to implement an HPV vaccine workflow into an abortion clinic. I think it speaks to the fact that abortion care is a huge opportunity to address vaccination gaps in reproductive-age patients. We know from the population that we implemented this in that it can be effective among patients who are very under resourced and those patients who are most at risk for cervical cancer disparities. I think it is a call to action for referral centers who are still performing abortions. The states that have implemented abortion bans tend to be the states that also have the lowest rates of HPV vaccination. As patients are coming from those states to get abortions, we now have the opportunity to address 2 disparities at once. I think that's a something that we need to be mindful of as providers.

Read this article:

New Strategies for Cervical Cancer Prevention With HPV Vaccines - Targeted Oncology

Topline

HPV vaccination rates are the lowest among Hispanics, males and Americans with low education levels, according to a new study, and the reasons may include lack of knowledge surrounding HPV including a misconception that it a womens vaccine.

Hpv vaccine in doctors hand

getty

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., and although it can lead to certain types of cancers later on in life, most infections go away on their own without symptoms.

The HPV vaccine was initially recommended by the Food and Drug Administration for use in children between 11 and 12, and for catch-up vaccinations for those up to 26 years old, but the FDA expanded use in adults between 27 and 45 in 2018.

The researchers reviewed health data between 2018 and 2019 from 9,440 participants aged 27 to 45, and discovered males, Hispanics and lower-income participants were the least likely to be vaccinated against HPV, according to the study published Thursday in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics.

Women were three times more likely to be vaccinated compared to men, and Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters, lead author and a head and neck cancer epidemiologist at the Duke University School of Medicine, said in a statement men are in particular need of increased knowledge of the vaccine, since anal and oropharyngeal cancer rates, which are known to originate from the HPV virus, are on the rise.

Only about 12% of Hispanic participants were vaccinated against HPV, and the researchers found they were 27% less likely to be vaccinated compared to non-Hispanic whites, while non-Hispanic Blacks were 36% more likely to get vaccinated.

Participants who only had a high school diploma or who had finished some college were also less likely to be vaccinated compared to those with at least one degree, according to the study.

42 million. Thats how many Americans are infected with the types of HPV known to cause disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Around 13 million American adults and children are infected each year.

The HPV vaccine is a series of two or three shots, and was first approved in 2006 for only women, five years before it was approved for use in men. Because of this, the vaccine has historically been known as a womens only vaccine, though men also benefit from it, according to a study published in Preventive Medicine. HPV can cause several types of cancers like cervical and vaginal, but the most common type of cancer it leads to is oropharyngeal, according to the study, and 75% of patients diagnosed with this type of cancer are men. Although vaccination rates among Hispanic teens is high, coverage among Hispanic adults is low, a 2023 study found. The study chalks this up to potential misconceptions among the community, as Hispanic participants were 8% more likely to believe HPV-related misconceptions than non-Hispanic participants. A separate study found Hispanic men and women had the lowest knowledge of HPV, while non-Hispanic white women and men had the highest. The lack of awareness among those with lower education statuses may be the reason for lower vaccination rates. Only 40% of adults with less than a high school education are aware of HPV, compared to 78% of adults with a college degree or higher, a JAMA Network Open study found.

Religious reason may also be the cause of low HPV vaccination rates, as some religious leaders advise against getting vaccinated since they believe it promotes premarital sex, according to a Current Oncology study. Research also shows the Covid pandemic may have affected HPV vaccination rates. Researchers examined HPV vaccination rates in young adults in 2018, 2019 and 2022, and found that although rates increased between 2018 and 2019, there was no significant change between 2019 and 2022. They concluded the pandemic disrupted young adults from starting the shot series. Overall negative sentiments toward vaccines following the Covid pandemic may also play a role. Some 3% of kids entering kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year had exemptions for vaccination, which is the highest rate ever reported in U.S. history. Although health agencies have found the coronavirus vaccines to be safe and effective, experts believe the uptick of vaccine exemptions among children is related to skepticism of the updated Covid vaccines approved for use in 2023. Public perception of the importance of childhood vaccines declined in 52 out of 55 countries studied during the Covid pandemic, according to UNICEF.

I'm a Texas native covering the latest trends in tech, science and healthcare through explainer pieces on the breaking news team. Previously, I was a Forbes HBCU Scholar writing under the innovation and health and science teams. In 2022, I graduated from Clark Atlanta University where I was the fashion editor for CAU's official newspaper, the Panther, and the managing editor of Her Campus CAU. During my matriculation, I interned with top companies such as Warner Bros. Discovery and The Walt Disney Company. Got a tip? Don't hesitate to reach out to me via email (ajohnson@forbes.com), or dm me on any social media platform.

Go here to see the original:

HPV Vaccine Less Likely To Be Taken By Hispanics, Males, And Lower-Educated Americans - Forbes

WHO recommends that HWs be vaccinated against a number of antigens ([i]). Globally, countries have most frequently reported vaccinating HWs against hepatitis B, seasonal influenza and measles ([ii]). In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn global attention to the importance of vaccinating health and workers (HWs). Countries are expressing interest in building from their experiences deploying COVID-19 vaccination to develop or strengthen national HW vaccination programmes.

WHO headquarters, regional, and country offices have worked closely with ministries of health to document examples from Argentina, Mongolia, Oman, Paraguay and Thailand. These vignettes provide illuminating snapshots of national HW vaccination programmes and have been published here: Influenza health worker vaccination programmes: platforms for pandemic preparedness

This new publication documents countries experiences leveraging HW vaccination for seasonal influenza and other vaccine-preventable diseases to support COVID-19 vaccine introduction. In addition, it provides insight into the structure, motivations, and value of the HW vaccination programmes. A brief overview of key themes identified in the five country vignettes include:

[i]. Table 4: Summary of WHO position papers immunization of health care workers. In: WHO/Publications [website]. Geneva: World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/table-4-who-recommendations-for-routine-immunization, accessed 30 August 2023).

[ii]. Young S, Goldin S, Dumolard L, Shendale S, McMurren B, Maltezou HC et al. National vaccination policies for health workers a cross-sectional global overview. Vaccine. 2023 Jun 13:S0264-410X(23)00518-2 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37321897/, accessed 30 August 2023).

Original post:

Influenza Health Worker Vaccination Programmes: Platforms for Pandemic Preparedness - World Health Organization (WHO)

TOPLINE:

"Optimizing vaccination status should be considered a key element in the care of patients with cancer," according to the authors of newly released American of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guidelines. Optimizing vaccination status includes ensuring patients and household members receive recommended vaccines and adjusting this strategy depending on patients' underlying immune status and their anticancer therapy.

"Enhancing vaccine uptake against preventable illnesses will help the community and improve the quality of care for patients with cancer," the authors said. "Clinicians play a critical role in helping the patient and caregiver to understand the potential benefits and risks of recommended vaccination[s]. In addition, clinicians should provide authoritative resources, such as fact-based vaccine informational handouts and internet sites, to help patients and caregivers learn more about the topic."

Mini Kamboj, MD, with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, and Elise Kohn, MD, with the National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, served as co-chairs for the expert panel. The guideline was published in March 2024 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The evidence for some vaccines in cancer patients continues to evolve, particularly for new vaccines like COVID-19 vaccines.

This research had no commercial funding. Disclosures for the guideline panel are available with the original article.

See original here:

ASCO Releases Vaccination Guidelines for Adults With Cancer - Medscape

During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the deployment of pandemic influenza vaccines in importing countries was delayed or disrupted due to the lack of regulatory preparedness. This resulted in WHO developing guidelines for non-vaccine producing countries on the appropriate regulatory approaches to the marketing authorization and lot release of pandemic influenza vaccines in public health emergency conditions. These guidelines were developed in the context of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Frameworks Partnership Contribution High Level Implementation Plan, covering regulatory capacity-building and strengthening of pandemic preparedness and response.

However, subsequent public health emergencies such as the Ebola epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic further exposed gaps in regulatory preparedness for other types of pandemic vaccines. The role of national regulatory authorities was not acknowledged in national pandemic preparedness plans, thereby hindering their ability to provide appropriate regulatory oversight.

Using lessons learned from these emergencies, stakeholder feedback, as well findings from WHO Global Benchmarking assessments, WHO initiated the revision of the Guidelines on regulatory preparedness for provision of marketing authorization of human pandemic influenza vaccines in non-vaccine-producing countries. The aim was to expand the scope to cover not just influenza but all pandemic vaccines, and to recommend a harmonised, systematic, risk-based approach for regulating vaccines during a pandemic or other public health emergency in importing countries.

The revised Guidelines empower national regulatory authorities to ensure the timely availability of lifesaving, quality-assured vaccines promoting public health. In particular, these guidelines emphasized the implementation of recognition and reliance principles throughout the entire regulatory system .

The process, supported by the PIP Partnership Contribution, began at the end of 2021 with the development of a concept note and approval from the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization (ECBS) to update the guideline. A drafting group of experts was established in June 2022, with the draft guidelines undergoing three rounds of public consultation including a stakeholder workshop held in Turkiye in April 2023. The revised guideline was approved by the ECBS in October 2023 and will soon be published and available for Member States to implement.

Read the rest here:

Promoting a risk-based approach for the regulatory oversight of vaccines used in pandemics - World Health Organization (WHO)

This biotechnology company has nearly 90% of its market value in cash and investments but is being shunned by investors even as they gravitate to the sector this year.

The company is BioNTech (Ticker BNTX). It partnered with Pfizer to produce the leading Covid vaccine, Comirnaty, whose original messenger RNA technology was developed by BioNTech. It is rare to find any sizable company with so much cash relative to its market cap.

That could offer an opportunity for investors because investors effectively are ascribing little value to the companys Covid vaccine franchise and a drug pipeline geared toward cancer treatments.

What could go right? A large stock buyback program, a payout of a chunk of that cash to investors, potential activist pressure to rein in expenses or distribute the cash or a sale of the company in what has become a more frothy market for biotech companies.

Here are the numbers: The German biotech reported its fourth-quarter results last Wednesday and said it ended the fourth quarter with $19.3 billion of cash and investments, against a current market value of $22.1 billion. It has minimal borrowings and a book value of $22 billion with only $1 billion of intangible assets.

Advertisement - Scroll to Continue

BioNTech shares rose 1.3% Monday at $93 and trade near a 52-week low. The stock is off nearly 30% in the past year, versus an 10% gain for the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB). Its down 80% from its 2021 high of $441.

Wall Street is lukewarm on BioNTech despite the big cash position because of waning sales of Covid vaccines and a cancer-focused drug pipeline without any potential blockbusters that may not deliver its first commercial product until 2026. TD Cowen analyst Yaron Werber wrote recently that the clinical/commercial outlook for each of the oncology drugs is unclear now, making it tough to include them in valuation models. Then there is the risk that the company spends a big chunk of the cash on a questionable acquisition.

We think BNTXs emerging pipeline beyond COVID has upside potential long-term. However, we continue to think investor focus for shares remains on COVID, where we continue to have limited long-term visibility and think uncertainty could create a headwind for shares, particularly in the context of increasing investments spend, wrote UBS analyst Eliana Merle in a client note. She has a Neutral rating and price target of $110.

Advertisement - Scroll to Continue

BioNTechs founders, Ugur Sahin, the CEO, and his wife, Ozlem Tureci, the chief medical officer, are cancer experts and have researched the disease for decades. BioNTech is developing treatments for lung and other cancers.

The company is upbeat on the oncology pipeline, noting 10 Phase 2 and 3 trials under way and a goal of 10 indication approvals by 2030.

The companys 2023 sales were below the Street estimate and its 2024 revenue projection of about $3 billion (nearly all Covid related) was $300 million below the consensus projection.

The FactSet

Advertisement - Scroll to Continue

That projected loss, while not great, is much better than many biotechs with high burn rates and no approved drugs.

The company effectively trades for just one times sales, based on its enterprise value (market value less net cash), a low valuation for a drug company. And BioNTech does offer optionality, or the ability to capitalize on a Covid resurgence that would boost vaccine demand.

Advertisement - Scroll to Continue

Management has indicated that it intends to focus on building out a pipeline of about a dozen drugs, mostly oncology related. The company said in its earnings press release that it will continue to evaluate appropriate corporate development opportunities to help drive growth and create.

But BioNTech has also said that it plans to husband its cash. On its second-quarter earnings conference call last year, Ryan Richardson, the chief strategy officer, said we think its an immense asset to the company to have a strong balance sheet.

The company plans to spend about $2.7 billion on research and development this year, nearly equal to its projected revenues. Thats a hefty amount and could become the focus on investors if the stock continues to languish.

Barrons has written favorably on BioNTech and the stock has proven a disappointment. At current levels, investors are paying little for its core business given all the cash. That could be a good setup for the rest of 2024.

Write to Andrew Bary at andrew.bary@barrons.com

Continue reading here:

This Vaccine Maker Sits on Cash Almost Equal to Its Market Value - Barron's

March 29, 2024

Sean Valles has a simple approach to those who are reluctant to get vaccinated against flu, Covid-19, and other diseases like measles: listen to them and address their concerns.

A hard sell usually does not work, said Valles, PhD, a professor and director of the College of Human Medicines Center for Bioethics and Social Justice.

People advocating for public health are going to have to change strategies, he said, because right now theyre losing the battle. There are a lot of reasons people are vaccine hesitant. How can we address the root causes?

Vaccine hesitancy includes concern about potential side effects, a false belief that a vaccine can cause the disease it is supposed to protect against, unfounded rumors and distrust of medical science fed by Internet conspiracies, and even a fear of needles. Most vaccine skeptics are not completely opposed to vaccination, Valles said.

For some, the problem is less about fear and more a lack of access, often determined by race, income, and Zip Code. The National Network to Innovate for COVID-19 and Adult Vaccine Equity (NNICE), a partnership that includes MSU, Corewell Health and other organizations, was created to address that problem.

The goal, Valles said, is to find people in the community who can make the case for vaccines. Its hard to scare people into healthy behavior. All you tend to do is make them more afraid.

Of particular concern are recent outbreaks of measles, including in Michigan.

In the case of measles, it is so contagious, far and away more than almost anything else, Valles said, that we dont have room for error.

The mumps/measles/rubella (MMR) vaccine has been available and highly effective in preventing the deadly disease since the early 1970s, lulling some parents into a false sense of security that measles has been eradicated, although, in fact, it never left. Other parents fall prone to a highly politicized climate of misinformation.

Vaccine hesitancy has sort of always been there, Valles said, but its become much more organized.

There are always going to be those people who are going to be a hard no, he added, no matter what you say.

The key, he said, is to find those who remain at least partially open-minded.

Valles comments in WILX news story: "New case of measles reported in Michigan"

See the original post:

Vaccine hesitation: Now it's measles | College of Human Medicine | Michigan State University - Michigan State University

Earlier this week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that his 2024 running mate will not be Aaron Rodgers or Jesse Ventura, but Silicon Valley lawyer (and Sergey Brin ex) Nicole Shanahan. What is there to know about Kennedys VP pick? For starters: At a time when in vitro fertilization is under serious threat, shes a major critic of the procedure that has helped millions of people become parents.

Politico reports that Shanahan has for years denounced IVF. In February, she told the Australian Financial Review that IVF is one of the biggest lies thats being told about womens health today. In a 2023 interview with The New Yorker, she told the outlet, Many of the I.V.F. clinics are financially incentivized to offer you egg freezing and I.V.F. and not incentivized to offer you other fertility services. In an essay for People published in 2022, she wrote I believe IVF is sold irresponsibly, and in my own experience with natural childbirth has led me to understand that the fertility industry is deeply flawed. While criticizing IVF, Shanahan has also called for research into things like sunlight exposure to help women have children. Im not sure that there has been a really thorough mitochondrial respiration study on the effects of two hours of morning sunlight on reproductive health. I would love to fund something like that, she said during a 2023 panel with the National Academy of Medicine, a group she had given $100 million. The statement was met with laughs, to which she responded: Yeah, lets do it...I just have an intuition that could be interesting and maybe work.

Elsewhere, it will perhaps not come as a surprise that Kennedys running mate has questions about vaccines, and takes umbrage with the term anti-vaxxer. Speaking to The New York Times earlier this year, she said I do wonder about vaccine injuries. While insisting she is not an anti-vaxxer, she told the outlet I think there needs to be a space to have these conversations. In an interview with Newsweek, she boldly suggested Kennedy is not anti-vaccine, despite the fact that, as CNN notes, Kennedy is among the most prominent vaccine skeptics in the country and, through his role as the head of Childrens Health Defense, has helped spread falsehoods about vaccines, including the claim that they can lead to injuries. In her interview with Newsweek, Shanahan said that she received a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and a booster and later suffered from significant health issues. I dont know if theyre related, she said, but Id love to know.

Before Shanahan was officially added to the ticket, she was a major source of fundingand creative inputfor the Kennedy campaign ad that ran during the Super Bowl and was condemned by more than one member of the Kennedy family. Tony Lyons, a cochairman of the Kennedy-aligned super PAC that produced the commercialwhich recreated a vintage JFK political ad from 1960told the Times Shanahan was the driving force behind the decision to remake the spot.

Also, this is the one he can make money off of

Follow this link:

Vaccines, IVF, That Super Bowl Ad: What to Know About Nicole Shanahan, RFK Jr.'s Running Mate - Vanity Fair