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Many challenges exist to delivering proven interventions for preventing pediatric HIV infections

Last week's "scientific report on the 'functional cure' of a HIV-infected infant has set the world's media ablaze with discussion and speculation," Randal Kuhn, director of the Global Health Affairs Program at the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies, and Benjamin Young, chief medical officer of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, write in a GlobalPost opinion piece.

12 Mar 2013

PEPFAR should consider performance-based financing

"The recent IOM evaluation of PEPFAR made clear that a key challenge for the program moving forward will be to get country governments to effectively assume primary responsibility of AIDS programs in their countries, both in terms of finances and 'leadership,'" Victoria Fan and Jenny Ottenhoff of the Center for Global Development write in the center's "Global Health Policy" blog.

11 Mar 2013

MiR-198 controls migration of skin cells necessary for wounds to close and heal

Patients with diseases such as diabetes suffer from painful wounds that take a long time to heal making them more susceptible to infections that could even lead to amputations. A*STAR's discovery paves the way for therapeutics to improve healing of such chronic wounds, which are a significant burden to patients.

11 Mar 2013

Health-related MDGs should 'remain at the heart' of post-2015 goals

Mark Suzman, managing director for International Policy, Programs & Advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, writes in the foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and how "there is a heightened sense of urgency to ensure we do everything possible to meet this ambitious deadline of 2015 -- and to make sure that a new set of goals are set that keep up the critical momentum."

11 Mar 2013

Examining sequestration's effects on global health spending

"Although we're several days into sequestration, details about the full impact of funding cuts are still hazy," Kim Lufkin, communications officer of the Global Health Technologies Coalition, writes in the group's "Breakthroughs" blog, noting, "On [March 1], the Office of Management and Budget released a report to Congress, which details funding cuts required to offset $85 billion in the fiscal year 2013 budget."

11 Mar 2013

Blog reports on case of 'U.N. cholera denial' in Zimbabwe

"There is understandable outrage over the United Nation's reaction to its role in first creating and then denying responsibility for Haiti's cholera outbreak in 2010 that killed 8,000 people," Todd Moss, vice president for programs and senior fellow at the Center for Global Development (CGD), writes in the center's "Global Health Policy" blog.

11 Mar 2013

Scientist awarded $1.2M grant to develop therapy to reduce premature births

A scientist at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has been awarded a $1.2 million grant to develop a therapy to reduce the prevalence of premature births, which today affect more than 15 million newborns worldwide each year.

11 Mar 2013

U.S. global health investments must continue

"A decade ago, as I was beginning my time as Senate majority leader, bipartisan consensus in Washington helped launch a new era of progress in global health just when it was sorely needed," former Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) writes in a Roll Call opinion piece.

11 Mar 2013

Blog examines U.S. progress in gender equality, calls on NGOs to do their part

"The past four years have brought some exciting changes in the U.S. government when it comes to progress in gender equality," Maryce Ramsey, senior gender equality adviser for IntraHealth International, writes in the organization's "Global Health Blog."

11 Mar 2013

International community should 'strengthen and sustain' efforts to prevent GBV, HIV

Noting the ongoing 57th session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and International Women's Day, recognized today, Ambassador Eric Goosby, U.S. global AIDS coordinator and head of the State Department's Office of Global Health Diplomacy, and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé write in the Huffington Post's "Global Motherhood" blog.

11 Mar 2013

Blog highlights Kaiser Family Foundation primer on U.S. government's engagement in global health

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's "New Public Health" blog highlights a report released recently by the Kaiser Family Foundation, titled "The U.S. Government Engagement in Global Health: A Primer," writing, "The report describes the U.S. agencies and programs involved in global health and the federal budget supporting these efforts."

11 Mar 2013

Media coverage of 'functional cure' in baby born with HIV continues

Highlighting the recent case of an infant reportedly cured of HIV infection "after a swiftly administered course of drugs," Scientific American writes, "A number of factors make the child's case unique, ... and clinicians caution that we have not discovered a general cure for HIV yet. Still, the medical first may hint at ways to fight the AIDS-causing virus."

8 Mar 2013

IRIN examines impact of HIV funding on national health care systems

In an article in its "Building Resilience" series, IRIN examines the impact of HIV funding on health care systems in developing countries, writing, "Some have argued that the AIDS epidemic has helped generate an overall increase in health funding and mobilized an international push for more equitable health care access. But others maintain that the billions of donor dollars spent fighting HIV/AIDS in the last decade have done little to strengthen fragile national health systems."

8 Mar 2013

'Strong' FY14 budget request for Global Fund can ensure investment returns

Amanda Glassman and Jenny Ottenhoff of the Center for Global Development (CGD) write in the CGD's "Global Health Policy" blog about "the tough trade-offs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must be considering as they finalize the president's FY14 budget request to Congress, expected to be released in mid-March."

8 Mar 2013

Cancer scientists publish commentary describing path forward for research, prevention

Science Translational Medicine on Wednesday published a commentary "authored by Harold Varmus, Nobel prize-winning director of the National Cancer Institute in the U.S., and by Harpal Kumar, CEO of Cancer Research U.K., on behalf of leading cancer research institutions from Australia to Argentina and Taiwan to Turkey," in which they describe a plan for addressing cancer in developed and developing countries, Guardian health editor Sarah Boseley reports in her "Global Health Blog."

8 Mar 2013

'Science Speaks' blog reports from 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections

The Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog on Wednesday published a series of posts on the 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), which took place in Atlanta, Georgia, from Sunday to Wednesday.

8 Mar 2013

Lower back pain and spinal cancer: an interview with Dr Nicholas Henschke, University of Heidelberg

While lower back pain is a common condition around the world, in only a very small proportion of people – less than 5% - will this be caused by a serious problem such as fracture, infection, or tumour.

7 Mar 2013

Link between processed meat and cardiovascular disease and cancer

In a huge study of half a million men and women, research in Biomed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine demonstrates an association between processed meat and cardiovascular disease and cancer.

7 Mar 2013

USAID working with non-profit partners to improve health systems worldwide

"It takes only a fraction of a single penny per American taxpayer dollar to train a global health workforce -- a workforce that will reach millions through treatment, prevention and counseling services," Ariel Pablos-Mendez, assistant administrator for global health at USAID, and Pape Gaye, president and CEO of IntraHealth International, write in USAID's "IMPACTblog."

6 Mar 2013

Media examine reaction to, potential implications of 'functional cure' of infant born with HIV

"The remarkable case of a baby being cured of HIV infection in the United States using readily available drugs has raised new hope for eradicating the infection in infants worldwide, but scientists say it will take a lot more research and much more sensitive diagnostics before this hope becomes a reality," Reuters reports.

6 Mar 2013