Resources

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major, under–recognized public health problem causing more severe respiratory infections and hospitalizations in infants and young children each year than any other pathogen. New immunization tools now recommended for global use by the World Health Organization (WHO) could help change that.The opportunity to address this pervasive virus has never been better. To raise awareness, WHO and PATH have developed a toolkit of communication materials that public health stakeholders and advocates can use to share information about RSV disease, new prevention tools, and delivery considerations. Other expert contributors include the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seattle Children's Hospital/University of Washington, UMC Utrecht, the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), RRD Design, and more.To accommodate varying audience and engagement needs, this toolkit includes a stand-alone RSV primer presentation (and fact sheet) providing an overview of RSV disease and prevention options. Also available are modular PowerPoint slides that can be mixed and matched with the primer presentation to dive deeper into key topics for informing understanding and decision-making around RSV prevention. All slides come with speaker notes.To learn more about the toolkit, visit the web page.NOTE: Files available here as read-only. Editable files are readily available upon request. Please contact us.

Global Health: Science and Practice journal articleWe document the effort over the last 30 years to respond to the call by women advocates at the International Conference on Population and Development for more woman-initiated single or dual-purpose contraceptive methods by developing the Caya contoured diaphragm, an innovative diaphragm designed to meet the needs of women and their partners and expand options for nonhormonal barrier contraception. We describe the complex and interrelated set of activities undertaken to develop the product using a human-centered design process and how we are working to create a corollary sustainable market. This review includes the evidence generated around improved acceptability among couples in low- and middle-income countries and depicts challenges and practical actions on how to dispel misconceptions about diaphragm use. Importantly, we share programmatic lessons learned on increasing universal access to this new sexual and reproductive health technology. Following our new model for increasing access to new and underutilized methods, Caya is now registered and being marketed in nearly 40 countries worldwide.

Surveys to vaccine and pharmaceutical regulators and manufacturers on endotoxin testing methodsEndotoxin testing is essential for ensuring the safety of injectable pharmaceutical products by detecting potentially harmful bacterial toxins.Traditional gold standard method, the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) test, utilizes horseshoe crab blood for endotoxin detection. However, use of horseshoe crab blood led to the decline in horseshoe crab population. It now poses a significant threat to the sustainability of LAL test, impacting the medical field by potentially jeopardizing the safety of pharmaceutical products and posing a significant threat to public health. Advancements in technology have introduced alternatives, notably the recombinant Factor C (rFC) assay, which offers a sustainable and ethical alternative by eliminating the need for horseshoe crab blood.This survey aims to review current endotoxin testing methods and assess the potential for the rFC method to be adopted by manufacturers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).By evaluating the benefits and challenges of rFC technology, this survey seeks to provide valuable insights into how LMIC manufacturers, regulators and stakeholders might navigate the transition to this innovative method, enhancing their testing capabilities while addressing global sustainability and ethical considerations.

Use these slide decks to share the evidence supporting a single-dose regimen of HPV vaccine. Visit the Single-Dose HPV Vaccine Evaluation Consortium page for additional resources.

As of August 2024, nearly 60 countries have adopted a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule. This brief summarizes critical study findings, estimated public health impacts, and current recommendations to assist policymakers with decision-making.