Global health briefs - November 2018

November / December 2018 | Volume 17, Number 6

NIH programs advance global genomics

NIH efforts to advance understanding of gene variants and their connections to health are detailed in a report published by Human Mutation. The Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen) and Clinical Variants (ClinVar) programs have brought together more than 730 global experts to standardize methods and enrolled participants from 32 countries.

• ClinGen and ClinVar - Enabling Genomics in Precision Medicine
  Human Mutation, November 2018

NIH Disease Prevention Office unveils plan

The NIH Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) has released its new strategic plan focusing on three cross-cutting themes: leading causes and risk factors for premature mortality and morbidity, health disparities, and dissemination and implementation research. ODP will also prioritize research to reduce the impact of tobacco on health.

• ODP Strategic Plan FY 2019-2023, Prevention Research: Building a Healthier Future

WHO focuses on childhood cancer

WHO has set the goal of doubling the worldwide cure rate for children with cancer by 2030, through a new global initiative. Cancer is a leading cause of death for children, with 300,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

• Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer
  World Health Organization, September 2018

Study ranks human capital investment

Investments in human capital - defined as a population’s aggregate levels of education, training, skills and health - vary widely between countries, according to a new report funded by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). The analysis, published in The Lancet, examines data from 195 countries between 1990 and 2016.

• Measuring human capital: a systematic analysis of 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016
  The Lancet, October 6, 2018

Researchers consider economics of AMR

A new publication examines the interaction of infectious disease threats with economic activity and suggests potential areas for study. The report was produced by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, based on discussions the organization hosted recently.

• Understanding the Economics of Microbial Threats: Proceedings of a Workshop
  National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, October 2018

Traditional medicine recognized by WHO

For the first time, the WHO is recognizing traditional Chinese medicine by including it in the latest version of its global compendium, known as the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD). The World Health Assembly is expected to endorse ICD-11 in 2019.

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