Good Day BIO: 40 million kids are at risk of measles

Today, we look at the need to get childhood immunization—especially for measles—back on track, and the latest updates on the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. (581 words, 2 minutes, 54 seconds)

40 million children worldwide at risk of measles

Childhood vaccinations, including for measles, are down due to the COVID pandemic, putting millions of children at risk of contracting preventable diseases.  

The news: In 2021, nearly 40 million children missed a measles vaccine dose—a record high, according to new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The impact: 9 million cases and 128,000 deaths from measles the same year, with “large and disruptive outbreaks” in 22 countries.

Why it matters: Measles is “almost entirely preventable through vaccination,” says the WHO. Since 2016, however, “10 countries that had previously eliminated measles experienced outbreaks and reestablished transmission.”

The U.S. is not immune—with more than 50 cases detected this year, according to The Washington Post.

And it’s not just measles,as we previously reported. Millions of kids worldwide missed DTP3 (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) and other routine vaccines in 2021, which saw “the largest sustained decline in childhood vaccinations in approximately 30 years.”

The bottom line: “Getting immunization programs back on track is absolutely critical,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Behind every statistic in this report is a child at risk of a preventable disease.”

More Reading:Routine vaccines save 10.5 million lives in the U.S. each year—but we need to get routine vaccination and childhood vaccination back on track.

More Health News: 

The New York Times: One step closer to a universal flu vaccine?
“A new study describes successful animal tests of just such a vaccine, offering hope that the country can be protected against future flu pandemics. Like the COVID vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, the experimental flu vaccine relies on mRNA.”

Is the world ready for the Inflation Reduction Act?

Remember the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)? It’s back in the news and getting some attention in Congress today—here’s the latest.

The context: The EU claims the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is protectionist due to the bill’s green subsidies and mandates that certain technology is manufactured in North America, reports POLITICO. Concerns about a trade war between the U.S. and the EU are growing.

But the EU should “match what the U.S. has done,”said former Vice President Al Gore during a POLITICO event. “It’s by far the most significant climate legislation ever passed by any country and in all of history.”

Sure, there are problems with the bill—specifically, the drug price controls expected to kill investment in drug R&D and innovation.

But there are good things, too—including provisions that will support the development of sustainable aviation fuels and biotech solutions to address the climate impact of agriculture, as we previously reported.

What we need now: MORE investment in biotech to achieve the legislation’s historic goals and a regulatory system that supports the development and deployment of these tools, BIO recently told President Biden.

The next steps: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing today on the private sector’s perspective on the law, with witnesses from transportation, construction, and electric vehicles. BIO is continuing to work to keep biotech part of the conversation, too.

President Biden’s Wednesday: Attending the White House Tribal Nations Summit at the Dept. of the Interior, then participating in the National Christmas Tree lighting.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The Senate passed legislation yesterday to protect same-sex and interracial marriage, with 12 Republicans joining Democrats in support. The bill is expected to pass the House easily, per Axios. Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing, Putting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Work: The Private Sector Perspective.