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Childhood vaccinations dropped in every region in 2021, says new WHO/UNICEF data—here’s what happened and what we can do about it. Plus, BIO’s Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath explains how biotech can address America’s nutritional gaps. (638 words, 3 minutes, 11 seconds
P.S. It’s not too late to register for BIO Asia-Taiwan, happening July 27-31 both in Taipei and online—but hurry, because pre-registration closes on Wednesday, July 20! Get more details and register now. |
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Childhood vaccinations see largest decline in 30 years |
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Vaccinations including DTP3, HPV, and measles “dropped in every region” in 2021, says new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF—an alarming trend that’s reversed decades of progress and put children at risk.
The news: 25 million children missed one or more doses of DTP3 (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) in 2021, a year that saw “the largest sustained decline in childhood vaccinations in approximately 30 years,” reported WHO and UNICEF on Friday.
For context: “This is 2 million more than those who missed out in 2020 and 6 million more than in 2019, highlighting the growing number of children at risk from devastating but preventable diseases,” said the release.
“Vaccine coverage dropped in every region,” said WHO/UNICEF—in line with recent CDC data showing vaccinations among U.S. kindergarteners dropped 1% in the 2020-2021 school year, as we previously reported. (COVID vaccine uptake has been slow among young children, too.)
And it’s not just DTP3—measles and HPV vaccine coverage dropped, too, undoing recent progress.
What they’re saying: “This is a red alert for child health,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “While a pandemic hangover was expected last year as a result of COVID-19 disruptions and lockdowns, what we are seeing now is a continued decline.”
What can we do? WHO and UNICEF are working with Gavi and other partners to deliver the global Immunization Agenda 2030, while Vaccinate Your Family is working to address hesitancy and other challenges in the U.S.—read more.
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‘Biotech is closing America’s nutritional gap,’ says BIO President and CEO |
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Biotechnology can help us address the obesity epidemic, food deserts, and “the scandalous nutrition gap between rich and poor,” writes BIO President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath in Agri-Pulse.
The American nutrition paradox: “Two-thirds of American adults are overweight, and more than half of those suffer from clinical obesity—as do roughly 17% of American children aged 2-19,” she writes. At the same time, more than 38 million people in the U.S. are food insecure, according to USDA.
“Less publicized but no less tragic is the inequity of this crisis,” she continues. “Nearly half of Black adults are obese—the highest of any racial group, just ahead of Hispanics. Black households are twice as likely as whites to face food insecurity,” and live in food deserts.
“The task before us, then, is to produce more and healthier food in a more equitable and sustainable way”—and “scientific innovation provides the key to achieving it.”
There are many examples—from Acceligen’s use of precision breeding to raise healthier and more resilient livestock, to AquaBounty’s genetically engineered salmon that can grow more efficiently and sustainably, to plant-based protein and the wide variety of crops that are being engineered to have greater nutritional value and resilience in the face of climate threats.
The bottom line: “In the 21st century, no American should suffer from food insecurity, malnutrition, or diet-related pain and diseases—least of all communities who have been on the wrong side of health, wealth, and opportunity inequities for too long,” concludes Dr. McMurry-Heath. “Biotechnology is poised to make good on that promise.”
Read and share the whole thing. |
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