The third issue of the ASSET Paper Series focuses on some highly delicate topics that lie at the intersection of science, ethics, politics, and economics. In the first article of the collection, Donato Greco, epidemiologist and public health expert, discusses about the role and the management of national borders when dealing with both the spread of an infectious disease and the flow of migrants or refugees, citing the recent EU decision on such a matter.
Internationally, the issue of including women in clinical trials of medicines has been addressed in various guidelines issued by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), which promotes regulatory standards for clinical trials. While ICH has specific guidelines on the conduct of clinical trials in paediatric and geriatric populations, there are no consolidated guidelines for the investigation of medicinal product in women.
The phenomenon of “revolving doors” is mentioned when experts often pass from public health to industry and vice versa, raising the suspects of conflicts of interest that could influence their conduct. According to Norman Begg, GSK Vice President, Head of Scientific Affairs and Public Health, Vaccines - who used to be Head of the Immunisation division at the UK Public Health Laboratory Service - this risk should not be prevent people from moving during their careers, but calls for a complete transparency by all the sides involved.
A debate is ongoing if Olympic Games should be cancelled, moved or delayed because of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern declared by WHO on 1st February 2016 on microcephaly in Brazil, which is being proven to be associated with Zika infection. On May 25th, 150 experts in bioethics, public health and social sciences signed an open letter to the WHO, asking to skip the Games, in order to avoid a further spread of the epidemic.
