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NIH Program Pilots Drug Development For Schistosomiasis, Other Rare Illnesses
The NIH Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) program has “launched five pilot projects that are taking the [NIH] in a new direction: developing drugs,” writes the Wall Street Journal. Among the projects is one that targets “drug development … for parasitic diseases schistosomiasis and hookworm.” The program, which has a $24 million budget, targets rare diseases because “many pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to take on the risks and expense of trying to develop new drugs for these conditions,” the newspaper writes. “‘Most with the problems we are addressing are not scientific issues,’ said Christopher P. Austin, director of the NIH program. ‘They are operational issues’” (Marcus, 7/24).
Cold Weather In Peru Prompts Emergency Declaration
“The Peruvian government has declared a state of emergency in more than half the country due to cold weather,” BBC News reports. This season, temperatures have reached -24C [11F]. The state of emergency was “declared in 14 of Peru’s 24 regions” and “means regional authorities can dip into emergency funds to supply medicine, blankets and shelter to those most affected,” based on the news service. Doctors attribute “malnutrition, extreme poverty and poor living conditions” as “major contributing factors” to hundreds of related deaths that have occurred inside the country (Collyns, 7/24).
Russia And U.S. Emergency Officials To Cooperate On Emergency Situations, Humanitarian Aid
Russian and U.S. chief emergency officials signed a joint statement outlining “key locations of cooperation” in “prevention and handling of emergency situations,” KyivPost reports. “This may be the 1st meeting between Russian and U.S. chief emergency officials under the [U.S.-Russian Bilateral Presidential Commission],” stated Yury Brazhnikov, a representative from the Russian emergencies ministry (7/23). Xinhua adds that “one with the immediate joint projects is offering aid to Kyrgyz population, stated Brazhnikov.” Among other key areas are the “joint assessment of food security” and emergency preparedness in Central Asia, “joint humanitarian response drills,” and “increased exchange of specialists and details between the Russian and U.S. humanitarian aid agencies” (7/24).
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