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In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week.

October 17, 2013 by Kim Lufkin

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week.

Now that the federal government shutdown has ended, scientists nationwide are returning to work. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation can resume processing grant applications that have been piling up during the 16-day shutdown and accepting new applications. Additionally, biomedical scientists will be able to enroll patients in trials and studies at NIH’s clinical research center.

The European Medicines Agency recently launched an updated version of its European Clinical Trials Database, which will feed into the agency’s goal of making summaries of clinical trial data publically available. Increased access to clinical trial data could benefit research to develop drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and other health tools—including those for diseases endemic in low- and middle-income countries.

A new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases shows that, for the first time, an oral cholera vaccine provides sustained protection against the disease in humans for up to five years.

During the government shutdown, the US Food and Drug Administration reported significant delays in reviews and approvals for new drugs and medical products.

A new opinion piece examines efforts to develop a safe and effective HIV and AIDS vaccine following the recent AIDS Vaccine 2013 conference in Spain.

About the author

Kim LufkinGHTC

Kim Lufkin is a communications officer at GHTC.