On Friday, March 5, 2010, over thirty Canadian health stakeholders (representing patients, providers, government, academics and industry) participated in a roundtable meeting to discuss the new paradigm of benefit-risk introduced in Bill C-51.

U.S. Senate and House Committees on Foreign Relations held hearings (March 10 & 11, 2010) focusing on future challenges and opportunities in global health.  This WHA report (see attached) provides an overview of discussions from these hearings and the videos capture some of the highlights.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced today that they will commit $10 billion over the next 10 years to help research, develop and deliver vaccines for the world’s poorest countries.  The Foundation estimates that increased vaccination could save more than 8 million children by 2020.

“We must make this the decade of vaccines,” said Bill Gates. “Vaccines already save and improve millions of lives in developing countries. Innovation will make it possible to save more children than ever before.”

Presentation by Dr. Fiona Adshead (Director, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion, WHO) at the International Alliance of Patient Organization's Patient Workshop: working effectively with the WHO.  This workshop, organized by World Health Advocacy, was held on May 18, 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland prior to the 2009 World Health Assembly.