Adam R Houston
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healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Adam R Houston
@healthlawadamh.bsky.social
7.2K followers 860 following 1.1K posts
Health/Law/Human Rights. Thinking globally, meeting CanCon requirements. Disproportionately but not exclusively access to medicines/global health/humanitarian response/public health/infectious disease.
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healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Adam R Houston @healthlawadamh.bsky.social · Mar 25
New from us @plosglobalpublichealth.org
"Cholera vaccines for the rich, #cholera for the poor: While the global cholera vaccine stockpile runs dry, a booming market for high-income countries exemplifies the chasm between commercial interests and global health needs" journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
Screenshot of the title of the article and the PLOS Global Public Health logo
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
It's very weird this article doesn't note Grifols pays for plasma donation in Canada.🩸💰
If the goal is reducing reliance on products made using (paid) donors abroad, that seems relevant?🤔
"Canadian Blood Services reducing reliance on US for life-changing plasma drugs" www.ctvnews.ca/health/artic...
Canadian Blood Services reducing reliance on U.S. for life-changing plasma drugs
According to Canadian Blood Services, the demand for immunoglobulin is rising every year, but 70 per cent of Canada’s supply comes from international sources — mostly the U.S.
www.ctvnews.ca
December 15, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
mbarber.bsky.social
Fresh, sharp work out this week from @treatmentactiongroup.org and @dgotham.bsky.social on the adjuvant access landscape.

For years it’s been taken for granted that adjuvants would be a bottleneck for scaling up new TB and malaria vax.

1/4 💊🌐
www.treatmentactiongroup.org/publication/...
From Forest to Factory: Tracing the Supply Chains for Two Modern Adjuvants of Global Health Importance — QS-21 and MPL – Treatment Action Group
From Forest to Factory: Tracing the Supply Chains for Two Modern Adjuvants of Global Health Importance — QS-21 and MPL provides a first of its kind analysis of the global supply chains of two key adju...
www.treatmentactiongroup.org
December 15, 2025 at 9:08 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
The #Marburg outbreak in Ethiopia is still evolving, with another confirmed case (now 14), another confirmed death (now 9) and another recovery (now 5) over the past few days.
Graphic from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, taken from here https://x.com/FMoHealth/status/2000613318147400176/photo/2
December 15, 2025 at 7:28 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
The fact that no pharma company is showing much interest in getting market approval for a #frostbite treatment IN CANADA of all possible places is a market failure.
canadahealthwatch.ca Canada Healthwatch 🍁 @canadahealthwatch.ca · 12h
Edmonton sees record increase in frostbite amputations, despite innovative treatment https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/frostbite-amputation-edmonton-9.7008065

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca 🍁
Tents in the area of 105A Avenue and 96th Street, Edmonton, Alta., on Thursday, January 11, 2024.
December 15, 2025 at 6:49 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Helpful overview of new pharma changes in the EU:
"EU Clinches Landmark Pharma Reform, but Industry Cites Threat to Competitiveness" healthpolicy-watch.news/eu-clinches-...
EU Clinches Landmark Pharma Reform, But Industry Cites Threat To Competitiveness - Health Policy Watch
The landmark EU Pharma Reform is set to balance innovation and patient access across 27 member states. Read industry warnings about global competitiveness.
healthpolicy-watch.news
December 13, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
So Canada started reviewing job applications for the next Chief Public Health Officer of Canada ( #CPHO)... 11 months ago?🤔
Screenshot of the posting information from a cached copy of the CPHO job listing (https://web.archive.org/web/20241213025012/https://pcogic.njoyn.com/cl3/xweb/xweb.asp?NTKN=c&clid=52106&Page=JobDetails&Jobid=J1224-0017&BRID=299579&lang=1) with the Application Review Date of January 13, 2025 highlighted.
December 12, 2025 at 5:47 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Not totally sure why Cineplex is running the Canada Heritage Minute on the discovery of insulin before the show, but alrighty.

(*Photo was taken BEFORE the pre-show admonishment to put phones away, obviously; I'm not a monster)
Photo taken in a movie theatre of the screen, with some theatre seats visible. On screen is a still from the Discovery of Insulin Canada Heritage Minute, taken at the moment the slogan "A Part of Our Heritage" appears.
December 13, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
kakape.bsky.social
And there it is: FDA has approved zoliflodacin for gonorrhea as well.
That makes two new antibiotics to treat this STI and it means a fascinating debate now about how to use these drugs in a way that will delay resistance as much as possible…
🧪 #IDsky
December 12, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
picardonhealth.bsky.social
10 years of dignity for thalidomide survivors. A dangerous drug gave them a lifetime of disabilities. Hard-won compensation has made difficult days easier and more joyful – but some feel the 2015 settlement still falls short, by @erinanderssen.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/life/article...
Thalidomide survivors look back at 10 years of a more dignified life
A dangerous drug gave them a lifetime of disabilities. Hard-won compensation has made difficult days easier and more joyful – but some feel the 2015 settlement still falls short
www.theglobeandmail.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:28 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
"Cape Town based Biovac has received approval from the South African Health Regulatory Products Authority (SAHPRA) to begin clinical trials of its Oral #Cholera #Vaccine, a breakthrough that could make South Africa, the only African country to manufacture this life-saving vaccine from end to end."
South Africa begins trials of life-saving Oral Cholera
Department of Science and Innovation
www.dsti.gov.za
December 12, 2025 at 6:04 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
So Canada started reviewing job applications for the next Chief Public Health Officer of Canada ( #CPHO)... 11 months ago?🤔
Screenshot of the posting information from a cached copy of the CPHO job listing (https://web.archive.org/web/20241213025012/https://pcogic.njoyn.com/cl3/xweb/xweb.asp?NTKN=c&clid=52106&Page=JobDetails&Jobid=J1224-0017&BRID=299579&lang=1) with the Application Review Date of January 13, 2025 highlighted.
December 12, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
plosglobalpublichealth.org
NEW Review article from @msf.ca:

Not forgetting the humanitarian contexts in the fight against antimicrobial resistance: Operational-driven reflection on knowledge and research gaps by Médecins Sans Frontières

journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
Not forgetting the humanitarian contexts in the fight against antimicrobial resistance: Operational-driven reflection on knowledge and research gaps by Médecins Sans Frontières
Despite Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) being a growing threat to global public health, there is scarce evidence from humanitarian settings. Working in fragile contexts, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) ...
journals.plos.org
December 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Stunning failure after stunning failure, from anti-Indigenous racism to unavailability of #TB drug formulations, in this powerful personal story of the challenges of getting proper care for #tuberculosis in Canada.
"TB in Canada: One Family’s Story and a Call for Change" @stoptbcanada.bsky.social
TB in Canada: One Family’s Story and a Call for Change — Stop TB Canada
By Donna Dumas
www.stoptbcanada.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:18 AM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
An all too Canadian medical R&D story in which the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) spotlights work by an award-winning scientist in a story ending with... a spin-off company, and hopes that "investors will seize the opportunity" to finish the job.🤔 cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/54555.html... 🔬💊🏭💰
Screenshot of the last four paragraphs of the linked article
December 11, 2025 at 8:20 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
🤔"Nunavik ends year with record number of TB cases, as officials promise funding announcement to come"
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #tuberculosis
Screenshot of the first three sentences of the linked article
December 11, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Here's the submission from @msf.ca to this #SRSR Committee study, emphasizing that public investment in health R&D should prioritize generating benefits to the public's health over subsidizing private wealth.
📄💰🔬💊⚖️
English: www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Comm...
French: www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Comm...
December 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
jaimemanzano.bsky.social
On transparency , this is the agreement. Parliament did not manage to get its ammendment on transparency on INDIRECT funding (which is the main funding they get in the EU) @rozscourse.bsky.social
December 11, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
petersinger.bsky.social
Check out my new blog: “Universal Health Coverage: The Emperor has no clothes.” The title speaks for itself. Spoiler alert: The Emperor’s clothes are sewn from accountability for results.

open.substack.com/pub/singerp/...
Universal Health Coverage: The Emperor has no clothes
In the 1837 fairy tale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” everyone refuses to state an obvious truth — that the Emperor is naked.
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:51 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Stunning failure after stunning failure, from anti-Indigenous racism to unavailability of #TB drug formulations, in this powerful personal story of the challenges of getting proper care for #tuberculosis in Canada.
"TB in Canada: One Family’s Story and a Call for Change" @stoptbcanada.bsky.social
TB in Canada: One Family’s Story and a Call for Change — Stop TB Canada
By Donna Dumas
www.stoptbcanada.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:18 AM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Here's the submission from @msf.ca to this #SRSR Committee study, emphasizing that public investment in health R&D should prioritize generating benefits to the public's health over subsidizing private wealth.
📄💰🔬💊⚖️
English: www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Comm...
French: www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Comm...
December 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
So many intriguing angles to the issue of Japanese bear attacks.
"High number of bear attacks possible in 2027 due to expected poor nut harvest"
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12...
High number of bear attacks possible in 2027 due to expected poor nut harvest
Beechnut harvests are considered to influence the number of bear incidents Japan sees each year.
www.japantimes.co.jp
December 9, 2025 at 2:33 AM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Some interesting analysis here:
"Five takeaways from the UN’s aid plans for 2026" www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2025/12...
Screenshot of the three paragraphs of the linked article following the heading "There are prioritization haves and have nots"
December 8, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
The right job for somebody:
MSF Access Executive Director
#AccessToMedicines #a2m 💊⚖️🌐
msf.recruitee.com/o/msf-access...
Screenshot of the job description from the linked document
December 4, 2025 at 5:27 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
😬 "Human-to-Human #Rabies Transmission via Solid Organ #Transplantation from a Donor with Undiagnosed Rabies — United States, October 2024–February 2025"
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
Screenshot of the abstract of the linked article
December 6, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Reposted by Adam R Houston
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
The new Annual Report of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board ( #PMPRB) is out.
Not very cheery. 💊💰
www.canada.ca/en/patented-...
Paragraph from the linked report reading "Our analysis of the market for patented medicines in 2024 characterizes the difference in domestic and international markets for pharmaceuticals. Canadian list prices for patented medicines rose by 1.0% in 2024 while prices in most comparator countries declined. For this reason, Canadian prices were at the top of the PMPRB comparator countries (“PMPRB11”) this year and fifth among the broader set of OECD countries. In general, countries with a GDP per capita similar to Canada tended to have lower prices for patented medicines. Sales of patented medicines in Canada increased by 10.9% to reach $22.1 billion in 2024, representing 47% of the sales of all medicines. At the same time, Rights Holders reported close to $1.4 billion in total spending on research and development (R&D), up 21% from the year before. A closer look at these R&D expenditures shows that over three quarters of reporting companies had an R&D-to-sales ratio below 5%, with 46% reporting no R&D expenditures for 2024. Canada’s overall R&D-to-sales ratio remains well below the average for PMPRB11 countries."
December 3, 2025 at 9:45 PM