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
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
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
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Have just started this book, which thus far is very much as anticipated.
Screenshot of paragraph reading: "There’s nothing like a rapidly spreading respiratory infectious disease to emphasize just how connected the modern world is. For most of human history it would have taken years for a virus to spread from China to Europe. Now it could happen in less time than it took to marinade the ribs on the Hard Rock menu. In fact, COVID-19 may have been spreading around us at Davos already: The WEF was packed, with lots of attendees from China and across the world. Cynthia and I both caught respiratory infections there, becoming sick on the last day, and passed them on to my deputy CEO at Gavi, who became quite ill. We later suspected that it might have been COVID-19, though we can’t be sure as there were no tests at the time. At the bar that night, we agreed that there was potential for the new virus to spread dramatically. Regardless of whether this was or was not the Big One, we needed to prepare."
December 4, 2025 at 8:59 PM
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
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
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Update on the #Marburg outbreak in Ethiopia:
Image of the Dec 2 daily update from the Ethiopian ministry of health found here https://x.com/FMoHealth/status/1995907476013658364/photo/2
December 2, 2025 at 7:12 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Seeing too many articles talking about challenges accessing extremely pricey drugs in Canada that make no mention of the absolutely outrageous amounts of money the pharma companies are pulling in.💰💊
Vertex is on track to make $10 Billion+ USD off Trikafta this year (again). 👀A 10x blockbuster drug!
Screenshot from Vertex 3rd quarter earnings showing over $7.7 billion in earnings in the first 3 quarters from Trikafta alone https://investors.vrtx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/vertex-reports-third-quarter-2025-financial-results
November 29, 2025 at 2:38 AM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
While there are definitely things to like in the recent Expert Committee #Pharmacare report, the report from Canada's Drug Agency is clearer on the inclusions/exclusions, and underlying reasoning, of a potential national formulary.📜💊 #EssentialMedicines
www.cda-amc.ca/sites/defaul...
Screenshot of the cover of the linked report entitled "Preparing an Essential Prescription Drugs and Related Products List: A Report From the Advisory Panel"
November 28, 2025 at 7:53 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
🤔So about this Bill "to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify that artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies can qualify as a practitioner eligible to prescribe drugs"...
🖥️💊
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
Screenshot of the text of the bill from the link
November 28, 2025 at 7:03 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Update on the #Marburg outbreak in Ethiopia.
Image of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health's Nov 27 Marburg update from https://x.com/FMoHealth/status/1994097787898568771/photo/2
November 27, 2025 at 11:39 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Ugh, that's because I'd thought you'd learned your lesson the LAST time. web.archive.org/web/20180125...
Screenshot of the heading and first two paragraphs of the linked document (FDA warning against injectable silicone)
November 26, 2025 at 10:20 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Today in cautionary tales:
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes... #botox
Screenshot of the MMWR headline "Notes From the Field: Severe Illnesses After Self-Injection of Botulinum Toxin Purchased Online — New York, Texas, and Wisconsin, 2025" from the linked article
November 26, 2025 at 9:52 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
And against the backdrop of donor countries slashing their aid contributions, including to the #GlobalFund...
Here's the 2025 #WorldAIDSDay report from @unaids.org:
www.unaids.org/en/resources...
Screenshot of the first 3 paragraphs of the linked press release
November 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Update from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health on the #Marburg outbreak.
Screenshot of this graphic from the Ministry's twitter account: https://x.com/FMoHealth/status/1993024321518780722/photo/2 Currently 64 lab investigations, 10 confirmed cases, 10 confirmed deaths, 5 patients on treatment
November 24, 2025 at 7:06 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Last week's FAAE meeting on Canada's Africa Strategy prioritized economics and "deals" (while totally glossing over aid cuts).
Now at Africa's first #G20 summit (coinciding with Canada slashing its #GlobalFund contributions), it seems Africa is a lower priority for those deals?
🤔
The four paragraphs under the heading "Prime Minister’s first visit to sub-Saharan Africa since taking office" from this article https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-carney-feminist-foreign-policy-g20-johannesburg-south-african-joint/
November 23, 2025 at 10:01 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Ethiopia's Ministry of Health doing a good job providing daily updates on the #Marburg outbreak:
Copy of this graphic from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health's twitter account https://x.com/FMoHealth/status/1992315645439115488/photo/2
November 22, 2025 at 7:53 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Lots to like in this #pharmacare report (it's feisty!) tho I still worry its approach to WHO #EssentialMedicines lets fall through the cracks the many drugs on the WHO EML💊📜, from #albendazole to #tuberculosis drugs, that aren't actually sold in Canada despite being the recognized standard of care.
Screenshot of the cover of the Final Report of the National Pharmacare Committee of Experts 2025 from this link: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/documents/services/publications/health-system-services/health-system-services-report-national-pharmacare-committee-experts/report-national-pharmacare-committee-experts.pdf
November 22, 2025 at 1:36 AM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Update from Ethiopia's Ministry of Health (via their twitter account) on the #Marburg outbreak:
Graphic from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health twitter https://x.com/FMoHealth/status/1991534444671562178/photo/2 Showing 33 lab investigations, 6 confirmed patients, 3 deaths, 3 patients on treatment
November 21, 2025 at 4:04 AM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
If you're interested in @msf.ca's previous comments around Canada's approach to Africa & the development of Canada's long-gestating Africa Strategy (including capacity issues hampering the role Canada can play), see, e.g., this FAAE submission last year: www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Comm...
Screenshot of the header and title of the linked briefing document
November 20, 2025 at 9:42 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Well, Canada's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development ( #FAAE) is talking about "Canada's Africa Strategy" again...
www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentView...
Screenshot of the linked meeting notice.
November 20, 2025 at 8:40 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
The conclusion of the press release calling for action from the South African government on access to #lenacapavir.
#Gilead #GlobalFund #HIV
Screenshot of the final paragraph of the press release linked above, reading "Today, we call on the South African government to demand that Gilead includes additional African licensees with manufacturing capacity in its voluntary licensing arrangements in the interests of fostering self-reliance; and to begin to take steps to issue a compulsory license against Gilead. This will open pathways to generic supply and ensure lifesaving innovations are not held hostage to corporate greed and political interests. South Africa must also insist on and ensure that the Global Fund disclose the prices it will pay Gilead, for the initial allocation, since public resources are implicated. Transparency is not negotiable, nor our lives. "
November 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
NGOs call for South African government to take decisive action on access to #lenacapavir for HIV PrEP, including taking steps toward issuing a #CompulsoryLicense. 💊⚖️
healthjusticeinitiative.org.za/2025/11/20/a...
Screenshot of the title/date of the linked press release featuring a range of logos from NGOs
November 20, 2025 at 6:57 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Update from Ethiopia's Ministry of Health (via their twitter account) on the #Marburg outbreak:
Screenshot of the image found here https://x.com/FMoHealth/status/1991165335496434169/photo/2 showing 28 lab investigations, with 4 confirmed cases and 3 deaths
November 19, 2025 at 8:21 PM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
Canada's #Budget2025 (which grotesquely frames a $2.7billion cut in international assistance as "Savings", & rather than leading by continuing to give more to global health than "other similar economies" chooses to follow those similar economies despite clear & deadly impacts of their cuts) passes.
Excerpt of budget 2025 showing the cut to international development assistance being listed as "savings" excerpt from the budget showing there will be a reduction in global health programming funding "where Canada's contribution has grown disproportionately relative to other similar economies"
November 18, 2025 at 12:36 AM
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
" #Tuberculosis outbreak declared in Edmonton's inner-city" www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/release...
Screenshot of the title and first three paragraphs of the linked press release
November 16, 2025 at 3:47 AM