A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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December 17, 2012 - We had an "international consultation" on the problem of gain of function research on H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) (see above discussions). The meeting took over two days from December 17 to December 18 and was conducted at the Natcher Auditorium at the National Institutes of Health. This is a continuing issue and a source of great discussion about what experiments should or should not be funded by the National Institutes of Health on this topic. I gave the opening keynote which everyone felt very clearly defined the issues. We will now finalize the draft of "Framework" for addressing the issue of what grants and contracts we should or should not fund that relate to a gain of function regarding respiratory transmissibility in mammals of the HPAI H5N1 influenza. I am trying to get myself out of this argument which has consumed a considerable amount of my time over the past 14 months.
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Dec. 30, 2012 - Interesting and potentially bad news regarding Sec. Hillary Clinton. A couple of weeks ago she reportedly fell and had a "concussion" that kept her out of the public eye for ~ 3 weeks. Report today that she was admitted to NY Presbyterian lso, Hospital for a "clot" and is supposed to be receiving anticoagulation. Her staff are being very close-to-the-vest about his. Cannot figure out if she just has thrombophlebitis or if she had a pulmonary embolus. Certainly could not have had a subdural hematoma since one would never anticoagulant under these circumstances. Turned out she had a venous thrombosis of a skull vein, not involving the brain
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Jan. 3, 2013 - A lot of influenza activity exploding throughout the country with H3N2 that matches the vaccine. Early start and big spike with widespread activity throughout the country. Appeared on Fox Local News this evening.
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Jan. 7, 2013 - Interesting telephone call with Paul Stoffels today. Paul is CEO of Johnson and Johnson that owns Janssen Pharmacueticals as well as Crucell. He is excited about the Dan Barouch HIV candidate using Adenovirus 26/35 + MVA boost and wants to develop it as an HIV vaccine. He wants to partner with me and NIAID in this endeavor. This is relevant to the meeting tomorrow night in Building 31
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2013-01-08 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
Jan. 8, 2013 - Flu activity accelerating. Appearing on WUSA - Channel 9 today. Also, appeared this evening on Wolf Blitzer "Situation Room" regarding the flu epidemic. Went very well This evening meeting of the P5 vaccine consortium in Building 31, 7A-24. Successful meeting involving all of the players from Gates Foundation (Trevar Mundell, Stefano bertozzi, Peggy Johnston, Nina Russell), the Army (Nelson Michael, Jerome Kim), HVTN (Larry Corey, Peter Gilbert, etc.) See pdf for full contingent. image.pdf Main purpose of the meeting was to re-group and summarize where we are in the planning of the P5 (Pox Protein Public Private Partnership) for HIV vaccine). Presentation by Larry Corey, Gepi Pantaleo, Peter Gilbert, Julie McElrath, Glenda Gray (RSA) on the NYVAC +/- DNA + protein approach; and by Dan Barouch, Hanneke Schuitemaker (Crucell) on the Adenovirus (Ad 26/35 + protein + adjuvant) approach. One of the problems is that Novartis, who is supposed to supply the envelope protein for the Corey trial will be about 1 year late in delivering the protein. Many of us are angry with them about this since they have not been forthcoming. Also, the correlates of immunity from the RV144 (Thai) trial indicate that protection might be related to response against the V2 loop of the envelope and specifically against residue 169 in this region. Problem is that the envelope used in both proposed trials will not even address this. The envelope that grows well in cell cultures will be used. Balance of empiric with scientific. Gepi Pantaleo, Larry Corey and I went to dinner in Bethesda at Grapeseed Restaurant after the meeting (5:30 to 7:45 PM) to reflect and commiserate. It will be largely my responsibility to decide go-no go from Phase 1 (starts in mid-end of 2014) to Phase IIa/b (2015 - 2016), the latter costing over $100 million and so this will be an important decision based on a combination of science and best guess. Stay tuned. his AM to talk
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Jan. 9, 2013 - Appeared on C-SPAN (TV) and on WTOP radio early this AM to talk about the erupting influenza epidemic.
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Jan. 9, 2013 - Attended an important dinner at the home of John Monahan and his wife Annie at 3340 - Runneymede Place, N.W., Washington, D.C. to discuss the relationship between PEPFAR and USAID with regard to the new Office of Global Health Diplomacy. John formerly worked in the Clinton Administration and for the past 4 years has been Counselor to Secretary Sebelius in HHS and Acting Director of the Office of Global Health Affairs at HHS. He recently moved to the State Department to help with the Global Health issues there. Hillary Clinton had just established this Office of Global Health Diplomacy and made Eric Goosby (Director of PEPFAR) the Director of the Office with Ambassador Louise Rowe as Deputy. Apparently Raj Shah and the USAID are trying to take control over this new initiative that has just been put out by the Obama administration. Raj has been trying to take over PEPFAR for some time now without success. I have been backing Eric Goosby from the very beginning since I believe that Raj is driven by ambition on the background of a terrible track record of USAID. In the second Obama administration the people in the State Department and in the White House are trying to create a legacy for Pres. Obama with regard to global health. They believe that this new office of Global Health Diplomacy could be the vehicle to do that. Right now it appears that we are engaged in the struggle Raj Shah and USAID wanting to take over the process. The dinner included a number of people with knowledge in the field. Participants included John Montague his wife Annie, Francis Collins, Tom Frieden, Peggy Hamburg, a woman from the State Department (Laurie) who worked in the Clinton Administration, Nils Daulaire, and a number of other people. The plan discussed at the meeting was to help support Eric Goosby is trying to make the office of global health diplomacy a productive and viable enterprise and to ward off any attempts on the part of USAID to take it PEPFAR and the new office. Tomorrow I will go to the State Department for the first of the number of meetings that will address this issue. More to follow on this subject.
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Jan. 10, 2013 - Did CNN Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer regarding the Flu outbreak. I made casual statement in response to a question by Wolf that the outbreak had passed the epidemic threshold (which was true (7.3% with threshold at 7.2%). Anderson Cooper later on in his CNN show "Anderson Cooper 360" made announcement that NIH Official Dr. Anthony Fauci has now declared the influenza outbreak "an epidemic". The CDC was coming out with their weekly report with a big press briefing the following day (tomorrow) and this must have gotten them pissed with their usual jealousy of my being on TV and the media in issues that they think they own.
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Jan. 12, 2013 - Did WJLA - Channel 8 news on flu on this Saturday AM. Also, received request that Soledad O'Brien wants me again on her show on Monday AM. This will be the test regarding my above comment concerning Bill Hall.