Japanese version of U.S. CDC launched for future pandemics
The institute was created through the merge of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, or NIID, and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, or NCGM. It will be responsible for information analysis, research and crisis response related to infectious diseases.
Legislation to set up the new body was enacted during the ordinary parliamentary session in 2023, based on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, in which Japan was unable to act quickly, including in developing vaccines and drugs.
Norihiro Kokudo, who was president of the NCGM, became the first head of the new institute, while Takaji Wakita, who was director-general of the NIID, assumed the post of deputy head.
The new institute, whose abbreviated name is JIHS, will collect information on infectious diseases and conduct risk assessments in normal times while reporting scientific findings to the government.
In the event of an infectious disease outbreak, it will work with the government to develop drugs and vaccines and draw up guidelines for medical treatment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Japan Today
Vaccines hold tantalizing promise in the fight against dementia
By Anand Kumar and Jalees Rehman Over the past two centuries, vaccines have been critical for preventing infectious diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that vaccination prevents between 3 million and 5 million deaths annually from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, influenza, measles and, more recently, COVID-19. While there has long been broad scientific consensus that vaccines prevent or mitigate the spread of infections, there is new research suggesting that the therapeutic impact might go beyond the benefit of preventing infectious diseases. An April study published in the prominent journal Nature found tantalizing evidence that the herpes zoster – or shingles – vaccine could lower the risk of dementia in the general population by as much as 20%. We are a team of physician scientists with expertise in the clinical and basic science of neurodegenerative disorders and dementia. We believe that this study potentially opens the door to other breakthroughs in understanding and treating dementia and other degenerative disorders of the brain. A role for vaccines in reducing dementia risk? One of the major challenges researchers face when trying to study the effects of vaccines is finding an unvaccinated 'control group' for comparison – a group that is similar to the vaccine group in all respects, save for the fact that they haven't received the active vaccine. That's because it's unethical to assign some patients to the control group and deprive them of vaccine protection against a disease such as shingles. The Nature study took advantage of a policy change in Wales that went into effect in 2013, stating that people born on or after September 2, 1933, were eligible for the herpes zoster vaccination for at least a year, while those born before that cutoff date were not. The vaccine was administered to prevent shingles, a painful condition caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, which can lie dormant in the body and be reactivated later in life. The researchers used the policy change as a natural laboratory of sorts to study the effect of shingles vaccination on long-term health outcomes. In a statistically sophisticated analysis of health records, the team found that the vaccine reduced the probability of getting dementia by one-fifth over a seven-year period. This means that people who received the shingles vaccine were less likely to develop clinical dementia over the seven-year follow-up period, and women benefited more than men. The study design allowed researchers to compare two groups without actively depriving any one group of access to vaccination. The two groups were also of comparable age and had similar medical comorbidities – meaning similar rates of other medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Results from this and other related studies raise the possibility that vaccines may have a broader role in experimental therapeutics outside the realm of infectious diseases. These studies also raise provocative questions about how vaccines work and how our immune system can potentially prevent dementia. How vaccines might be protective One scientific explanation for the reduction of dementia by the herpes zoster vaccine could be the direct protection against the shingles virus, which may play a role in exacerbating dementia. However, there is also the possibility that the vaccine may have conferred protection by activating the immune system and providing 'trained immunity,' in which the immune system is strengthened by repeated exposure to vaccines or viruses. The study did not differentiate between different types of dementia, such as dementia due to Alzheimer's disease or dementia due to stroke. Additionally, researchers cannot draw any definitive conclusions about possible mechanisms for how the vaccines could be protective from an analysis of health records alone. The next step would be a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study – the 'gold standard' for clinical trials in medicine – to directly examine how the herpes zoster vaccine compares with a placebo in their ability to reduce the risk of dementia over time. Such studies are necessary before any vaccines, as well as other potential therapies, can be recommended for routine clinical use in the prevention of dementia. The challenges of untangling dementia Dementia is a major noncommunicable disease that is a leading cause of death around the world. A January 2025 study provided updated figures on lifetime dementia risk across different subsets of the U.S. population. The researchers estimate that the lifetime risk of dementia after age 55 is 42% – more than double earlier estimates. The dementia risk was 4% by age 75, and 20% by age 85, with the majority of risk occurring after 85. The researchers projected that the number of new cases of dementia in the U.S. would double over the next four decades from approximately 514,000 cases in 2020 to 1 million in 2060. Once considered a disease largely confined to the developed world, the deleterious effects of dementia are now apparent throughout the globe, as life expectancy increases in many formerly developing countries. While there are different forms of dementia with varying clinical manifestations and underlying neurobiology, Alzheimer's disease is the most common. Prospective studies that specifically test how giving a vaccine changes the risk for future dementia may benefit from studying patient populations with specific types of dementia because each version of dementia might require distinct treatments. Unfortunately, for the past two to three decades, the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease – which posits that accumulation of a protein called amyloid in the brain contributes to the disorder – dominated the scientific conversation. As a result, most of the efforts in the experimental therapeutics of Alzheimer's disease have focused on drugs that lower the levels of amyloid in the brain. However, results to date have been modest and disappointing. The two recently approved amyloid-lowering therapies have only a minimal impact on slowing the decline, are expensive and have potentially serious side effects. And no drug currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for clinical use reverses the cognitive decline. Studies based on health records suggest that past exposure to viruses increase the risk of dementia, while routine vaccines, including those against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, pneumonia, shingles and others, reduce the risk. Innovation and an open mind There is sometimes a tendency among scientists to cling to older, familiar models of disease and a reluctance to move in more unconventional directions. Yet the process of doing science has a way of teaching researchers like us humility, opening our minds to new information, learning from our mistakes and going where that data takes us in our quest for effective, lifesaving therapies. Vaccines may be one of those paths less traveled. It is an exciting possibility that may open the door to other breakthroughs in understanding and treating degenerative disorders of the brain. Anand Kumar is Professor and Department Head of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago. Jalees Rehman is Department Chair and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois Chicago. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. External Link © The Conversation
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
CDC Shooter Blamed COVID Vaccine for Depression; Union Demands Statement against Misinformation
A Georgia man who had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal has been identified as the shooter who opened fire late Friday on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, killing a police officer. The 30-year-old suspect, who died during the incident, had also tried to get into the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta but was stopped by guards before driving to a pharmacy across the street and opening fire, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Saturday. The man, identified as Patrick Joseph White, was armed with five guns, including at least one long gun, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation. A union representing workers at the CDC said the incident was not random and 'compounds months of mistreatment, neglect, and vilification that CDC staff have endured.' It demanded federal officials condemn vaccine misinformation, saying it was putting scientists at risk. Here's what to know about the shooting and the continuing investigation: An attack on a prominent public health institution Police say White opened fire outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta on Friday, leaving bullet marks in windows across the sprawling campus. At least four CDC buildings were hit, Director Susan Monarez said on X. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was mortally wounded while responding. Rose, 33, a former Marine who served in Afghanistan, had graduated from the police academy in March. White was found on the second floor of a building across the street from the CDC campus and died at the scene, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. He added that 'we do not know at this time whether that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted.' The Georgia Bureau of Investigations said the crime scene was 'complex' and the investigation would take 'an extended period of time.' CDC union calls for condemnation of vaccine misinformation and tighter security The American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2883, said the CDC and leadership of the Department of Health and Human Services must provide a 'clear and unequivocal stance in condemning vaccine disinformation.' Such a public statement by federal officials is needed to help prevent violence against scientists, the union said in a news release. 'Their leadership is critical in reinforcing public trust and ensuring that accurate, science-based information prevails,' the union said. Fired But Fighting, a group of laid-off CDC employees, has said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is directly responsible for the villainization of CDC's workforce through 'his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust.' Kennedy reached out to staff on Saturday, saying 'no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others.' Thousands of people who work on critical disease research are employed on the campus. The union said some staff were huddled in various buildings until late at night, including more than 90 young children who were locked down inside the CDC's Clifton School. The union said CDC staff should not be required to immediately return to work after experiencing such a traumatic event. In a statement released Saturday, it said windows and buildings should first be fixed and made 'completely secure.' 'Staff should not be required to work next to bullet holes,' the union said. 'Forcing a return under these conditions risks re-traumatizing staff by exposing them to the reminders of the horrific shooting they endured.' The union also called for 'perimeter security on all campuses' until the investigation is fully completed and shared with staff. Shooter had fixation on COVID-19 vaccine White's father, who contacted police and identified his son as the possible shooter, said White had been upset over the death of his dog and also had become fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the law enforcement official. A neighbor of White told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that White 'seemed like a good guy' but spoke with her multiple times about his distrust of COVID-19 vaccines in unrelated conversations. 'He was very unsettled, and he very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people,' Nancy Hoalst, told the Atlanta newspaper. 'He emphatically believed that.' But Hoalst said she never believed White would be violent: 'I had no idea he thought he would take it out on the CDC.'
Yomiuri Shimbun
5 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
CDC Shooter Believed COVID Vaccine Made Him Suicidal, His Father Tells Police
ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia man who opened fire on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, shooting dozens of rounds into the sprawling complex and killing a police officer, had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Saturday. The 30-year-old shooter also tried to get into the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta but was stopped by guards before driving to a pharmacy across the street and opening fire late Friday afternoon, the official said. He was armed with five guns, including at least one long gun, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was mortally wounded while responding. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., whose skepticism of vaccines has been a cornerstone of his career, voiced support for CDC employees Saturday. But some laid-off CDC employees said Kennedy shares responsibility for the violence and should resign. CDC shooter identified The Georgia Bureau of Investigation named Patrick Joseph White as the shooter, but authorities haven't said whether he was killed by police or killed himself. The suspect's father contacted police and identified his son as the possible shooter, the law enforcement official told AP. The father said his son had been upset over the death of the son's dog, and he had also become fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the official. The family lives in Kennesaw, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of CDC headquarters. A voicemail left at a phone number listed publicly for White's family wasn't returned Saturday. Employees at the CDC are shaken The shooting left gaping bullet holes in windows across the CDC campus, where thousands work on critical disease research. Employees huddled under lockdown for hours while investigators gathered evidence. Staff was encouraged to work from home Monday or take leave. At least four CDC buildings were hit, Director Susan Monarez said on X. Sam Atkins, who lives in Stone Mountain, said outside the CVS pharmacy on Saturday that gun violence feels like 'a fact of life' now. 'This is an everyday thing that happens here in Georgia.' Kennedy reaches out to staff 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC's Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose,' Kennedy said Saturday. 'We know how shaken our public health colleagues feel today. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others.' Some rejected the expressions of solidarity Kennedy made in a 'Dear colleagues' email, and called for his resignation. 'Kennedy is directly responsible for the villainization of CDC's workforce through his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust,' said Fired But Fighting, a group of laid-off employees opposing changes to the CDC by President Donald Trump's administration. Under Kennedy, CDC has laid off nearly 2,000 employees. Trump proposes cutting the agency's budget in half next year, moving some CDC functions into a new Administration for a Healthy America. Kennedy has a history as a leader in the anti-vaccine movement, but he reached new prominence by spreading distrust of COVID-19 vaccines. For example, he called it 'criminal medical malpractice' to give COVID-19 vaccines to children. Kennedy parlayed that attention into a presidential bid and endorsement of Trump, leading to Trump naming him secretary. Kennedy continues to undercut the scientific consensus for vaccines, ordering $500 million cut from vaccine development funding on Tuesday. Opponents say officials' rhetoric contributed Fired But Fighting also called for the resignation of Russell Vought, noting a video recorded before Trump appointed him Office of Management and Budget director with orders to dismantle much of the federal government. 'We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected,' Vought said in the video, obtained by ProPublica and the research group Documented. 'When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.' A request for comment from Vought's agency wasn't returned. This shooting was the 'physical embodiment of the narrative that has taken over, attacking science, and attacking our federal workers,' said Sarah Boim, a former CDC communications staffer who was fired this year during a wave of terminations. A distrust of COVID-19 vaccines A neighbor of White told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that White spoke with her multiple times about his distrust of COVID-19 vaccines. Nancy Hoalst, who lives on the same street as White's family, said he seemed like a 'good guy' while doing yard work and walking dogs for neighbors, but he would bring up vaccines even in unrelated conversations. 'He was very unsettled, and he very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people.' Hoalst told the Atlanta newspaper. 'He emphatically believed that.' But Hoalst said she never believed White would be violent: 'I had no idea he thought he would take it out on the CDC.' Slain officer leaves wife and 3 kids Rose, 33, was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan, graduated from the police academy in March and 'quickly earned the respect of his colleagues for his dedication, courage and professionalism,' DeKalb County said. 'This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father,' DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said. Growing security concerns Senior CDC leadership told some staff Saturday that they would do a full security assessment following the shooting, according to a conference call recording obtained by the AP. One staffer said people felt like 'sitting ducks' Friday. Another asked whether administrators had spoken with Kennedy and if they could speak to 'the misinformation, the disinformation' that 'caused this issue.' It is clear CDC leaders fear employees could continue to be targeted. In a Saturday email obtained by the AP, CDC's security office asked employees to scrape old CDC parking decals off their vehicles. The office said decals haven't been required for some time.
