Browsing by Author "Matthews, Kirstin R.W."
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Item AMP v. Myriad Genetics: Gene Patents, Patenting Life, and the Impact on US Stem Cell Research(2013) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Cuchiara, Maude L.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Are we ready for gene-edited embryos?(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2019) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Avenues for Advancement(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2007) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Bridging the Gap Between Science and Society: The Relationship Between Policy and Research in National Laboratories, Universities, Government, and Industry(2006) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Lane, Neal F.; Jaffe, Amy Myers; Bierbaum, Rosina; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Chagas Disease: Sharing the Burden and the Solutions in the United States and Mexico(2015) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Herricks, Jennifer R.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyChagas disease—the third most common parasitic infection in the world—affects approximately 7.5 million people, mostly in Latin America. Population mobility between Latin America and the rest of the world has led to increasing detection of Chagas disease in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other parts of the world in the last decade. Those living in poverty, including in the United States and Mexico, are at risk of Chagas disease infection due to poor quality housing that leads to infestation by the disease-carrying insect, the kissing bug. The actual extent of the disease burden in Mexico, where the disease is endemic, and the United States is unclear due to limited diagnosis and surveillance. To help reduce outbreaks, the US and Mexican governments should implement surveillance programs, initiate vector1 control programs (as needed), increase awareness among health care providers, and fund research for the development of Chagas vaccines and treatments.Item Comparing the Three Available COVID-19 Vaccines(2021) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Lakshmanan, Rekha; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Conference Report—Beyond Science: The Economics and Politics of Responding to Climate Change(2008) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Smulcer, Lauren A.; Jaffe, Amy Myers; Lane, Neal F.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyTo examine climate change issues from a policy and scientific perspective, the Science and Technology Policy, Energy Forum, and Health Economics programs of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, together with the Energy & Environmental Systems Institute and the Shell Center for Sustainability at Rice University, hosted a conference on February 9, 2008, titled “Beyond Science: The Economics and Politics of Responding to Climate Change.” The event, supported by the Science & Innovation Section of the British Consulate-General in Houston, sought to highlight the challenges and opportunities for developing a more effective U.S. climate policy. Conference participants discussed policies that have been adopted or are under consideration in the United States, as well as the background data needed to assess the effectiveness of these policies and other options. Among the topics covered were the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2007 Assessment Report; mitigation and adaptation strategies; policy approaches to limiting carbon emissions and the economic issues related to such policies; and technology options for dealing with climate change. This conference report is a summary of the findings and discussions.Item Contrasting Views on Embryo Research and Funding: A Survey of U.S. Physicists and Biologists(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2016) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Tsao, Sharon; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyThis poster presents scientists' responses to two statements related to embryo research.ﾠItem Cord Blood Banking in the United States: A Public Need for Policy Commitments(2014) Matsumoto, Monica M.; Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyStem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood (CB) have been used to treat over 80 different diseases and have become a standard treatment for many types of leukemias, lymphomas, and inherited immune system disorders.[1] CB transplants have been carried out in humans for over 25 years, and hundreds of clinical trials are currently under way investigating CB’s therapeutic potential for a wide range of disorders, including autism, diabetes, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injury. Extensive storage facilities have also been established in the United States and around the world to collect, test, and freeze CB for later use in medical procedures. However, a divide between two different banking models—public versus private—has emerged, presenting policy challenges. US guidelines on CB banking remain variable, and no mandatory international guidelines exist. To help organize and coordinate efforts across the country, US policymakers should implement regulations with high quality standards for both private and public banks, a commitment to ethical practices, and an investment in educational campaigns and training programs for all steps of the CB banking process.Item Did Recent Efforts to Develop Policy for Genome Editing Have Adequate Public Engagement?(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2022) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Iltis, Ana S.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Do “Right to Try” laws grant patients access to experimental drugs?(2016) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Rubin, Michelle J.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Ethical Considerations for the Creation of a National Neglected Tropical Disease Policy(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2016) Iltis, Ana S.; Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyThe term “neglected tropical diseases” (NTDs) refers to a group of parasitic, viral, and bacterial diseases that cause substantial and often debilitating illnesses, affecting more than one billion people globally. In the United States, addressing NTDs focuses largely on developing safe and effective mechanisms to prevent and treat NTDs. Furthermore, new or existing treatments must be made available to those in need—often people living in poverty or extreme poverty (less than $2 a day). But research, development, and delivery of these interventions is costly and relies mostly on funding from the federal government. With pressure to limit government expenditures, decisions regarding the allocation of limited resources entail balancing priorities, which involve many, often unarticulated or implicit, ethical judgments. This report highlights some of the central ethical issues pertaining to NTD policy development and argues that ethical considerations should be included in the policy development process. We conclude that the United States should develop an NTD policy to further reduce the prevalence and impact of NTDs both within and outside our borders.Item Failures in COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Data Collection Complicated Efforts to Ensure Vaccine Equity in Texas(2022) Laroche, Robert A.S.; Llinas, Roxanna J.; Navara, Adam M.; Tan, Melody T.; Lakshmanan, Rekha; Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyThe equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines is a critical issue due to the stark differences in health care outcomes between individuals who have received a vaccine and those who have not.1,2 Several demographic groups have historically faced barriers to accessing health care services such as vaccinations, including the elderly, rural populations, lower income groups, and communities of color.3-6 Overcoming these disadvantages and ensuring easy and affordable access are critical components of health care. Moreover, as part of an effective government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary for members of all demographic groups to reach high rates of vaccination in order to achieve herd immunity within a region.7 In this paper, we discuss the steps taken by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TX DSHS) to ensure equitable vaccine access and to assess how shortfalls in data collection led to vaccine inequities. We recommend changes to the Texas immunization registry that will improve data collection, allow for more effective monitoring of vaccine distribution, and better prepare Texas for future public health crises.Item Frequently Asked Questions: Stem Cells(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2010) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Gene patents, patenting life and the impact of court rulings on US stem cell patents and research(Future Medicine Ltd, 2014) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Cuchiara, Maude L.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyIn June 2013, the US Supreme Court ruled that naturally occurring genes were unpatentable in the caseﾠAssociation for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics. Up until this decision, Myriad Genetics was the only company in the USA that could legally conduct diagnostic testing forﾠBRCA1ﾠandﾠ2, genes that are linked to familial breast and ovarian cancer. The court case and rulings garnered discussion in public about patenting biological materials. This paper will describe the progression of the Myriad Genetics case, similar US rulings and biological intellectual property policies. In addition, it will discuss the impact of the case on biological patents ﾖ specifically those for human embryonic stem cells.Item Globalization of Stem Cell Science: An Examination of Current and Past Collaborative Research Networks(2013) Luo, Jingyuan; Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyScience and engineering research has becoming an increasingly international phenomenon. Traditional bibliometric studies have not captured the evolution of collaborative partnerships between countries, particularly in emerging technologies such as stem cell science, in which an immense amount of investment has been made in the past decade. Analyzing over 2,800 articles from the top journals that include stem cell research in their publications, this study demonstrates the globalization of stem cell science. From 2000 to 2010, international collaborations increased from 20.9% to 36% of all stem cell publications analyzed. The United States remains the most prolific and the most dominant country in the field in terms of publications in high impact journals. But Asian countries, particularly China are steadily gaining ground. Exhibiting the largest relative growth, the percent of Chinese-authored stem cell papers grew more than ten-fold, while the percent of Chinese-authored international papers increased over seven times from 2000 to 2010. And while the percent of total stem cell publications exhibited modest growth for European countries, the percent of international publications increased more substantially, particularly in the United Kingdom. Overall, the data indicated that traditional networks of collaboration extant in 2000 still predominate in stem cell science. Although more nations are becoming involved in international collaborations and undertaking stem cell research, many of these efforts, with the exception of those in certain Asian countries, have yet to translate into publications in high impact journals.Item Has the Gates Foundation's global health initiative reshaped the spending priorities of the National Institutes of Health?(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy;Baylor College of Medicine, 2009) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Ho, Vivian; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Highlights and Themes from the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2012) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Rowland, Maude L.; Bassil, Ayman; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Hot Topic: Stem Cell Controversy: Are Human Skin Cells Really the Breakthrough?(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2007) Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; Lane, Neal F.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Hot Topic: Stem Cell Controversy: Are Human Skin Cells Really the Breakthrough?(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 12/7/2007) Lane, Neal F.; Matthews, Kirstin R.W.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy