Browsing by Author "Permar, Sallie R."

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    Addressing Gaps in Pediatric Scientist Development: The Department Chair View of Two AMSPDC-Sponsored Programs
    (Elsevier, 2020) Barrett, Katherine J.; Cooley, Michelle; Schwartz, Alan L.; Hostetter, Margaret K.; Clapp, D. Wade; Permar, Sallie R.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Pediatric physician-scientists are important members of the biomedical workforce who are instrumental in translating research advances into novel patient treatment strategies, yet their numbers have been declining over the past four decades. In order to increase the pipeline of pediatric physician-scientists, the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs (AMSPDC) leads the Frontiers in Science (FIS) and Pediatric Scientist Development Program (PSDP). These programs provide mentorship, networking, and funding opportunities for pediatric residents and fellows who are interested in pursuing research careers. To assess perceptions of program accessibility and efficacy, FIS and PSDP leadership surveyed AMSPDC membership between November 2018 and April 2019; 66 active department chairs responded. The decline in pediatric physician-scientists was identified as a common concern, and responding chairs identified several individual and institutional barriers to the physician-scientist career pathway and to participation in FIS and PSDP. Common barriers to participation included: undefined career paths for physician-scientists, a limited number of FIS slots annually, a perception that these programs support primarily basic science rather than other types of research, and competing funding through institutional T32 and K12 programs. To address these barriers, FIS and PSDP leadership will work with AMSPDC to explore ways to increase access to FIS, promote PSDP alumni mentoring of participating residents and fellows, and expand the scope of research supported by these programs. Assessments of FIS and PSDP will be ongoing, with the goal of improving program access in order to increase and diversify the pediatric physician-scientist workforce.
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    Children are the key to the Endgame: A case for routine pediatric COVID vaccination
    (Elsevier, 2021-09-07) Schleiss, Mark R.; John, Chandy C.; Permar, Sallie R.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    The rapid development and deployment of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection has been a historic achievement. Children, while not the primary age group affected by severe COVID-19 disease, have endured direct and indirect negative consequences of this pandemic that warranted vaccine testing in young age groups. In March 2021, Pfizer/BioNTech announced results from a controlled Phase 3 trial of its BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine in >2200 children and adolescents, age 12 to 15. The 18 symptomatic cases of COVID-19 reported during the trial were all in the placebo group – yielding a vaccine efficacy of 100% [1]. Vaccine-related symptoms were mild. These results were submitted to the FDA with a request to expand emergency use authorization (EUA) for children between ages 12 to 15, which was granted on 5-10-2021. Moderna vaccines has demonstrated similar safety and efficacy data for its COVID vaccine in children aged 12–17, and the European Medicines Agency has approved the vaccine for this age group, with a similar request for approval to the FDA currently pending. Both companies are conducting studies in younger children spanning ages 6 months through 12 years.
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    What are the key pediatric public policy priorities as the COVID-19 pandemic persists?
    (Springer Nature, 2023) Schleiss, Mark R.; Permar, Sallie R.; John, Chandy C.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and its impact is just beginning to be felt on children. COVID-19 vaccines protect both the pregnant patient and newborns, and breastfeeding provides a key component of passive protective immunity. "Long COVID" has contributed to the current crisis in pediatric mental health, and vaccines confer protection against this long-term complication of COVID-19 disease. Vaccine misinformation is not only impacting compliance with maternal and pediatric COVID-19 immunization efforts, but also other routine childhood vaccinations. As a public health priority, we must improve our response to vaccine misinformation and find novel strategies to improve vaccine compliance.