The Strategic Power of Vaccines
December 13, 2011
The second CSIS High-Level Forum on U.S. Leadership in Global Health placed a focus on vaccines as instruments of U.S. global leadership in pursuit of security and economic interests at home and abroad, in close enduring partnerships with corporations, foundations, multilateral organizations, and other countries.
The event opened with a screening of the extended trailer of The Strategic Power of Vaccines in Zambia, a piece that aims to portray the complexities of immunization in Zambia and to make broader points about global immunization efforts. The five minute trailer is a preview of a longer piece that will be completed in early 2012.
At the conference, the CSIS Global Health Policy Center released two reports centered on vaccines.
Role(s) of Vaccines and Immunization Programs in Global Disease Control
Given the relative successes of the GAVI Alliance (formerly, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) and the recent call by the World Health Assembly for a global vaccine action plan to guide the world for the next 10 years, the world is focusing much attention, justifiably, on various aspects of macropolicy and planning for the progressive expansion of global vaccine efforts. This brief report focuses on the “nuts and bolts” of the complex biological, epidemiologic, and risk management concepts that are the foundations of global and national “expert group” recommendations for specific target groups for currently available childhood vaccines and others. Using examples of specific vaccine successes and disease challenges, this report highlights the ongoing attention to detail required for the success of local, national, and global immunization efforts.
The Future of Global Immunization
In January 2010 at the World Economic Forum, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Decade of Vaccines by pledging $10 billion over the next 10 years to support worldwide efforts to develop and deliver vaccines to the world’s poorest countries. The foundation also challenged other global partners to demonstrate their continuing commitment and, in so doing, to dramatically reduce child mortality by the end of the decade. This is a tremendous opportunity for transforming global health and could have significant consequences for child survival while expanding the impact of vaccines across the lifespan, but there is no easy formula for success. How a number of challenges are addressed will be critical to success or failure in the next decade and to the most effective use of available resources. This report outlines 10 important issues facing the global vaccine and immunization agenda.
Event Multimedia
Following the video about Zambia, there were two keynote address and three panel discussions that focused on (1) vaccinology in the 21st century; (2) the private sector; (3) obstacles to immunization efforts; (4) vaccines and security; and (5) U.S. leadership in global immunization.
Part 1: CSIS Senior Vice President and Director of the Global Health Policy Center, J. Stephen Morrison, offers introductory remarks. Following his remarks and a short video, Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, gave a keynote address entitled - Vaccinology: Considerations for the 21st century.
Part 2: J. Stephen Morrison discussed the importance of a robust private sector for the future of vaccines with panelists Julie Gerberding of Merck & Co.; Margaret McGlynn of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative; and Regina Rabinovich of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Part 3: Amanda Glassman of the Center for Global Development moderated a discussion about overcoming obstacles to immunization efforts with panelists Helen Evans of the GAVI Alliance; Orin Levine of Johns Hopkins University; and Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Download Helen Evans presentation.
Part 4: Admiral William Fallon led the final panel of the day for a dialogue on vaccines and security with panelists Stephen Cochi of CDC; Markus Geisser of the International Committee of the Red Cross; and Eric Schwartz of the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota.
Part 5: Dr. Rajiv Shah of USAID gives the second keynote address of the event on U.S. Leadership in Global Immunization. Dr. Shah's keynote is followed by a brief Q & A with J. Stephen Morrison.
