16th GAVI BOARD MEETING
Paris, France, 19-20 July, 2005
Summary Report

7. Long-term supply and procurement strategy

• In the near-term it will be important to focus on Hib and hepB-containing products; supply strategies for potential future vaccines cannot be determined until more information becomes available.
• The procurement process will need to be underway by early 2006 so the work to develop the supply strategy should be ‘turbo-charged’.
• Experience has shown that policies aimed at quickly reducing prices may not encourage entry of additional manufacturers and long-term sustainable supply.
• From the increased number of Hib and hepB-containing combination vaccines currently in the pipeline, we can see that in its first phase GAVI has indeed been a ‘market shaper’.
• Strategies must be developed such that they do not encourage production beyond reasonable demand. Careful attention must be paid to forecasting, and the supply task team must involve experts with direct experience in buying and manufacturing.

DECISIONS

The Board:

Endorsed the proposal to create a small task team of GAVI partners that would begin work immediately to lead the next steps on the supply strategy for Hib and hepB combination vaccines. The Secretariat should engage a consultant to support the task team.

Expressed concern at the slow progress in this area and insisted that the work of this team move quickly, with a progress report to the joint Executive Committee meeting in September. The final recommendations will be presented for Board approval in December.

The recommendations of the task team will be shared with an independent expert review team.