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Fourth GAVI Board Meeting, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 19 November 2000
Improved
immunization systems, products and technologies: GAVI project
development agendas
Dr Mark
Kane, the Gates Children’s Vaccine Program at PATH, presented a
proposal (Word – 40k) from the Working Group to use the current GAVI
structure to develop a team approach to addressing the GAVI research
priorities.
The Board:
4.1
Approved the basic principles outlined in the paper, confirming that
current efforts to help countries introduce new and under-used vaccines
and increase basic immunization coverage should remain GAVI’s top
priorities, and that human resources should not be shifted away to
satisfy new research agendas.
4.2
Endorsed the priority project areas as identified:
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three vaccine-related projects:
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to assure
the availability, affordability and use of pneumococcal conjugate
vaccines for the developing world within seven years. Dr Borst pointed
out the possible need to develop simpler and less expensive vaccines
than the candidate vaccines currently under development;
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to assure
the development, availability and use of a safe, effective and
affordable rotavirus vaccine for the developing world within seven
years;
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to assure
the development, availability and use of an affordable meningococcal A
or A/C conjugate vaccine for the "meningococcal belt" in Africa within
five years;
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up to
three non vaccine-related projects, such as research to improve
immunization systems and technologies (specific project
recommendations to be provided by the R&D Task Force).
4.3
Urged the Working Group to work with the appropriate task forces and
consult with those in the public and private sectors already engaged in
the three vaccine-related project areas to identify:
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the gaps
that need to be addressed to move products from their current
pre-licensed state to being fully developed, manufactured and
delivered to children in developing countries;
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the lead
partners that will be responsible for developing project proposals.
4.4
Endorsed the proposed steps the task forces need to take immediately
in order to contribute their expertise to vaccine-related project
development agendas.
4.5
Requested the Working Group and the task force(s) concerned to
jointly report back to the Board regarding the development of project
organization and financing, before the next Board meeting (June 2001).
4.6
Accepted the responsibility of reviewing the refined project agendas
approving fully developed proposals for implementation.
4.7
Recommended that the Vaccine Fund use sub-account 3 to address the
specific bottlenecks constraining the rapid development and availability
of priority products or technologies. If approved by the Fund Board, the
Working Group would work closely with the Executive Committee of the
Fund to develop the criteria for drawing on sub-account 3.
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