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Fourth GAVI Board Meeting, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 19 November 2000
Task
Force on Research and Development: terms of reference and composition
Dr Peter
Wilson, consultant to the Task Force on Research and Development (R&D),
presented a
summary (Word – 438k) of the composition, objectives, strategies and
goals of the task force.
The Board:
3.1
Approved the composition of the R&D Task Force which assures a range
of expertise in vaccinology and immunology, provided that the
recommendation in para. 3.4 below is addressed. The task force comprises:
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three co-chairs – from WHO, industry and academia, and
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five
members from different geographical regions.
3.2
Endorsed the advisory role that the task force will play in the
process of identifying and supporting the GAVI research and development
agenda. The task force will:
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identify
highest priority research gaps and make recommendations to the GAVI
Board;
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provide
technical support to implementing partners in:
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identifying key barriers and strategies to address research and
development gaps;
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evaluating alternative project structures; and
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setting up a research and development agenda and timetable;
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monitor
adherence to an agreed-upon agenda and timetable.
3.3
Approved the recommendation of the task force that GAVI should focus
initially on three vaccine products: pneumococcal, rotavirus and
meningococcal A (or A/C). These products, described in the
presentation (Powerpoint – 113k), were picked from a larger list because
they satisfied all or most of the following criteria:
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either there is no currently-registered vaccine, or the existing
vaccine has drawbacks which severely limit its utility;
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the
vaccine has a high potential impact; and could significantly reduce
morbidity and mortality in children and/or adults;
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a high
probability of success in short/medium term use of the vaccine;
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the
vaccine has a potential for improving immunization systems;
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the
vaccine fills a strategic gap, i.e., no other effort is currently
focusing on it;
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there is a
lack of other, non-vaccine solutions (preventative or curative).
3.4
Endorsed the proposal outlined in the presentation that the task
force, in consultation with the GAVI Working Group and others in the
research community, would seek to identify up to three promising fields
of research on new technologies and systems for improving immunization
services.
Similar
criteria as those used for vaccine product selection would be used to
identify the under-addressed research fields, which may include:
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proven
strategies for reaching the hard-to-reach, including the application
of lessons learned from polio eradication;
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improved
information technology (IT) infrastructures for better management of
immunization services;
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development of new technologies – including ‘low-tech’ devices – for
increasing immunization and injection safety, reducing the need for a
cold chain, and/or other tools that could improve efficiency.
3.5
Recognized that the current composition of the task force does not
include experts in the area of applied and operational research, and
encouraged the task force to add two to four appropriately qualified
individuals to support this research area.
3.6
Requested the task force to provide the Board with its
recommendations on candidate projects to support immunization services,
at the latest by the Board’s next meeting in June 2001.
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