Results from Online PneumoADIP Poll

Results from Online PneumoADIP Poll

Results from Online PneumoADIP Poll. A PneumoADIP web-based poll – surveying our readers on what they believe to be the single biggest challenge to making vaccines available to children in the developing world – revealed interesting findings. Cost of vaccines was the leading answer, with a total of 28% of participants ranking it as the most important determinant. Inadequate distribution networks for medicines, poor healthcare systems, lack of donor funding, and too much focus on treatment rather than prevention followed thereafter. Lack of demand from developing nations for vaccines and a market failure were also cited as causes. To participate in our latest poll, please visit our website at www.preventpneumo.org

Research News

1. Importance of Pneumococcal Vaccination in HIV-infected Patients.

In a retrospective cohort study conducted by researchers at the University of Sassari, Italy, bacterial community acquired pneumonia (BCAP) incidence was examined in HIV-1 infected patients from 1999 to 2004. Study findings revealed that S. pneumoniaewas the most commonly identified pathogen (60%) in 84 BCAP episodes in 76 HIV-infected inpatients between 27 and 80 years of age. The authors conclude that the incidence of BCAP was high in HIV-infected patients, although antiretroviral therapy (ART) was protective in these patients. Programs to reduce injection drug use, alcohol abuse and smoking, as well to increase ART adherence support and pneumococcal vaccination are likely to reduce the incidence and improve outomes of BCAP in HIV-infected patients.

2. Serotype 19A Related IPD in the US - Trends from 2005.

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) due to serotype 19A has been on the rise in the US, following introduction of PCV7 in 2000. To better understand the determinants of this increase, researchers at the CDC and Emory University identified IPD cases during 1998-2005 through population-based surveillance for further analysis. Susceptibility testing and multilocus sequence typing were performed on a total of 528 19A serotypes collected in 2005. Overall incidence of IPD was found to have declined significantly during this time period, accompanied by a small relative increase in the incidence of IPD due to serotype 19A and the incidence of IPD due to penicillin-resistant 19A isolates. These findings support the fact that strategies to curb disease due to emerging and drug resistant serotypes, as well as development of novel vaccines containing more serotypes, will be important for long term pneumococcal disease control.

Media News

3. WHO Fact File on Immunization Available Online.

The WHO published a short Fact File on Immunization, highlighting the value of vaccines as one of the most cost-effective public health interventions that has reduced the global infectious disease burden worldwide. Alongside the successes, the publication stresses the need for further strides in immunization delivery and coverage by describing the morbidity and mortality due to vaccine-preventable diseases in developing countries. The Fact File of ten immunization facts contains stirring images from around the world, complemented with succinct yet powerful text, and can serve as a tool to convey the value of immunization to policy makers and donors.

4. Robert Austrian Lecture at NFID Vaccine Conference Highlights Progress in Pneumococcal Vaccine Development & Distribution.

The National Foundation for Infectious Disease Annual Conference on Vaccine Research was held in Baltimore, Maryland from May 5-7. Dr. Orin S. Levine, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, gave the conference’s first Robert Austrian Memorial Lecture, named after the former chair of medical research at the University of Pennsylvania, who developed the first multivalent vaccine against pneumococcus bacteria. Dr. Levine discussed the great strides made in pneumococcal disease vaccine development and distribution in developing countries, facilitated by GAVI’s PneumoADIP.

5. Wyeth granted fast-track status for PCV13 by FDA

Wyeth announced yesterday that their 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has been granted “fast track” status by the Food and Drug Administration, a designation designed to ensure timely approval of lifesaving products. The formulation for the new 13-valent vaccine contains an additional 6 serotypes over the existing 7-valent pediatric pneumococcal vaccine and Wyeth expects filing for the new formulation to be completed by the first quarter of 2009.

6. Focus on Immunization at the World Health Assembly.

The slogan for the WHO’s Immunization Department exhibit at this year’s World Health Assembly on May 19-24 read, Don’t blow your future – get vaccinated.The exhibit consisted of striking visuals delineating the development and licensure of past, present and future vaccines, and highlighting the fact that more than two million deaths are averted every year through immunization, with the phrases Reach more – expand vaccination coverage and Introduce new vaccines.

7. Conference Elucidates Progress and Challenges in Childhood Immunization.

A conference entitled, Advancing Immunization in Developing Countries: New horizons in children’s health, sponsored by the GAVI Alliance, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), and “la Caixa” Foundation, was held in Barcelona, Spain on April 24. The conference attendees included leading vaccine policy makers, researchers and donors, who met with the objective of discussing and evaluating progress to date in childhood immunization efforts as well as options for overcoming financial, logistic and technical barriers that hinder future progress.

8. South Africa Announces Plans to Introduce Childhood Livesaving Vaccines.

The South African government has announced that it will introduce pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and rotavirus vaccines. At the World Health Assembly in Geneva last week, Health Minister Manto Tschabalala-Msimang stated that both these vaccines are “expected to have significant impact in reducing the cases of pneumonia and diarrhea related deaths.” In response to the cost obstacle of this vaccine, the Minister advocated that “in line with the global commitment to reduce child mortality, South Africa urges the relevant agencies including WHO, UNICEF and GAVI to assist countries in increasing access to these vaccines by making them more affordable.”

Policy News

9. Advisory Group endorses further strengthening of national regulatory authorities

At its first meeting of 2008, WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on immunization strongly endorsed WHO's plans for continued strengthening of national regulatory authorities and expansion of activities to approve — or prequalify — vaccines for supply by United Nations agencies. This support came in recognition of the role of prequalified vaccines in attaining global immunization goals, with such vaccines currently used to vaccinate 53% of children across the world. The Group also indicated its support for a funding proposal to be submitted to the GAVI Alliance for the elimination of epidemic meningococcal meningitis A and made recommendations on furthering WHO's work to support countries in updating and optimizing their immunization schedules. The full report of the 8-10 April meeting is published today in the Weekly Epidemiological Record.

Job Announcement

The International Vaccine Institute is seeking a candidate for the position of Deputy Director General for Translational Research. The applicant must be a recognized leader in a field relevant to the Institute’s programs and must hold a doctorate degree in a relevant discipline as well as significant experience in leading a research team. For more information, please visit: http://www.ivi.org/employment.asp

Upcoming Events

June 8-12

The 6th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases will be held in Reykjavik, Iceland. The deadline for submission of abstracts was February 1st and early registration must have been completed by April 1. The PneumoADIP team looks forward to seeing many familiar and new faces in Reykjavik.

June 19-22

International Conference on Infectious Disease - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Convened by the International Society for Infectious Diseases, the 13th annual ICID will be hosted by the Malaysian Ministry of Health and will again welcome delegates from over 100 countries. The program will include plenary talks by world renowned experts in the science of infectious diseases and other important topics presented by international luminaries in the field.

June 29 - July 2

WHO Global Vaccine Research Forum - Paris, France
This WHO sponsored event will include sessions on pandemic flu, tuberculosis vaccines, an update from GAVI, vaccine access issues and advocacy for science policy.