With every vaccine, vaccine developers and manufacturers, together with partners in the global health community, do more than improve and save lives. They enable vaccination that strengthens global health security through resilient and sustainable national immunization programs around the world. These help people during childhood and beyond while communities, and nations thrive.

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    Overview

    When it comes to vaccines, companies contribute to R&D, manufacturing, supply, and health system strengthening while constantly innovating to help transform the health of people of all ages.

    They leverage their unique knowledge of vaccines from a scientific and regulatory perspective as well as deploying their in-depth understanding of vaccination best practices. In this way, they support authorities worldwide to anticipate emerging threats, develop innovative solutions, and share accurate, science-based information.
    IFPMA and our members also build confidence in vaccination.

    Through impactful partnerships, companies are building capacities and networks to support resilient and sustainable national immunization programs around the world.

    Looking to the future, we and our industry are committed to the vision and goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030. That is, to help “achieve through a collective endeavor by all stakeholders a world where everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines for good health and well-being.”

    Immunization is an investment for the future, creating a healthier, safer, and more prosperous world for all.

    WHO, Immunization Agenda 2030:

    A Global Strategy to Leave No One Behind

    Vaccine innovation

    New vaccines are constantly being discovered and developed. Existing vaccines are continuously being improved. Novel approaches to producing, storing, and administrating vaccines are being put in place.

    This vaccine innovation happens because universities, research institutions, biotechs, and the innovative pharmaceutical industry are dedicated to science, scientific ingenuity, and sustained investment.

    Bridging the gap between breakthrough discoveries and revolutionary vaccines, companies are uniquely placed to share the benefits of scientific innovation with communities worldwide.

    Pathogen sharing

    Immediate, unrestricted access to pathogens and their genetic information is fundamental to global health security and the crucial first step to developing the vaccines, medicines, and tests the world needs.

    Vaccines today

    Vaccines currently protect against 30 different infectious diseases. They help to prevent certain infections, such as Human Papillomavirus, which can lead to cancers like cervical cancer, as well as Hepatitis B, which could trigger liver cancer.

    Recently launched vaccines include those that help protect against meningococcal diseases, Ebola, malaria, COVID-19, and HPV-related cancers including cervical cancer.

    Companies have developed a promising pipeline that includes vaccines for tuberculosis, multivalent meningitis, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This sustained vaccine innovation lies at the heart of our partnerships, such as with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, COVAX, and the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.

    Increasing protection against more diseases and disease strains. Creating new formulations. Combining vaccines to make them more accessible. Exploring new technologies that help vaccines work better and offer longer protection. Developing vaccine technologies that make it easier to scale up or rapidly pivot production to tackle new variants and other viruses with pandemic potential.

    The innovative pharmaceutical industry is constantly at work.

    To grow our collective impact over the next five years, companies commit to innovating new vaccine solutions. In addition, they aim to reach the most in need and underserved, support the strengthening of immunization services, prepare for public health emergencies, and partner to maximize impact. Working together, we can scale vaccine innovation through sustained immunization to make sure no one is left behind.

    Emerging infectious diseases continue to threaten our health and global stability. Vaccines are the surest means to defuse their pandemic and epidemic risk.

    Dr Melanie Saville

    Executive Director of R&D at CEPI

    Developing new vaccines

    There are currently nearly 260 vaccine candidates being developed through a range of technical platforms to protect against diseases and pathogens that lack effective vaccines.

    Innovative pharmaceutical companies have helped launch new vaccines for COVID-19, HIV, Zika, Norovirus, Alzheimer’s disease, Lyme Disease, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), dengue, and Group B streptococcus.

    It’s important to remember that vaccine innovation can be a long, challenging process. It took 50 years of trial and error before Jonas Silk’s polio vaccine was introduced. A vaccine against HIV/AIDS is yet to be developed, 40 years after the virus appeared.

    But, after more than 50 years researching, scientists have finally developed a malaria vaccine, the first for any parasitic disease, with what is being called “world-changing” potential.

    The mRNA vaccines used against COVID-19 were the result of research dating back to the late 1970s.

    Improving existing vaccines

    Companies are working on improving existing vaccines so that they perform better for longer against diseases like meningitis, pneumonia, and flu.

    They are also developing COVID-19 vaccines that can be given in one dose with others, such as with flu and pneumonia vaccines.

    At the same time, they are improving how vaccines are made, distributed, and administered to improve access and affordability.

    Our goal is to make sure the global community can tackle current and future threats and help eradicate, eliminate, or control infectious diseases.

    Unlocking the value of vaccines

    Vaccines help prevent and control outbreaks, tackle endemic and pandemic diseases, protect the health impacts of climate change, and lower health inequalities. They help improve the economies of lower-income countries.

    Every year, vaccines prevent 4-5 million deaths in all age groups from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza, and measles. If global vaccination coverage improved, an extra 1.5 million deaths could be avoided yearly.

    Helping prevent and control outbreaks. Tackling endemic and pandemic diseases. Protecting the health impacts of climate change, and lowering health inequalities. Vaccines are playing a crucial role in achieving 14 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    36m

    deaths prevented in children under 5 in low-and middle-income countries in the last 20 years

    5x

    lives are saved per minute by vaccines in LMICs

    50m

    deaths prevented in this decade alone

    The economic benefits of vaccines

    Ultimately, vaccines improve financial security for society. This can lead to greater investment and improved political and economic stability.

    Between 2016 and 2030, vaccines will help prevent 24 million people in some of the world’s poorest countries from slipping into poverty, by allowing families to avoid the often-heavy healthcare costs that infectious diseases can bring.

    On top of these savings made on medical costs, when the value of a life saved is included, the return on investment rises to USD 51 per dollar invested in immunization.

    Improved life prospects

    Vaccinated children are less likely to have long-term vaccine-preventable disabilities and are more likely to go to school, leading to improved education, better life prospects, and higher future earnings.

    Higher workplace productivity

    When adults are vaccinated, they are less likely to miss work because of illness and there’s a greater chance of them actively contributing to society for longer.

    Supports gender equality

    If women and children are vaccinated, it supports gender equality. Women can access health services without the burden of female-specific disease or caring for sick children.

    #TeamVaccines #VaccinesForLife

    Vaccines are helping people of all ages avoid dangerous infections, protecting communities from fast-spreading outbreaks and helping to keep us from losing those we love.

    Vaccines save millions of lives every year and are one of our best tools in the fight against infectious diseases  

    Vaccines can lower health inequities and contribute to broader well-being and prosperity

    Vaccines eliminate some diseases completely and contribute significantly to stopping the spread of others

    Vaccines help prevent cancer and other long-term diseases

    Recent new vaccines can prevent and control outbreaks, tackling both endemic and pandemic disease

    Implementing a life-course approach to immunization

    The life-course approach recognizes the role of vaccination as a strategy to prevent diseases and maximize health over a person’s entire life, regardless of age.

    Policies that support immunization across the life-course have many benefits, including individual and population health, health system resilience and sustainability, and economic prosperity.

    IFPMA calls on global and regional stakeholders and governments to strengthen pandemic preparedness and responsiveness by taking a life-course immunization approach. This will expand access to vaccines, improve uptake, and ensure optimal protection of all populations.

    Seasonal influenza

    Together with the global health community, the innovative pharmaceutical industry is committed to improving seasonal influenza vaccine coverage and working towards influenza pandemic preparedness for the future.

    Report 12 December 2022

    Life-course immunization: Country landscape report

    Immunization is the greatest success story of the twentieth century. Vaccines eliminated most of the childhood diseases that used to cause millions of deaths, making possible a life without disabilities caused by certain communicable diseases like polio for the first time in human history.

    Read more

    Antimicrobial resistance and the role of vaccines

    Vaccines prevent commonly acquired bacterial infections, whose treatment would require antimicrobial medicines, reducing the opportunity for bacteria to develop resistance.

    For instance, after the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine was recommended for use in Canada in 1988, cases of Hib disease dropped by 97% from 1986 to 2017.

    There are 124 Vaccines that can prevent viral infections, often treated inappropriately with antibiotics, which can give rise to secondary infections that require antibiotic treatment.

    A compelling and growing evidence base demonstrates that vaccines are also a critical complementary tool to mitigate the threat of AMR. To maintain the effectiveness of antibiotics over an extended period of time, we need to not only ensure appropriate use of antibiotics, but as part of coordinated stewardship plan, maximize the impact of vaccination on AMR.

    Vaccines can prevent community-acquired bacterial infections, which can curb the spread of resistance and also reduces antibiotic consumption. Vaccines against certain viral disease like influenza can also help reduce opportunities for inappropriate antibiotic use, and can further prevent secondary bacterial infections in susceptible patients which would need to be treated with antibiotics.

    Leveraging the potential of vaccines against AMR 

    Access and uptake

    Increase the uptake of licensed, AMR-relevant vaccines to prevent disease and reduce demand for antibiotics.

    Research and development

    Enable a market that supports development of new AMR-relevant vaccines for pathogens that pose a threat to human health, especially for those resistant to antimicrobials. This includes changes to how these vaccines are assessed, recommended, and reimbursed.

    Data for impact

    Expand the evidence on the impact and value of vaccines on AMR to guide decision-making and vaccine development, including the health economic case to establish their value proposition.

    Antimicrobial resistance

    IFPMA helps lead the innovative pharmaceutical industry’s work on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We raise awareness of the unique challenges in combating AMR and of measures that could establish economic conditions favorable to long-term investment into antibiotic R&D.

    Maintaining and growing confidence in vaccination

    The innovative pharmaceutical industry plays a vital role in maintaining and growing confidence in vaccination by researching, developing, and communicating around vaccines with demonstrated safety and efficacy profiles.

    Maintaining and growing confidence in vaccination

    Maintaining and growing confidence in vaccination is an urgent public health issue. It’s vital to prevent the spread of disease and restore vaccination coverage rates to continue to protect and enhance health and well-being, while contributing to national development and prosperity.

    Developing vaccines is only one step

    Despite the widespread availability of many vaccines with demonstrated safety and efficacy profiles, we continue to see outbreaks, disability, and deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases including measles, polio, and influenza. We will only be successful when people are willing to be vaccinated.

    Coordinating across all stakeholders

    Through coordinated action by all stakeholders and a focus on building resilient immunization programs, routine vaccination can continue to protect millions of lives every year.

    Safety and efficacy are key

    As key partners in global health, IFPMA and our members play an essential role in building and sustaining confidence by developing high quality, safe, effective vaccines that meet some of the world’s most challenging health needs.

    COVID-19 and the future of vaccines

    The COVID-19 pandemic has given us a clear vision of what has to happen regarding vaccination for the future.

    We need coordinated action at local, national, regional, and global levels to build and sustain confidence in vaccines while making sure resilient immunization programs are in place.

    Vaccine hesitancy and the complex factors that cause it must be understood and addressed by the entire global health community to boost vaccine confidence worldwide.

    Sustaining confidence in vaccines

    Through impactful partnerships, member companies build capacities and networks to support resilient and sustainable national immunization programs around the world. Together, they communicate and collaborate to maintain and grow confidence in vaccination.

    Member companies support:

    Global and national digital vaccination confidence campaigns such as Valuing Vaccines, Stronger, #TeamVaccines, and #VaccinesForLife

    Programs that promote vaccine literacy and encourage vaccination among employees, suppliers, and customers such as Business Partners to CONVINCE

    Vaccine ecosystem shareholders including patient organizations, medical associations, NGOs, and faith-based groups.

    Initiatives to advance understanding of how social media and behavioral sciences can be best leveraged

    Education programs that equip healthcare professionals with the right messages and tools

    90%

    of countries identified vaccine hesitancy as an evolving threat to their immunization programs

    #8

    in 2019, WHO identified vaccine hesitancy as it’s 8th largest global health threat

    4-5m

    deaths per year are prevented by immunization

    Partnering for universal immunization

    Together with our partners, we and our members are determined to grow the vaccinated community until universal immunization is achieved.

    Innovative pharmaceutical companies make a unique and vital contribution. They develop new and improved vaccines, scale up supply, provide a reliable supply of quality and effective vaccines, and help make sure vaccines reach the communities who need them most.

    They have developed business models that enable them to invest to ensure vaccines can be produced and supplied reliably today and improved vaccines and new technologies developed for tomorrow.

    Partner spotlight: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

    Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, was created as a public-private partnership with the help of IFPMA member companies. IFPMA representatives have one seat on the Gavi Board and one on the Gavi Program Policy Committee.

    The benefits of this partnership when it comes to scaling vaccine innovation and supply are clear.

    Gavi provides aggregated demand and secured financing for the purchase of vaccines. This enables IFPMA’s innovative pharmaceutical member companies to scale-up vaccine manufacturing capacity to deliver the volumes required.

    Our member companies’ work with Gavi has not just resulted in the production of life-saving vaccines. It has increased access to them.

    Today, IFPMA members’ engagement with Gavi extends beyond vaccine development, testing, production, storage, distribution, and building manufacturing capacity in the global south. It supports national procurement and makes sure health systems have the capacity to deliver and administer vaccines.

    Additionally, companies offer training for healthcare workers and immunization managers.

    Generation Gavi

    IFPMA and our members are working with the Gavi Alliance to roll out the most comprehensive package of protection to the world’s poorest countries. Our aim is to vaccinate the remaining 20% of children around the world without access to new vaccines by 2030.

    Follow #TeamVaccines

    Read and share our #TeamVaccines stories to hear firsthand from those who work to make vaccines to help protect us all from infectious diseases.

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