Advancing Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Preparedness and Response: A Global Initiative

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Advancing Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Preparedness and Response

While the world responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, novel influenza viruses continue to be a constant pandemic threat. These viruses, which could appear at any time, can lead to circumstances and ramifications similar to or worse than the current experiences resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Both domestic and global efforts, such as the U.S. National Influenza Vaccine Modernization Strategy 2020-2030 and the WHO Global Influenza Strategy 2019-2030, have called for the development of more effective influenza vaccines complemented by modern, adaptable manufacturing technologies that can scale production and meet demand during a pandemic.

The global response to COVID-19 has pushed the boundaries on what is possible for rapid pandemic response in several areas, including vaccine research, development, manufacturing, equitable distribution, allocation, and administration. These unprecedented actions could inform and advance future pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine preparedness efforts.

Objective

The National Academy of Medicine has established an International Committee (IC) in coordination with the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Global Affairs (OGA) to inform and facilitate its efforts to advance global influenza pandemic preparedness. This International Committee will provide the OGA an iterative, interactive, multi-disciplinary, expert-informed process for assessing the global impact that capabilities, technologies, processes, and policies developed for COVID-19 could have on pandemic and seasonal influenza global preparedness and response, especially regarding vaccine development.

The NAM International Committee will convene domestic and international experts from across sectors (e.g., government, academia, industry, civil society, international public health organizations) and a variety of disciplines (e.g., global public health; infectious disease prevention; influenza vaccine research, development, and manufacturing; pandemic preparedness and response; virology, and immunology).

The IC will take a comprehensive approach to explore the current state of the art and provide recommendations to improve the global design, composition, clinical trials, production, scale-up, regulatory approval, distribution of influenza vaccines, and post-approval surveillance for adverse events. These recommendations will be developed by four concurrent National Academies consensus study committees and released as four consensus reports.

Consensus Studies

Click below for study information, including committee rosters and registration options for public events.

Featured Event

International Workshop on COVID-19 Lessons to Inform Pandemic Influenza Response

This public workshop convened international experts, thought leaders, and other stakeholders to discuss emerging evidence that could inform and advance pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine preparedness efforts and subsequent response.

Events

Program Events

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming public events at this time.

Past Events

(June 24, 2021)
(June 22, 2021)
(June 18, 2021)
(June 9, 2021)
(June 8, 2021)
(May 26)
(May 12)
(May 14)
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(April 15)
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(March 30)
(March 11-19)
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(March 2-5)

Jul 10, 2023Commentary

Timely Treatment Translates: A Vision for Eradicating HCV

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Sep 19, 2022Discussion Paper

The Influenza Imperative: An Urgent Need to Leverage Lessons from COVID-19 to Prepare for a Global Response to Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza

Since December 2019, much of the world’s focus has been on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as it emerged from Wuhan, China and rapidly spread across the world. As of this writing, there were over 570 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, and more than 6 million people have lost their lives to the disease (WHO, n.d.). Infectious disease detection, treatment, […]

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Patients, Families, and Communities COVID-19 Impact Assessment: Lessons Learned and Compelling Needs

Introduction The health system exists to serve the most fundamental need of society: people’s health and well-being. To do so effectively requires engaging people as a partnership proposition in all elements of health system structure and function. Patients, families, and communities represent a wide-ranging group of individuals and populations contending with a host of health conditions and engaging in the […]

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Biomedical Research COVID-19 Impact Assessment: Lessons Learned and Compelling Needs

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic, a public health emergency of unprecedented scale and consequences, has revealed vulnerabilities in our health care system and public health infrastructure, yet also serves as a remarkable learning opportunity for transformational changes. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic touch every aspect of life in ways not previously imagined—the biomedical and health research enterprises are no exception. Preexisting […]

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How Should We Prepare for the Post-Pandemic World of Telehealth and Digital Medicine?

The National Academies are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit our resource center >> The novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has stressed the U.S. health care system in an unprecedented manner, highlighting both the system’s resilience and fragility. The National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Health and Technology Interest Group sponsored a program at the 2020 NAM Annual Meeting focused […]

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International Committee

Co-Chair | Unit Lead, World Health Organization

Co-Chair | Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development

Principle Investigator, ADVANCE Program, IAVI

President and Chief Executive Officer, Biologics Consulting

Director-General, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations

Director and Clinical Professor, School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Professor, School of Public Health and Administration, Cayetano Heredia University

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance

Chief Executive Officer, CEPI

Director, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Captain, USPHS (RET)

Director, Supply Division, UNICEF

Director, Pandemics and Emerging Threats. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Director, Vaccine Confidence Project, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Executive Director, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria

Head, Emergency Response Department; Deputy Director, Health Protection Directorate, Public Health England

Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Melbourne

Head of Influenza Scientific Affairs, WHO; IFPMA Lead, Seqirus Vaccines

NAM Staff

Chief of Staff National Academy of Medicine

Program Officer

Senior Board Director