VIRTUAL: Global Vaccine Equity Workshop: June 14

Engineering Global Vaccine Equity, 14-15 June

Co-convened by Andrew Barry & Paige Patchin (Anthropocene/Sarah Parker Remond Centre/Institute of Advanced Studies, UCL) and Nele Jensen & Ann H. Kelly (Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, KCL)

The workshop will comprise four informal sessions for academic and research staff to discuss ideas, followed by a public event summing up the two days of conversations.

Accelerating vaccine research and manufacturing (14 June, 2-3pm)

Ken Shadlen (LSE); Paige Patchin (UCL); Rory Horner (Manchester); Penny Carmichael (UCL); Ann H Kelly (KCL). Chaired by Nele Jensen (KCL)

In response to the challenges of a series of epidemics and pandemics, international organisations and national governments have sought to both promote ‘emergency’ or accelerated vaccine development and vaccine equity. In this context, what is driving the acceleration of vaccine research? What are the specific – experimental, technological, digital, organizational, regulatory – means that are used to engender and facilitate ever-shorter R&D timelines? In how far do equity concerns feature as part of these efforts? Is it possible to both accelerate vaccine research and production and ensure global vaccine equity at the same time, or what might potential tensions between these two goals be? To what extent do novel vaccine platform technologies, such as mRNA and viral vector vaccines, also offer unique opportunities to ‘platform’ equity?

Vaccines, Economy and the Law (14 June, 3-4pm)

Hyo Yoon Kang (Kent); Valbona Muzaka (KCL); Lauren Paremoer (UCT); Vera Ehrenstein (UCL); Carlo Caduff (KCL), Sonja van Wichelen (University of Sydney). Chaired by Paige Patchin (UCL)

Much attention has focused on the development of mechanisms for equitable vaccine allocation and distribution. At the same time, there is growing concern about the countervailing impact of vaccine nationalism, the implications of intellectual property claims, and the reproduction of postcolonial inequalities. In these circumstances, how is the problem of equity posed by those involved in global health R&D, including scientists, regulators, policymakers, activists, and researchers in the social sciences? What are the possibilities and pitfalls of proposed solutions, such as coordination, regulatory and financing mechanisms, IP waivers and flexibilities, and technology transfer? To what extent does COVID-19 pandemic put into question traditional models of biomedical R&D and the ‘push and pull’ mechanisms to promote it, and in how far do biomedical innovations, such as new technology platforms, themselves points towards possibilities for significant transformations of traditional R&D models?

Image: Expired ReEBOV tests in a hospital laboratory in Sierra Leone. Photograph by Ann Kelly