Causes, challenges and solutions for developing vaccines for low-income settings

Vaccines are one of the most successful health interventions in history. They have been the primary means of eradication of smallpox and the near eradication of polio, and have led to the decrease in mortality and morbidity for millions. Yet even today, hundreds of thousands of children are dying every year around the globe from vaccine preventable diseases, such as pneumonia and rotavirus. More are dying as well from diseases where safe and effective vaccines have not yet been developed and commercialized, such as HIV, TB, and malaria. These diseases are disproportionately affecting people in countries that can least afford effective interventions. This talk will explore some of the causes and potential solutions to the challenges of developing, manufacturing, and commercializing vaccines for the poor, including technological innovations in vaccine development and manufacturing, and how partnerships with innovation and technology-focused organizations in both the public and private sectors are advancing these goals. Specific examples of how the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is engaging to bring about positive progress in vaccine development, manufacturing, and supply will be discussed