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Review
. 2015 Mar;15(3):340-7.
doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(14)70999-5. Epub 2015 Feb 6.

The development of global vaccine stockpiles

Catherine Yen  1 , Terri B Hyde  2 , Alejandro J Costa  3 , Katya Fernandez  3 , John S Tam  4 , Stéphane Hugonnet  3 , Anne M Huvos  3 , Philippe Duclos  4 , Vance J Dietz  2 , Brenton T Burkholder  5
Affiliations
Review

The development of global vaccine stockpiles

Catherine Yen et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

Global vaccine stockpiles, in which vaccines are reserved for use when needed for emergencies or supply shortages, have effectively provided countries with the capacity for rapid response to emergency situations, such as outbreaks of yellow fever and meningococcal meningitis. The high cost and insufficient supply of many vaccines, including oral cholera vaccine and pandemic influenza vaccine, have prompted discussion on expansion of the use of vaccine stockpiles to address a wider range of emerging and re-emerging diseases. However, the decision to establish and maintain a vaccine stockpile is complex and must take account of disease and vaccine characteristics, stockpile management, funding, and ethical concerns, such as equity. Past experience with global vaccine stockpiles provide valuable information about the processes for their establishment and maintenance. In this Review we explored existing literature and stockpile data to discuss the lessons learned and to inform the development of future vaccine stockpiles.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests

We declare no competing interests. AJC, KF, SH, AMH, JST, PD, and BTB are staff members of WHO. The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this publication, and they do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy, or views of WHO. The findings and conclusions of this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Figures

Figure
Figure. Operational steps of the ICG mechanism
MSF=Médecins Sans Frontières. IFRC=International Federation of the Red Cross. ICG= International Coordinating Group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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