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Review
. 2021 May;125(5):553-567.
doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.03.013. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

COVID-19 vaccine challenges: What have we learned so far and what remains to be done?

Rebecca Forman  1 , Soleil Shah  2 , Patrick Jeurissen  3 , Mark Jit  4 , Elias Mossialos  5
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19 vaccine challenges: What have we learned so far and what remains to be done?

Rebecca Forman et al. Health Policy. 2021 May.

Abstract

Developing and distributing a safe and effective SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccine has garnered immense global interest. Less than a year after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, several vaccine candidates had received emergency use authorization across a range of countries. Despite this scientific breakthrough, the journey from vaccine discovery to global herd immunity against COVID-19 continues to present significant policy challenges that require a collaborative, global response. We offer a framework for understanding remaining and new policy challenges for successful global vaccine campaigns against COVID-19 as well as potential solutions to address them. Decision-makers must be aware of these challenges and strategize solutions that can be implemented at scale. These include challenges around maintaining R&D incentives, running clinical trials, authorizations, post-market surveillance, manufacturing and supply, global dissemination, allocation, uptake, and clinical system adaption. Alongside these challenges, financial and ethical concerns must also be addressed.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations of Competing Interest None. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A framework for understanding 11 remaining and new policy challenges in the implementation of successful COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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