Tuesday, May 18 from 7AM-10:30AM EST | Friday, May 21 from 8AM-11:30AM EST | Tuesday, May 25 from 8AM-11:30AM EST

The global response to COVID-19 has pushed the boundaries on what is possible for rapid pandemic response in several areas, including advancing vaccine research and development, bolstering vaccine distribution and supply chains, reinforcing non-vaccine public health interventions and countermeasures, and encouraging global coordination, partnerships and financing. Furthermore, the global COVID-19 response has provided new data around the efficacy and best practices surrounding pandemic planning and response.

This global public workshop will convene international experts, thought-leaders, and other stakeholders to discuss the emerging evidence on these unprecedented actions related to COVID-19 that could inform and advance pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine preparedness efforts and subsequent response.

Agenda:

Panel 1: Creating Conditions for Innovation in Research and Development

• Beverly Taylor, Moderator | Head, Influenza Scientific Affairs, Seqirus Vaccines; Chair, Influenza Vaccine Supply Task Force, IFPMA
• Charu Kaushic | Chair, Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness; Scientific Director, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Maria Elena Bottazzi | Associate Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine
• Carolyn Finkle | Chief Operating Officer, Medicago

Panel 2: Communicating the Science of Viruses and Vaccines

• Heidi Larson, Moderator | Founding Director, Vaccine Confidence Project, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Benjamin Cowling | Head, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Hong Kong University
• Priya Bahri | Principal Scientific Officer, European Medicines Agency
• Sherine Guirguis | Director, Common Thread
• Sarah Zhang | Staff Writer, The Atlantic

Breakout sessions

Breakout 1: Information Sharing and Communications

• Heidi Larson, Moderator | Founding Director, Vaccine Confidence Project, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Denise Gray-Felder | President and CEO, CFSC Consortium
• Priya Bahri | Principal Scientific Officer, European Medicines Agency
• Glen Nowak | Director of Center for Health & Risk Communication, University of Georgia
• Sergio Cecchini | Coordinator, Africa Infodemic Response Alliance

Breakout 2: Financing and Investment

• Phyllis Arthur, Moderator | Vice President, Infectious Diseases & Diagnostics Policy at Biotechnology Innovation Organization
• Ran Balicer | Chief Innovation Officer, Clalit Health Services
• Maria Elena Bottazzi | Associate Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine

Breakout 3: Equity in Research and Communication

• Patricia Garcia, Moderator | Professor, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
• Sherine Guirguis | Director, Common Thread
• Tolbert Nyenswah | Senior Research Associate, Johns Hopkins University

The workshop will feature invited presentations and discussions to:

• Highlight late-breaking developments in vaccine R&D or manufacturing that can inform future pandemic influenza planning.
• Explore current global coordination frameworks and opportunities for future pandemic planning, including funding mobilization, technology transfer, and surveillance and data sharing.
• Discuss lessons learned from COVID-19 vaccine rollout and delivery, as well as public health countermeasures sourcing, including inventory unpredictability and cascading effects of shortages of critical inputs and ancillary materials.
• Explore gaps in One Health governance, global surveillance, and risk assessment.
• Highlight equity challenges in the “last mile” of medical product delivery, and needs identified in order to improve future planning and deployment of products.
• Explore innovations in surveillance and data sharing during COVID-19 and other epidemics that can be adapted and scaled for future influenza events.
• Discuss best practices for communicating emerging research and building public confidence in vaccines and public health measures.