How New Models Of Vaccine Development For COVID-19 Have Helped Address An Epic Public Health Crisis
This acceleration has largely been fueled by an influx of resources—both financial and human—that is likewise record-setting. Significant levels of cooperation and innovation, which enable more-efficient use of those resources, have also played a key role.
There may be additional opportunities for innovation that deserve exploration. For example, master protocols, in which multiple vaccine or drug candidates are tested against a single control arm, could further accelerate clinical trials without compromising safety. Innovations to overcome potential delivery impediments, including supply chain challenges and insufficient numbers of health care workers in some regions, would also be welcome.
If widespread COVID-19 vaccination is realized in the coming months and years, the approach undertaken to arrive at that point will offer lessons for how to optimize the development and accessibility of vaccines against other pathogens, under both outbreak and non-outbreak scenarios. Our experiences with COVID-19 may also offer knowledge spillovers to other areas of medicine and public health.
More details in this Health Affairs issue.
