How to accelerate the supply of vaccines to all populations worldwide? Part III: Reflections after the pandemic

Abstract

When the Covid-19 pandemic was declared by WHO, a team of vaccine manufacturers worked with the COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access) Manufacturing SWAT (Support Work to Advance) team to propose regulatory agilities for accelerating access to vaccines. The cooperation and success demonstrated during the pandemic demonstrated the benefits of simplifying requirements and reliance. Vaccine developers, manufacturers, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and other stakeholders have engaged in discussions to highlight the lessons learned from this experience and to find solutions to address those challenges. This paper discusses efforts to accelerate pandemic preparedness and reports a comparative assessment of early and later pandemic experiences from vaccine manufacturers. The lessons learned and the risk-based approaches were invaluable in bringing vaccines to patients. However, the shift from cooperative pandemic pathways to strict non-pandemic requirements can impact supply. Flexibility and reliance are still needed to ensure timely product availability. This article emphasizes the importance of continuing pandemic preparedness and acting on lessons learned.