Gavi: Partnering to protect future generations from infectious diseases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY 26 MAY 2020

Gavi: Partnering to protect future generations from infectious diseases

As Gavi - the Vaccine Alliance - marks its twentieth anniversary, Generation Gavi: Partnering to protect health through life-saving vaccines is a new report from the ABPI (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry) and IFPMA (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations) that looks at the past successes of the Vaccines Alliance and what the future holds.

In this op-ed, Richard Torbett looks ahead to the alliance's commitment to protect future generations from infectious diseases:

Much has changed in the world since Gavi held its last replenishment conference in 2015, not least the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Against this unprecedented backdrop, the UK will shortly convene Gavi’s donors and partners to address the support and collaboration the alliance needs to achieve its goals over the next five years. The UK is one of the six original donors to Gavi and continues to be a major supporter, having committed £1.44 billion – or almost a quarter of their total funds – over the past five years.

In its lifetime, Gavi has protected a generation of children; 760 million of whom are more likely to survive and thrive into adulthood.

With a world leading pharmaceutical industry, and a longstanding commitment to Gavi, the UK is well placed to support the international cooperation needed to protect the world from infectious diseases.

As Chief Executive of the ABPI, it is a privilege to showcase in the pages of our new report [Generation Gavi: Partnering to protect health through life-saving vaccines] the commitment and contribution of our members: companies at the cutting-edge of science, whose mission it is to tackle the world’s healthcare challenges.

The passion and commitment of our members here in the UK and around the world mean we’re in a unique position to support Gavi on the two most pressing fronts we face: helping reach a further 300 million children in the next five years with lifesaving vaccines and, together with the wider life sciences community, playing our role in the response to COVID–19 by developing vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.

In the months ahead, the shared ambition and expert collaboration that has come to define Gavi will be needed more than ever, as we work together to protect and advance the remarkable progress that has been achieved, and fight an urgent global health emergency.

This new reality demands a renewed commitment to working in partnership. Our success in the years ahead, as in the past, will depend on the strength of this collaboration.

There is no better time than now, to agree on how to protect future generations from infectious disease.