On June 5, 2014, Pfizer and the International Society of Infectious Disease (ISID) announced a new grant opportunity to help provide adult immunization in low and middle income countries. The grant program referred to as the Pfizer “Independent Grants for Learning & Change” (IGL&C) will help improve adult access and use of vaccinations in places where there is the greatest need.
ISID is a non-profit organization with more than 50,000 members worldwide committed to improving the care of patients with infectious diseases by conducting training of clinicians and researchers in infectious diseases and microbiology.
It may take decades for new vaccines in high income countries to become available in low and middle income countries. The World Health Organization’s “Global Vaccine Action Plan” notes that a life course approach is necessary to ensure that vaccinations benefit those at risk in every age group.
It also involves creating strategies for reaching individuals throughout their life span, and developing plans for systems able to monitor and track progress. Barriers in accessing and using vaccinations must be understood at the community level and these barriers need to be factored into district and community plans.
Grants requesting up to $300,000 will be considered with the total budget of $1,000,000 for this RFP. The new grant will encourage researchers, public health officials, physicians, and organizations with a focus in healthcare professional education and/or quality improvement to submit Letters of Intent (LOI) in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP). The response must be related to research or education in a specific disease state, therapeutic area, or a broader area where education is needed.
The applicants eligible to apply may include medical, dental, nursing, allied health and/or pharmacy professional schools, healthcare institutions both large and small, professional associations, and not-for-profit entities.
Collaborations within institutions as well as between different institutions, organizations, and associations are encouraged. The LOI is due July 18, 2012, full proposal deadline to be September 30, 2014. And the period performance will be December 2014 to July 2017.
For more information, go to www.pfizer.com/independentgrants and for questions email Susan Connelly at susan.connelly@pfizer.com.