Sarah Dash President and CEO, for the Alliance for Health Policy, held a virtual Congressional Briefing, as part of the Alliance’s 2020 Signature Series: Disruptors and Transformers. The panel discussion centered on COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment.
The speakers on the panel explored leading developments, strategies, and topics related to vaccine development and testing, coverage costs and limitations, and the barriers to a successful nationwide immunization deployment.
Sarah Dash introduced Esther Krofah MPP, Executive Director, FasterCures, A Center of the Milken Institute, who opened the panel discussion with updated information on the Milken Institute’s COVID-19 Treatment and Vaccine Tracker https://milkeninstitute.org/covid-19-tracker.
The COVID-19 Tracker identifies vaccines and treatments in the pipeline to treat and prevent COVID-19 and has been updated daily since March. As she reports, “It is actually a monumental task to keep up with what is happening globally in this highly evolving landscape.
So far, 316 compounds have been identified that are either novel or repurposed compounds, as well as efforts have been made to scan additional compounds that could be useful for the virus.”
She discussed the use of devices in patients to address issues in the lungs. So far, 204 devices are in clinical trials or being used for compassionate use, with 12 in pre-clinical trials. For ill patients, 49 of the 204 compounds that are being tracked are in phase 3 clinical trials, but the total represents over 2500 clinical trial efforts that are underway globally.
When the vaccines are developed and have gone through the clinical trials, the next step is to distribute the vaccines. However, there will be some challenges in distribution such as providing vaccines in hard to reach populations, obtaining the equipment needed to administer the vaccine, providing the appropriate PPE for healthcare workers, and the ability to track the dosage.
Most of the vaccines with the exception of the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine are two dose regimens. Individuals will need to take a first dose but in a specific number of days, individuals will need to get a second dose. So, tracking and monitoring the two dose regimen is going to be very important.
Other speakers on the panel moderated by Reed Tucson, M.D., Managing Director, Tuckson Health Connections, and Board Chair for the Alliance included:
- Richard Hughes IV, JD MPH, Managing Director and Vaccines and Preventive Services leader for Avalere Health
- Nicolette Louissaint, PhD, Executive Director, Healthcare Ready
Go to https://www.allhealthpolicy.org/topics/covid-19 for more information.