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November 2010

New report finds that solutions such as vaccines are key to preventing pneumonia

November 12, 2010 -- To mark World Pneumonia Day, the Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia released a new report that finds tools and solutions, such as vaccines, are critical components in protecting children from the disease. The report—which tracks global progress against pneumonia in the 15 countries with the most child pneumonia deaths—says that although vaccines are a safe and effective tool, many of the poorest countries are unable to afford these life-saving tools.

In order to address this issue and ensure that vaccines against pneumonia reach children worldwide, an advance market commitment (AMC) was launched by the GAVI Alliance, the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and five national governments in June 2009. AMCs pool donor funding to guarantee a future market, at a specified price, for companies that develop a certain product for low- and middle-income countries. The introduction of a pneumococcal vaccine through the current pilot AMC is projected to prevent an estimated 900,000 deaths by 2015 and more than seven million deaths by 2030. In addition, the long-term price of a vaccine will be lowered from more than $70 per dose to $3.50 under the AMC.

These benefits underscore why the United States should consider engaging with future AMCs. The vaccine research pipeline is more promising than ever, with late-stage trials beginning on vaccines for diseases ranging from meningitis to malaria. It is crucial that this promising pipeline receives support from a wide range of partners to ensure success. See the links below for more details.

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