In This Issue
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Letter from the Chairs
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Dear Colleagues,
Happy New Year! As we turn the corner into a new decade, we are pleased to report that 2009 was a remarkable year for PACE and pneumococcal disease prevention. Eight new countries announced the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines into their national immunization programs, history was made as the first ever low-income country introduced PCV-7, and funding barriers were bridged through the Advanced Market Commitment (AMC) pilot project against pneumococcal disease.
As a result of donor commitments, two low income countries – Rwanda and The Gambia – introduced PCV in 2009, just nine years after its license in the US. This timeline is unprecedented, as it has historically taken 15-20 years for vaccines introduced in the industrialized world to reach developing countries – indicating a real shift in vaccine access and delivery.
To build on this momentum, PACE held events in Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Pakistan and South Africa to highlight the importance of pneumococcal disease prevention, encourage advocates to take action and get life saving vaccines introduced in national immunization programs. As a result, pneumococcal advocacy has begun within the European Parliament, and the governments of Pakistan and Bangladesh have announced that they will apply for GAVI funding for pneumococcal vaccine prevention.
Finally, pneumonia achieved its day on the world stage, with the first annual World Pneumonia Day taking place on November 2. Events were organized by advocates in every corner of the globe to mark the occasion, and media coverage was achieved in nearly 40 countries.
With the stage set for continued progress on prevention, we invite you to join us for the year ahead. Stay tuned for news on upcoming PACE events and ways you can get involved.
Thank you for your support, and all the best in 2010!
Ciro de Quadros and Orin Levine
Co-Chairs
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PACE Updates
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First annual World Pneumonia Day shines a spotlight on pneumonia
The first annual World Pneumonia Day launched around the world on November 2, 2009 – shining a light on the disease often referred to as “the forgotten killer.” Events took place across 6 continents, generating media coverage in nearly 40 countries worldwide.
PACE, a member of the World Pneumonia Day Coalition, sponsored a press conference, policymaker roundtable, rally, march and symposium in Bangladesh where for two consecutive days – November 1 and November 2 – the country’s leaders and advocates focused their attention on the prevention and treatment of pneumonia.
All the necessary players – including opinion leaders, pediatricians, reporters and students – gathered together at the same table to discuss the issue and find ways to solve the crisis of pneumonia. These events and activities, led by PACE member Dr. Samir K. Saha, helped convince Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health to apply for GAVI funding to introduce the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.
PACE World Pneumonia Day events also took place in Brazil, Dominican Republic, Kenya, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Israel, Pakistan, China and the Philippines. For more information on World Pneumonia Day and to learn about last year’s effort, visit www.worldpneumoniaday.org.
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PACE honored at Run for Child Survival in Kenya
The Honorable Beth Mugo, Minister of Public Health and Sanitation in Kenya, presented PACE with the Appreciation Award at the Kenyan Paediatric Association’s 3rd annual Running for Child Survival event in Nairobi, held November 21, 2009. The event, organized by PACE’s Fred Were, and co-sponsored by PneumoADIP, was held to celebrate World Pneumonia Day and build awareness and generate public support for improving child survival in Kenya. Kenya bestowed the award to PACE to recognize their work to advocate for the prevention of pneumococcal disease – a leading infectious killer of children.
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PACE member Fred Were receives national recognition for his work on child health
During Kenya’s 46th Independence Day celebration in December, the President of Kenya honored PACE’s own Dr. Fred Were as an Elder of the Burning Spear – one of the country’s highest civilian honors – for his excellent service to Kenya.
As the President of the Kenya Paediatric Association, and a member of PACE, Dr. Were has been a leading advocate in Kenya for child health issues. He has been a persistent voice calling on the Kenyan government to introduce pneumococcal vaccines and conduct research to support this decision. Thanks in part to Dr. Were’s advocacy and leadership, Kenya recently earned GAVI approval for funding to introduce pneumococcal vaccines.
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PACE panel shares lessons on advocacy at WSPID
PACE members Ron Dagan, Lulu Bravo and Shabir Madhi shared their experience advocating for pneumococcal disease prevention in their countries during the 6th World Congress of the World Society of Pediatric and Infectious Diseases (WSPID) in Buenos Aires, Argentina in November. The Congress brought together over 2,000 internationally renowned specialists dedicated to the treatment and prevention of pediatric infectious diseases.
The PACE event took advantage of this gathering of prominent medical specialists to underscore the urgent need for in-country advocacy to encourage governments to invest in pneumococcal prevention. Since 2006, PACE has played a major role in advocating for pneumococcal disease prevention around the world, stressing the importance and opportunity for pneumococcal disease prevention to leaders in low- and middle-income countries.
“We have the vaccines to prevent this disease. What we need now is a commitment from governments to make prevention a priority,” said PACE member and WSPID President Ron Dagan. “And there are no better spokespersons for prevention than doctors who see the devastating effects of this disease first-hand.”
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PACE introduces three new partners
In November, PACE welcomed three new partners following the 6th World Congress of WSPID. These are the Argentina Society of Pediatrics, Ecuadorian Society of Pediatrics, and the Indonesian Pediatric Society. The three newest members join PACE’s growing list of 117 partners, headquartered in 50 countries in the world, who have signed the Global Call to Action on Pneumococcal Disease Prevention. Click here to view the full list of PACE Partners.
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Pneumo News
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Introducing the new International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at Johns Hopkins
Under the leadership of Orin Levine, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health launched the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) in December, with the goal of accelerating access to life-saving vaccines through the development and implementation of evidence-based policies through the developing world. IVAC’s work to strengthen the evidence base for vaccine introduction includes undertaking targeted, policy-focused research in areas such as disease burden, cost-effectiveness, vaccine policy, demand forecasting and disease epidemiology. The results of rigorous studies will be targeted to key decision-makers – both donors and policymakers – providing them with the evidence they need to make informed choices and investments in life-saving vaccines.
The team at IVAC capitalizes on its experience with the highly successful Pneumococcal Vaccine Accelerated Development and Introduction Plan (PneumoADIP) and Hib Initiative projects. Drawing upon expertise and faculty from the Bloomberg School, IVAC aims to create a convergence of the right vaccines in the right health systems, ensuring that millions more children will have the chance to grow into healthy, productive adults. For more information, please visit www.jhsph.edu/ivac.
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US sees rise in secondary infections after flu
According to a study recently released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pneumococcal infections are a common and sometimes fatal complication of severe cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza virus infection.
In a study conducted in Denver, Colorado, increase in invasive pneumococcal disease among 2009 H1N1 influenza patients occurred primarily among younger adults, with 62% of cases occurring among 20-59 year olds who are normally less susceptible to pneumococcal infections. In a typical non-pandemic year, most IPD cases occur among immune-compromised individuals or persons 65 years of age and older.
According to the CDC, pneumococcal infections are a serious complication of seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza infections and can cause death. For this reason, the CDC has indicated that pneumococcal vaccines can be useful in preventing secondary pneumococcal infections and reducing illness and death among those infected with influenza viruses during the 2009-2010 influenza season. For more information visit the CDC website.
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PCV-13 wins EU recommendation
The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-13) – Prevnar 13, produced by Pfizer (formerly Wyeth) – gained approval from the European Medicines Agency on December 11, 2009. In addition to the seven serotypes covered in the PCV-7 predecessor, PCV-13 will offer protection against six additional serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
The approval of PCV-13 was expected after the European Medicines Agency endorsed it in September. In the US, the vaccine is still under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
To date, PCV-13 has been approved for use in infants and young children in 34 countries. Further pediatric regulatory filings for PCV-13 are in advanced stages of review in numerous countries, and PCV-13 is also being studied in global Phase 3 clinical trials in adults, with regulatory submissions expected in 2010.
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World Health Organization grants prequalification for global use of PCV-10
World Health Organization (WHO) awarded prequalification for global use to the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Synflorix, manufactured by GSK. The prequalification is significant in that it is the first for a pneumococcal vaccine, and will accelerate global access to the vaccine by allowing UN agencies to purchase vaccines on behalf of developing countries. The endorsement was made less than a year after the vaccine’s first licensure in an industrialized country – Canada – and just a few days after the first annual World Pneumonia Day, marked on November 2, 2009.
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Scarcity of pneumococcal vaccine continues where it is needed most
In the December issue of The Lancet, Dr. Julian Lob-Levyt of the GAVI Alliance highlighted the scarcity of pneumococcal vaccines in countries where the vaccine is needed most and where the burden of the disease is highest – Africa and Asia. Highlighting findings from the Global Disease Burden studies released in September and the PACE studies on African children with sickle cell disease released in February, he stresses that none of the ten countries with the highest burden of pneumococcal disease routinely provide pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Read the full article here.
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Upcoming Events
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February 1, 2010
Global Leadership Award Ceremony & Reception
Geneva, Switzerland
March 14-18, 2010
ISPPD-7
Tel Aviv, Israel
November 2010
World Pneumonia Day
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About PACE
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A project of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, the Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE) is comprised of leading global experts in infectious diseases and vaccines. The Council raises awareness among policy makers and aims to secure global commitments to prevent pneumococcal disease — a leading infectious killer of children and adults worldwide — working through collaboration and partnership with countries, NGOs, academia and industry to achieve its goals. For more information about PACE and the Global Call to Action, please visit www.sabin.org/PACE.
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