Report of meeting on the development of influenza vaccines with broad spectrum and long-lasting immune responses, February 2004
Recommendations for WHO
- Promote appreciation of influenza as a significant medical problem in both developed and developing countries.
- Provide a forum for coordination of international efforts in development of influenza vaccines that induce broad spectrum and long-lasting immunity.
- Enlist vaccine and public health scientists from developing countries in the research on development of new influenza vaccines and planning programmes for control of influenza by vaccination.
- Continue to review and update international biological standardization activities, including development of standardized assays and reagents for evaluation of cross-protective efficacy of influenza vaccines.
- Provide a forum for review and coordination of decisions, seed selection and preparation, manufacturing efforts and delivery of vaccines for pandemic influenza.
- Coordinate international harmonization of regulatory requirements to facilitate vaccine development and licensing, including genetically-modified organism regulations where appropriate.
- Conduct a review and update of live-virus vaccines.
- Coordinate efforts to address intellectual property issues for using reverse genetics for vaccine manufacturing.
- Provide assistance and advice to appropriate persons and agencies regarding funding sources for influenza vaccine efforts. Publicize funding opportunities available through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health in the United States of America.