The TAG on Market Access for Vaccines brings together several experts in areas of market dynamics and access, vaccine manufacturing and immunization programmes and convenes twice a year.
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the AG shall have the following functions:
• Provide an independent recommendation on technical and/or strategic aspects of key global vaccine market topics
• Deliver recommendations on proposed areas for action by WHO to enhance global access to vaccines resulting from market analyses and as proposed by the WHO Secretariat;
• Advise WHO on data sources, data quality, methodologies and overall market assessments with a key focus on supply demand balance, pricing dynamics, supply sustainability, regional supply security and other relevant aspects related to global vaccine market access.
Background
Since 2018, the Immunization Vaccines and Biologics department (IVB) in WHO, in collaboration with other departments such as Medicines and Health Products (MHP), has been focusing on market access for vaccines towards the achievement of Strategic Development Goal 3.8 (Universal Health Coverage target). One of the key initiatives in this area is Market Information for Access (MI4A), which aims to enhance access to safe, effective, quality and affordable vaccines for all.
Over time WHO has increased its contributions to broader efforts to increase access to medicines and vaccines, an important topic highlighted by the World Health Assembly in 2019 with the endorsement of a Roadmap for Access to medicines and vaccines1 and the adoption of a new resolution on improving the transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines and other health products2. Through key initiatives such as MI4A, WHO respond to specific requests from Member States and the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) to address vaccine market information gaps and improve equitable access to vaccines. MI4A is part of the WHO Global Public Health Goods.
WHO’s overall objectives are to:
- Enhance the understanding of global vaccine demand, supply and pricing dynamics and identify access risks e.g. lack of affordability and shortages;
- Convene all relevant global health partners to contribute to the development of policies, strategies, and actions to address identified access risks and opportunities;
- Strengthen national and regional capacity for improved access to vaccines supply.
To carry out its objectives, every year WHO collects information on vaccines purchased by countries (including products, volumes purchased and related price) and vaccines produced (including information on production available for commercialization and on pipeline products). This information as well as publicly available information on vaccine markets, partners resources and any programmatic or access considerations, is leveraged to develop market studies which aim to understand access dynamics and spotlight opportunities, risks and corrective action by WHO in collaboration with partners.