International cooperation essential for vaccine development of emerging pathogens: Health Minister

Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on June 3 said “international cooperation is essential to advance vaccine development for emerging pathogens, and the G20 can serve as a vital platform to facilitate collaboration between governments, research organisations, pharmaceutical companies, and other stakeholders.”

“International cooperation is essential to advance vaccine development for emerging pathogens, and the G20 can serve as a vital platform to facilitate collaboration between governments, research organisations, pharmaceutical companies, and other stakeholders,” said Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya while addressing the Global Vaccine Research Collaborative discussion on “Vaccine Research and Development: Building Consensus for Future Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness, and Response”.

The discussion is part of the events under India’s G20 presidency organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, on the sidelines of the 3rd G20 Health Working Group Meeting, in Hyderabad on June 3. 

The Department of Pharmaceuticals is working with Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to convene and build consensus among various stakeholders from the G20 Member States as well as the special invitee countries for a proposed Global Vaccine Research Collaborative. 

This initiative will focus on addressing major gaps in research for vaccine development before the next pandemic, establishing a structure and principles for better vaccine research and development preparedness and creating a mechanism for improving coordination and fostering an enabling environment for vaccine development.

This event is part of the series leading up to the 3rd G20 Health Working Group meeting, whose recommendations and principles arrived at the discussions will be carried forward and inform further discussions at the Health Working Group meetings. 

Meanwhile speaking at the meeting, the Minister said that the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of global collaboration in vaccine research and development. 

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