2024-11-05 16:42:00
A polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, November 2. Dawoud Abu Alkas / REUTERS
The international health authority wants funding to be motivated more by “the number of lives that could be saved in the most vulnerable communities” than by the expected return on investment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) for the first time on Tuesday published a list of 17 pathogens that it considers to be « absolute priorities for the development of new vaccines ». Its objective: that this one « no longer focused on commercial performance but on regional and global health needs »said Dr Mateusz Hasso-Agopsowicz, vaccine specialist at WHO, during a press briefing. « Too often, global decisions about new vaccines have been driven solely by return on investment, rather than how many lives could be saved in the most vulnerable communities »indicates in a press release Dr Kate O’Brien, director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biological Products at WHO.
This is the « first global effort to prioritize endemic pathogens based on criteria including regional disease burden, antimicrobial resistance risk and socio-economic impact »explains the WHO in this press release which accompanies an article published in the magazine eBioMedicine . This list complements WHO’s outbreak research and development blueprint, which identifies pathogens likely to cause future outbreaks.
HIV, malaria and tuberculosis are obviously part of this, these three diseases claiming nearly 2.5 million victims each year worldwide. But there are also other pathogens, such as group A streptococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and others, which are proving increasingly resistant to available antimicrobials. To compile its list, the WHO asked experts to identify the ten priority pathogens for each region of the world, then formed a global list of 17 of them. « Five pathogens were priorities common to all regionswrite the authors of the publication: M tuberculosisHIV-1, K pneumoniae, S aureus et Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli. Six pathogens were prioritized in a single region. »
Also read: By 2050, 39 million people will die from antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Different stages of development
The development of vaccines against these 17 pathogens is at different stages, with some still in the research stage, such as for hepatitis C, while others are close to being approved by authorities. regulatory requirements, to be the subject of a political recommendation or to be introduced into the markets, as for the dengue virus. In total, the WHO identifies 4 pathogens “for which research on vaccines is necessary” (group A streptococcus, hepatitis C virus, HIV-1 and Klebsiella pneumoniae), 8 “for which the development of vaccines must be continued” ( Cytomegalovirus, influenza virus – broad protection vaccine -, species of Leishmania, Salmonelle not typhoid, Norovirus, Plasmodium falciparum, species of Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus) and 5 for which vaccines are available in some countries or about to be available (dengue virusgroup B streptococcus, E. coli extraintestinal pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respiratory syncytial virus).
These vaccines « would significantly reduce diseases that greatly affect communities today » more « also the medical costs faced by families and health systems »underlined in the press release Dr. Kate O’Brien. Dr Hasso-Agopsowicz explained that the 17 pathogens mainly affect low-income countries. « What has generally happened in the past is that vaccine research and development has been influenced by the cost-effectiveness of new vaccines. This means that diseases that seriously affect low-income areas unfortunately receive much less attentionhe indicated. With this list, we hope to give them some direction. We give them direction. »
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**Interviewer:** Welcome, Dr. Mateusz Hasso-Agopsowicz, vaccine specialist at the World Health Organization. Thank you for joining us to discuss the newly unveiled priority pathogen list. Can you explain why the WHO has created this list and what its main objectives are?
**Dr. Hasso-Agopsowicz:** Thank you for having me. The WHO created this list to prioritize the development of vaccines for pathogens that pose the highest risk to global health, particularly in vulnerable communities. Our main objective is to shift the focus of vaccine funding from purely commercial considerations to addressing regional and global health needs, ultimately saving lives.
**Interviewer:** This list includes well-known diseases like HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, but also pathogens like Klebsiella pneumoniae. How were these pathogens chosen?
**Dr. Hasso-Agopsowicz:** The selection process involved input from experts worldwide who assessed regional disease burden, the risk of antimicrobial resistance, and socio-economic impacts. We identified ten priority pathogens for each region and compiled a global list of 17 that are critical for all countries to address.
**Interviewer:** It’s clear that some pathogens like tuberculosis and HIV have been long-standing public health challenges. Are there other emerging threats identified in the list?
**Dr. Hasso-Agopsowicz:** Yes, besides established diseases, we’ve included pathogens like group A streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which are increasingly resistant to current treatments. This reflects our understanding that resistance to antimicrobials is a growing concern and necessitates urgent vaccine development.
**Interviewer:** What do you see as the next steps in terms of vaccine development for these pathogens?
**Dr. Hasso-Agopsowicz:** We have a diverse landscape in terms of vaccine development stages. Some pathogens need more research, like hepatitis C, while others are closer to market approval, such as those for dengue. Our goal is to expedite development where it’s needed most and facilitate access to these vaccines in low- and middle-income countries.
**Interviewer:** The call for funding based on lives saved rather than return on investment is significant. What impact do you expect this will have on vaccine development in the future?
**Dr. Hasso-Agopsowicz:** We believe that by prioritizing funding based on potential impact on health rather than commercial gain, we can foster more equitable access to vaccines. This could lead to innovative solutions and collaborations that address health disparity issues globally, allowing us to save lives where it matters most.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Hasso-Agopsowicz, for this insightful conversation. It’s clear that the WHO’s efforts are vital in addressing these pressing health challenges.
**Dr. Hasso-Agopsowicz:** Thank you for the opportunity to discuss our work. We’re committed to improving global health through collaborative efforts and innovative solutions.
