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After COVID vaccines, time to use mRNA tech against other infectious diseases
Using mRNA technology to develop effective COVID vaccines has been a scientific breakthrough.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg, Melanie Saville, head of vaccine development at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said during a livestream discussion on equitable vaccine distribution hosted by GZERO Media in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "
There's still a lot that should be done with the technology moving forward" on other infectious diseases like HIV, malaria, or TB. Still, she said that vaccines are only the beginning.
Local manufacturing and distribution is as important — as is future equitable access to the mRNA tech itself.
Mark Suzman’s big lesson learned from COVID
When now-CEO Mark Suzman joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2007, global health efforts were focused on the transition to fighting diseases like HIV, malaria, or TB under initiatives such as The Global Fund or PEPFAR.
Fifteen years later, the main lesson he's learned from COVID is is that "we have and did in the end respond albeit late," Suzman said during a livestream discussion on equitable vaccine distribution hosted by GZERO Media in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
What we've seen in the response, he explained, is "to some degree back in the glass half-full, half-empty response" with delays and setbacks caused by nationalism and inequitable vaccine distribution that caused many needless deaths. "
That is not a world we want to live in for the future."