Vaccine Symposium

Description

Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington present, "Preserving the Scientific Integrity of Getting to COVID-19 Vaccines: From Clinical Trials to Public Allocation."

There are now more than 33 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide and the death toll of the global pandemic has surpassed 1 million. The United States remains the most affected country, with more than 7 million diagnosed COVID-19 infections and upwards of 200,000 deaths to date. The pandemic has also had enormous social and economic impacts globally, and continues to challenge families, communities, health systems, and virtually every aspect of society.

Efforts to develop COVID-19 vaccines are well underway, and protecting the scientific integrity of the process is paramount. The trials must be—and must be seen to be—free of political interference, carried out with the highest scientific and ethical rigor, and allowed to proceed until the safety and efficacy of each candidate vaccine has been thoroughly assessed. The ultimate goal is global distribution of and equitable access to effective vaccines that can help slow, and eventually end, the pandemic.

With this backdrop, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington are bringing together leading experts to explore these issues and put forward a concise plan for protecting the scientific integrity of these lifesaving efforts. "Preserving the Scientific Integrity of Getting to COVID-19 Vaccines: From Clinical Trials to Public Allocation" will feature insights from global leaders in vaccine science, health metrics, policy, regulation, and communications.

The virtual symposium will focus on several key areas:

• The science behind COVID-19 vaccine-efficacy trials
• Essential elements of protecting scientific integrity
• Frameworks for assessing vaccine safety and efficacy, including emergency use authorizations (EUAs)
• Ethical aspects of COVID-19 trials
• Ensuring trials are inclusive, diverse, and allow for assessment of highly affected communities
• Vaccine access and allocation in the U.S. and globally

Speakers are:

• Francis Collins, National Institutes of Health
• Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Peter Marks, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Moncef Slaoui, Operation Warp Speed
• Michele Andrasik, University of Washington
• Nancy Bennett, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
• Chris Beyrer, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Mike Bloomberg, Bloomberg Philanthropies
• Ana Mari Cauce, University of Washington President
• Larry Corey, University of Washington
• Ronald J. Daniels, Johns Hopkins University President
• Ruth Faden, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Helene Gayle, The Chicago Community Trust
• Scott Gottlieb, formerly of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Tom Inglesby, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Keith Jerome, University of Washington
• Ruth Karron, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Ellen MacKenzie, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Apoorva Mandavilli, The New York Times
• Bill Moss, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Chris Murray, University of Washington
• Kathleen Neuzil, University of Maryland School of Medicine
• Joshua Sharfstein, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Will Stone, NPR
• Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic