COVAX is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF – working in collaboration with sovereign governments, civil society, industry, and other international organizations to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. Since the beginning of the pandemic, COVAX has supported and accelerated the development, manufacturing, stockpiling, procurement, and fair allocation of COVID-19 vaccines to enable the largest and most rapid rollout of lifesaving tools in global health history. As of July 2022, COVAX has shipped more than 1.6 billion doses to 146 countries.

The COVAX pillar was launched in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of providing innovative and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. As part of its role, Gavi coordinates the COVAX Facility, responsible for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of safe, efficacious, and good quality COVID-19 vaccines selected thanks to a scientific evaluation amongst the world’s largest and most diverse portfolio of vaccines.

COVAX Independent Product Group is now open for applications

In October 2020, the CEPI and Gavi established the COVAX Independent Product Group (IPG). The IPG has been successfully operating as a diverse and globally representative committee to provide independent advice to the COVAX Pillar and the COVAX Facility, mainly; a) supporting the COVAX Facility in making evidence-based evaluations to build a diverse portfolio of vaccines to ensure equitable access b) on the identification and selection of vaccine candidates likely to meet threshold criteria for purchase by the Facility, and subsequently, whether those criteria are met.

Given the evolving pandemic situation, the COVAX Facility will continue to adapt and innovate to changing circumstances and needs, hence offering an opportunity to renew its membership in this diverse advisory group to a) continue advising on the development of new and improved COVID-19 vaccines and b) provide technical support on COVID-19 vaccination programs and vaccine needs for both the current pandemic situation and a potential future endemic phase.

The COVAX Facility is seeking expressions of interest from the subject matter experts to join the COVAX Independent Product Group.

The Independent Product Group members will be reviewing the data and information on COVID-19 candidate vaccines which may be suitable for procurement by the COVAX Facility, monitor the changes and evolution of vaccines to meet the a) evolving SARS-COV-2 virus and subvariants, b) changing human immunity, c) programmatic needs and objectives – particularly those present in developing countries, as well as provide recommendations to the COVAX Facility.

As part of this work, the IPG members will interact with the COVAX Developing and Optimising Vaccines workstream, which is tasked with R&D and manufacturing investment decision-making for the COVAX portfolio of vaccine candidates and enabling scientific activities.

We are currently looking for 5-7 experts to join the COVAX Independent Product Group, with diverse and global expertise in the following areas:

• Coronavirus vaccines and/or COVID-19 vaccines
• Animal models and assays for vaccine evaluation
• Clinical evaluation of vaccines including vaccine evaluation in large randomised clinical trials in diverse geographical settings
• Regulatory expertise in vaccine evaluation from different regions
• Vaccine manufacturing and GMP issues
• Epidemiology/public health/ health policy expertise
• Expertise in viral evolution and resultant immunological escape
• Expertise in immunisation programmes and service delivery
• Vaccine safety evaluation and monitoring

The deadline for submissions of applications is 22 October 2022. Please share this announcement with your networks. Applicants are requested to email their expression of interest along with their resume to: IPGSecretariat@Gavi.org

Further information and details on how to apply are available here.

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