12th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research

The 12th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research, hosted by the National Foundation for Infectious Disease, attracted approximately 450 leaders in the fields of epidemiology, health economics, immunology and vaccinology, making it the largest scientific meeting devoted exclusively to vaccine research and technology. The conference highlighted recent issues in vaccine safety, including the history and design of a vaccine for rotavirus. Other topics included discussions of the synergies between veterinary and human vaccine development, updates on the development of vaccines for tuberculosis and malaria, and a comprehensive overview of immunization initiatives and goals for extending coverage of new and underused vaccines. Keynote remarks were provided by David Salisbury (Department of Health, London, UK) who outlined the aims and objectives of the Global Immunization Vision and Strategy (GIVS), an agenda created by the WHO and UNICEF. Salisbury highlighted the four primary aims of GIVS: immunize more people against more diseases, introduce a range of newly available vaccines and technologies, integrate other critical health interventions with immunization, and manage vaccination programs within the context of global interdependence. The GIVS initiative spans the time period of 2006-2015.