In July 2010, project Optimize held workshops in Washington, DC, and Seattle, WA, to engage stakeholders from a wide variety of organizations. The workshops discussed developing-country immunization systems and sought participant perspectives on the desired future state of the systems. This document provides a summary of the workshops.

Publication date: July 2010

Region: Global

PATH has worked to improve maternal and child health, nutrition, and family planning in developing countries for more than 30 years. This brochure describes our integrated approach to reach mothers, children, and communities with key innovations for strong futures.

Publication date: May 2010

Region: Global

This issue of Outlook provides an update on opportunities for preventing cervical cancer through vaccination and screening. It summarizes recent evidence on the safety and efficacy of human papillomavirus vaccines as well as successful approaches for screening and treatment in low-resource areas. Other topics include cost-effectiveness, communication and training, and implications for policy and programs.

Author: Murray M

Publication date: May 2010

Region: Global

Part of series: Outlook

This publication describes the public health potential of multipurpose prevention technologies -- that is, technologies that prevent unintended pregnancy; sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; and/or other reproductive tract infections. While a few such technologies exist, greater collaboration and resources are needed to accelerate research and development efforts and bring new technologies into widespread use.

Author: Holt BY, Kilbourne-Brook M, Cohen J, Burns M

Publication date: May 2010

Region: Global

Both Iran and Sudan utilize an alarm-based temperature recording system to monitor the performance of their national immunization cold stores. To better the utility and application of such systems in other countries, this project Optimize report documents the benefits, challenges, and advantages of both Iran’s and Sudan’s systems.

Author: Haghgou, M

Publication date: May 2010

Region: Global

This report from the vaccine technologies team at PATH presents results from an economic model that calculates the costs involved in delivering IPV vaccine in Indian immunization clinics according to three strategies: (1) intradermal delivery of reduced volumes of vaccine per dose, (2) use of adjuvants to allow a reduced IPV antigen content per dose, and (3) reduction of the number of doses per IPV immunization schedule. The strategies include delivery by standard technique and with alternative delivery devices.

Author: Hickling J, Jones R, Nundi N, Zehrung D

Publication date: April 2010

Region: Global

Project Optimize is collaborating with the Vietnamese National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology on a series of activities designed to assess the opportunities and needs for strengthening the immunization system in Vietnam. This document reports the results of assessments of the vaccine supply chain in Vietnam, completed in March 2010.

Publication date: March 2010

Region: Asia

This report, the first annual policy report of the Global Health Technologies Coalition, makes recommendations for Congress and the Obama Administration to ensure that the United States maximizes its investment in global health and continues as a leader in global health research and development. The report makes recommendations in three areas: public financing, regulatory pathways, and incentives and innovative financing.

Publication date: 2010

Region: North America and Europe

Part of series: GHTC's annual policy reports

This special report offers an overview of the proceedings at the 7th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases held in Tel Aviv, Israel, from March 14 to 18, 2010. The meeting brought together pneumococcal experts from around the world to discuss the latest advancements in the field of pneumococcal disease research and development. This report captures topics covered at the conference ranging from microbiology and epidemiology of the pneumococcus bacterium to existing and novel pneumococcal vaccines and  treatments, as well as updates on global advocacy efforts and serotype dynamics of pneumococcal disease.

Publication date: 2010

Region: Global

This issue of Directions in Global Health features PATH’s work to optimize vaccine supply systems, advance development of malaria vaccine candidates, prevent postpartum hemorrhage to save mothers’ lives, address health needs in Tanzania, and use monitoring and evaluation systems to further PATH’s mission. It also highlights two prestigious awards that PATH recently received.

Publication date: December 2009

Region: Global

Part of series: Directions in Global Health

This issue of PATH Today features a profile of PATH donor Miriam Sevy and her travels with PATH to Kenya, information about our work in Kenya, and an update on our new headquarters building in downtown Seattle. The issue also highlights Ultra Rice® winning the Tech Award, PATH's profile in a new book about the importance of individual donors, and the year-end matching challenge.

Publication date: December 2009

Region: Global

Part of series: PATH Today

This set of fact sheets details technical activities of PATH's Japanese encephalitis project, with an aim to inform future efforts and programs. The fact sheets were developed as a supplement to PATH's Japanese Encephalitis Project: Collaboration and Commitment to Protect Asia's Children. Topics covered include surveillance of disease burden and disability, cost-effectiveness analysis, diagnostics, advocacy, vaccine development, and vaccine introduction.

Publication date: December 2009

Region: Global

The purpose of this project Optimize survey was to obtain input from stakeholders within the Expanded Programme on Immunization in Vietnam about issues and perceptions related to the storage, distribution, and delivery of the current and potential options for human papillomavirus vaccine presentation and packaging.

Publication date: December 2009

Region: Asia

The Optimize project, a collaboration between PATH and the World Health Organization, commissioned this white paper to examine the issues influencing vaccine producer willingness to advance, adopt, and commercialize value-added technologies for vaccines for low-income and lower-middle-income country markets.

Author: Gilchrist S

Publication date: November 2009

Region: Global

Clinical trials are a critical source of data for decisions around vaccine development. This fact sheet provides information about the phases of clinical trials.

Publication date: October 2009

Region: Global

This document provides a brief overview of the Optimize project’s strategy for developing delivery systems that are as advanced and innovative as the vaccines they support. Project Optimize, a collaboration between the World Health Organization and PATH, has been given a unique mandate to think far into the future: to put technological and scientific advances to work, helping define the ideal characteristics and specifications for health products; and to create a vaccine supply chain that is flexible and robust enough to handle an increasingly large and costly portfolio of vaccines.

Publication date: October 2009

Region: Global

This briefing paper underscores the burden of rotavirus and highlights the promise of vaccines to combat the virus as the global health community prepares for worldwide introduction.  

Publication date: September 2009

Region: Global

This edition of PATH Today highlights work to improve children’s health in Nicaragua and Kenya and spotlights PATH's safe water project in Korogocho, a slum near Nairobi, Kenya. It also includes brief updates on the 2009 Breakfast for Global Health, workplace giving, an influenza vaccine study in Africa, and PATH's 2008 annual report.

Publication date: September 2009

Region: Global

Part of series: PATH Today

This issue of Directions in Global Health showcases PATH’s global presence. It highlights work related to influenza in Africa, HIV and AIDS in Eastern Europe,  Japanese encephalitis in Asia, gender-based violence in Latin America and the Caribbean, and diagnostic technologies in North America. The back cover features a map and summary information on PATH’s work around the world.

Publication date: August 2009

Region: Global

Part of series: Directions in Global Health

This article, published in Human Vaccines (Human Vaccines 5:8, 1-7; August 2009), details a collaborative effort between PATH, Arecor, and the University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy that has resulted in a new formulation for recombinant hepatitis B vaccine that demonstrates improved stability at elevated temperatures. The formulation exhibited 9-week stability at 55°C and was also shown to be stable at both 37°C and 45°C for at least six months. This new vaccine formulation has the potential to be stored at room temperature for part of its shelf life and will help ensure the potency of the vaccine in areas where the cold chain is insufficient.

Author: Jezek J, Chen D, Watson L, et al.

Publication date: August 2009

Region: Global