Project Optimize, a collaboration between the World Health Organization and PATH, assessed the cost implications of leveraging a regional distribution center for the international transportation of vaccines. This report outlines the economic issues that need to be addressed for such a solution to be acceptable to country decision-makers, vaccine manufacturers, and private-sector warehouse and distribution companies.

Publication date: December 2011

Region: Global

Facilitated by project Optimize, a World Health Organization and PATH collaboration, this review was conducted in the Western Cape of South Africa whereby the Biovac Institute (a third-party, private-sector company) took over the roles of vaccine procurement, warehouse management, inventory management, and vaccine distribution directly to health centers.

Author: Lydon P

Publication date: October 2011

Region: Africa

Health Systems Research Institute, in partnership with project Optimize, a PATH and World Health Organization collaboration, commissioned a study led by the Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, to better understand the vaccine supply chain system in Thailand and the challenges of implementing a streamlined vendor-managed inventory system.

Publication date: September 2011

Region: Asia

Between March and December 2010 this project Optimize study assessed the marginal managerial advantages of using a global system for mobile communications/short message service messaging to transmit the temperature data in 24 health centers of the district of Shkodra, Albania.

Publication date: July 2011

Region: Global

Facilitated by project Optimize and conducted by a multidisciplinary group of partners, these landscape analyses highlight ongoing work related to five priority areas that comprise the vision for immunization supply systems in 2020. The analyses also highlight critical gaps that need to be addressed to achieve the vision. The five priority areas are vaccine and related products, supply system design, environmental impact, information systems, and human resources. The document is available as one large file or as six smaller files for easier downloading.

Publication date: June 2011

Region: Global

This issue of Directions in Global Health features PATH’s work related to vaccines and immunization. Articles cover the development and introduction of a vaccine to eliminate epidemic meningitis in Africa, use of vaccines and other interventions to prevent cervical cancer, transformation of vaccine distribution systems, expansion of access to rotavirus vaccines, and advancements in vaccine technologies.

Publication date: May 2011

Region: Global

Part of series: Directions in Global Health

The objective of this project Optimize assessment was to understand the structure, scope, and quality of the vaccine supply chain for fee-based immunization services and to provide recommendations for strengthening management and monitoring the quality of the vaccine supply chain for fee-based immunization.

Publication date: April 2011

Region: Asia

This fact sheet from the Global Health Technologies Coalition provides specific recommendations to US policymakers about the role and engagement of the US government in a future advance market commitment.

Publication date: March 2011

Region: North America and Europe

This fact sheet from the Global Health Technologies Coalition examines how US leadership in global health research helps to saves lives worldwide and provides domestic economic benefits.

Publication date: March 2011

Region: North America and Europe

Vaccine vial monitors (VVMs) are small stickers that adhere to vaccine vials and change color as the vaccine is exposed to heat, letting health workers know whether the vaccine can be safely used for immunization. This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked questions regarding VVMs.

Publication date: January 2011

Region: Global

This report is a synthesis of the project Evaluating HPV Vaccine Delivery Strategies in Vietnam, which aimed to identify appropriate strategies for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine delivery in different geographic and socioeconomic conditions. The report summarizes results of both the implementation and research aspects of the project. The document is available as one large file or as four smaller files for easier downloading.

Publication date: December 2010

Region: Asia

Project Optimize—a collaboration between the World Health Organization and PATH—aims to employ technological and scientific advances in the immunization field. This document describes efforts to define ideal specifications for health products and create a flexible and robust vaccine supply chain that can handle an increasingly large and costly portfolio of vaccines.

Publication date: November 2010

Region: Global

This project Optimize document describes an effort by the World Health Organization, PATH, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Guatemala Ministry of Public Health and Social Services to address challenges related to vaccine introduction. The goal is to develop an information system that will enable the digital recording and transmission of immunization data.

Publication date: November 2010

Region: Global

In this document, project Optimize reviews the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Vaccine Management Business Improvement Project, which represents an end-to-end reengineering of the US public-sector vaccine supply chain—from vaccine budgeting through storage and distribution. The CDC’s overarching goal was to ensure that vaccine was flowing to the right places at the right time.

Author: Wasserman N

Publication date: November 2010

Region: Global

This fact sheet from the Global Health Technologies Coalition explores different incentives and innovative financing mechanisms and their role in global health product development.

Publication date: October 2010

Region: North America and Europe

Disposable-syringe jet injectors have the potential to deliver vaccines safely and affordably. However, there are complex cost considerations that must be taken into account with any new technology. This article, published in Vaccine, estimates the incremental costs of transitioning from needles and syringes to delivering childhood vaccines with disposable-syringe jet injectors in Brazil, India, and South Africa.

Author: Griffiths UK, Santos AC, Nundy N, Jacoby E, Matthias D

Publication date: October 2010

Region: Global

This issue of PATH Today highlights new, innovative technologies coming from the lab and shop at PATH, a spotlight on the December launch of the meningitis vaccine in Western Africa, and a tuberculosis project in Tanzania. Also noted is the 1+1 Challenge, expanding PATH’s presence with new country offices in Africa, and the announcement of a new leader for PATH's India country program.

Publication date: October 2010

Region: Global

Part of series: PATH Today

As part of project Optimize, a five-year human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine demonstration project is under way in Vietnam, Uganda, India, and Peru to generate evidence for government decision-making about successful vaccine delivery strategies to provide HPV vaccine to young adolescent girls. HPV vaccine is a strong candidate for storage and transport in a controlled temperature chain at temperatures higher than the standard 2° to 8°C cold chain storage.

Publication date: September 2010

Region: Global

PATH and our partners have been advancing innovative vaccine technologies for more than 30 years. This report outlines our approach and capabilities. It also describes a number of individual vaccine technologies at various stages of development and market introduction to put this work in context. 

Publication date: September 2010

Region: Global

The study highlighted in this project Optimize report uses a breakeven cost analysis to compare potential prices, wastage rates, and cold chain requirements for various human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine presentations.

Publication date: August 2010

Region: Global