Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic has been the worst public health crisis the world has experienced this century, causing extensive damage to human health and exposing gaps across health systems globally. With more than 45 million cases and close to 533,000 deaths by October 2023, India has been one of the worst-affected countries by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a large population, systemic-level limitations, and urgency, India not only managed the crisis, but was also a leader in guiding various aspects of the pandemic response.By documenting the evolution of COVID-19 treatment protocols in India, we aimed to shed light on how government authorities considered, synthesized, and used local and global evidence, and how decentralized, state-level innovation were encouraged and scaled-up. Using qualitative approaches, we created a framework to map/inventory information presented in the COVID-19 treatment protocols and assessed presented information from a clinical management and public health perspective. Although the report focuses on aspects related to clinical management of COVID-19, it looks at it from a public health perspective. Our analysis considers administrative and procedural details for evidence-to-policy practice; highlights effective communication and dissemination strategies; and implications for broader use across other health areas. This report outlines learnings and best practices that would be useful for clinicians, policymakers, public health professionals, clinical and public health researchers, and risk communication specialists. This study was conducted through the Unitaid-funded, Population services International-led STAR Africa, Asia, Americas COVID-19 Preparedness project, implemented by PATH in India.

This fact sheet describes PATH’s efforts to advance new and better vaccines against meningococcal meningitis and strengthen the global toolkit against this deadly disease. It details work across multiple efforts, including the development and distribution of MenAfriVac®, the vaccine that has virtually eliminated meningitis A wherever it has been introduced; and MenFive®, the groundbreaking multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine that has the potential to eliminate epidemic meningitis in Africa, once and for all.

High–quality evidence assessing single–dose HPV vaccination suggests that implementing a single–dose schedule is scientifically sound and provides the greatest public health benefit.A single–dose HPV vaccination schedule has the potential to reach more girls and avert a greater number of cervical cancer cases than reaching fewer girls with a two–dose regimen.This brief provides a list of frequently asked questions and answers about the evidence around single–dose HPV vaccination, and the current policy landscape.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization concluded that a single dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine delivers solid protection against HPV. Based on the available evidence, SAGE advised that countries may now choose between a one- or two-dose schedule for 9–14-year-old girls and women aged 15 to 20. This is a major step toward reaching the WHO’s global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer.This two-page brief a snapshot of the evidence supporting WHO’s endorsement of a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule.Visit the Single-Dose HPV Vaccine Evaluation Consortium page for additional resources.

Adventitious agents are defined by the World Health Organization as microorganisms that may have been unintentionally introduced into the manufacturing process of a biological medicinal product. These include bacteria, fungi, mycoplasma/spiroplasma, mycobacteria, rickettsia, protozoa, parasites, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents, and viruses. Vaccines produced in biological materials—such as eggs—require thorough characterization of starting materials for inherent and adventitious agents.This PATH-organized webinar features speakers who are experts in the field and helps manufacturers understand recent regulatory guidelines and analytical and cell culture technologies used in the vaccine industry for adventitious egg-based vaccine production of viral vaccines.Speakers include:Lakshmi Khandke, Sr. Program Advisor, Vaccines, CMC, Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATHRich Hjorth, Independent ConsultantCynthia Allen, Senior Scientific Evaluator, Vaccine Quality Division, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health CanadaJennifer Moro, Senior Manager, In Vivo Biosafety Group, Charles River LaboratoriesStefanie Bendfeldt, Scientific Officer, Biosafety R&D, Charles River LaboratoriesGeorges Aboujaoudé, Virologist, Charles River LaboratoriesJens-Peter Gregersen, Independent Biomedicines ConsultantRudolf Zirwes, Charles River Laboratories