IVR Call to Action

A path to accelerating progress in influenza vaccine research and development (R&D) is detailed in the new Influenza Vaccines R&D Roadmap (IVR). The IVR provides a 10-year framework for prioritizing R&D activities for improving the production and effectiveness of strain-specific seasonal influenza vaccines and for advancing the development, licensure, and manufacture of broadly protective or universal influenza vaccines. The IVR Initiative will use the roadmap as a basis for benchmarking and tracking progress in influenza vaccine R&D over time. A global coalition of stakeholders contributed to the development of the roadmap. Expanded engagement is now needed to carry out the goals and high-priority R&D activities highlighted in the IVR. Informed decision-making and active, broad-based support is critical to ensure that the roadmap fulfills its vision: to reduce illness and death from influenza globally and mitigate the impact of future influenza pandemics. 

This Call to Action is for both individuals and for organizations involved in influenza vaccine R&D.

The three topic areas below encompass many of the key issues and priority milestones identified in the IVR. As stakeholders committed to influenza vaccine R&D, whether from the fields of research, government and policy, regulation, or vaccine development and manufacturing, we support the following statements and commit to those actions.

 SUPPORT THE IVR CALL TO ACTION

If you have trouble accessing the Call to Action link, please email ivr@umn.edu to sign the Call to Action!

• Enhance Global Influenza Virus Surveillance

  • Support efforts to strengthen influenza virus surveillance around the globe to better monitor virus evolution and improve capabilities to predict viral changes over time.  
  • Support efforts to improve antigenic characterization of influenza viruses, particularly H1N1 and H3N2.
     

• Improve Coordination of Basic Science and Clinical Research

  • Align influenza vaccine research projects and funding with goals and milestones outlined in the IVR, as feasible.
  • Promote research to address key immunologic issues necessary for improving seasonal influenza vaccine or developing broadly protective or universal influenza vaccines.
  • Strive to clarify lessons learned from the COVID-19 vaccine development process that may be of value in generating or accelerating development of next-generation influenza vaccines, such as exploring use of novel platforms and streamlining the clinical trial process.
  • Promote efforts to improve animal models for influenza research and to further develop the controlled human influenza virus infection model (CHIVIM) to maximize its utility.
  • Promote collaborative, mission-driven approaches to influenza vaccine R&D.
     

• Develop Innovative Policy, Financing, and Regulatory Solutions for Improving Influenza Vaccines

  • Work with other partners to promote the availability of sufficient and sustainable funding for improving seasonal influenza vaccines that induce durable and broadly protective immunity, prevent severe disease, and are suitable for use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
  • Work with other partners to promote the availability of sufficient and sustainable funding for R&D of broadly protective or universal influenza vaccines that will prevent or mitigate the impact of a severe influenza pandemic.
  • Obtain information to better define the burden of influenza around the globe to inform the development of a full value of vaccine assessment, which will serve as a valuable tool in supporting influenza vaccine R&D and promoting influenza vaccination programs in LMICs.
  • Create sustainable partnerships between regulators, public funders, and industry that clarify regulatory requirements for facilitating the licensure of novel influenza vaccines.