Scientists at the 13th annual Conference on Vaccine Research (ACVR), sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), will reflect on the remarkable growth of vaccine biotechnology in the last several decades and focus on the growing number of challenging illnesses that may become vaccine-preventable or vaccine-treatable in the coming years.
According to Susan J. Rehm, MD, medical director for NFID, "In addition to the reality that a large number of common infections have come under control in the vaccine era, we can now envision the possibility of preventing or treating many chronic, non-infectious and neoplastic conditions with vaccines. The ACVR is a premier venue for cutting-edge learning, data-sharing, and networking for scientific collaboration to help us move toward this reality."
With more than 350 scientists and physicians gathered together, ACVR is the largest scientific meeting devoted exclusively to research on vaccines and associated technologies. The conference is scheduled April 26-28, 2010 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in North Bethesda, Md.
Keynote Address by Dr. Donald Francis Examines the Thrills and Failures of Vaccine Development and Application
Vaccine research has led to some of mankind's greatest public health triumphs and holds the promise of even more in the near future. Donald Francis, MD, DSc, will review significant vaccine successes around the world, among them the global eradication of smallpox, the widespread containment of polio, and development and use of measles, rotavirus and influenza vaccines worldwide. He will also review the encouraging results in Phase III clinical trials with RTS,S, for malaria and an HIV vaccine regimen (RV144) tested in a Thai study that was shown to be safe and modestly effective in preventing HIV infection.
In a career that has spanned four decades, Francis has also confronted many challenges and disappointments in vaccine research. He will talk about delays - that have taken a good part of a century - between vaccine development and the eventual control of some diseases. He will also share frustrations about the lack of public resources dedicated to vaccine development. "The private sector can develop products only if the society values them and they, therefore, can expect a profit," says Francis. "But there are great failures in this system where the public values therapeutics over vaccines and government prevention leaders want safe and effective vaccines that cost only pennies. This is especially challenging for less developed countries where resources are even more scarce."
It is this sentiment that motivated Francis to co-found his non-profit global health company, Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases, to develop diagnostic and preventive tools for infectious diseases including HIV. His plan was to move forward with AIDS research unhampered by funders' foot dragging, political interference and corporate profit margins.
Francis will discuss instances in which politics have interfered with public health efforts and his recommendation that the "United States should appoint a National Board of Health to insulate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from the vagaries of political extremism."
Francis is an infectious disease trained pediatrician and epidemiologist, with global experience in epidemic control and vaccines. He is currently chairman and executive director of Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases in San Francisco. The keynote address is Monday, April 26 at 8:30 a.m.
