Vaccine Project

The development and acceptance of vaccines are key to combating existing and emerging infectious diseases. As the world becomes more interconnected, the future could bring the spread of more novel viruses, causing outbreaks and — potentially — pandemics. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, preventing human loss from future novel viruses will require that nations have processes in place to expedite the development and dissemination of new vaccines. The Vaccine Project, an initiative of the Biomedical Research program at the Center for Health and Biosciences, examines how policies impact vaccine development, distribution and uptake. The project addresses areas including vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, state and national policies impacting immunization rates, and policies that drive vaccine development innovation.