17 Jun The business of vaccines
Rhona MacDonald, PLoS Medicine Community Blog
Given the current economic climate, the sight of countries trying to outbid each other in their generosity to pledge money for vaccines at the first ever GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) “pledging” conference in London on 13th June is encouraging if not unique. The UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Andrew Mitchell, UK Secretary of State for International Development Secretary were fulsome in their praise of the work of GAVI and the importance of vaccines. David Cameron said: “GAVI was one of the very top performers in our root-and-branch review of the agencies that deliver British aid because it demonstrates tangible results,” and Andrew Mitchell said: “Vaccinations are proof positive that well spent aid saves lives,” –further proof, if any more was needed, that the era of results based financing, social investment, and favourable figures (“vaccine summit saves 4 million lives in 4 hours”) is well and truly here.