Update on Medicine & Vaccines

There are currently more than 50 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in trials. WHO is working in collaboration with scientists, business, and global health organizations through the ACT Accelerator to speed up the pandemic response. When a safe and effective vaccine is found, COVAX (led by WHO, GAVI and CEPI) will facilitate the equitable access and distribution of these vaccines to protect people in all countries. People most at risk will be prioritized.

Vaccine target product profile

The current global nCoV public health emergency underscores the need to accelerate the development of nCoV candidate vaccines. The Working Group on Target Product Profile for vaccines against COVID-19 aims to provide guidance from an end-to-end perspective. The objectives of this group are:

  • To develop a global target product profile (TPP) for vaccines against COVID-19.
  • The TPP will include preferred and minimally acceptable profiles for two vaccines:
    • Human vaccine – for long term protection of persons at high ongoing risk of COVID-19 such as healthcare workers.
    • Human vaccine – for reactive use in outbreak settings with rapid onset of immunity.
  • To prepare and be available for the regular working group calls.
  • To provide technical advice and support the WHO Secretariat through comments and or feedback from stakeholders.