Duke researchers lead joint research efforts to increase global fairness of COVID-19 vaccine

Duke Health’s research initiatives have revealed that the global distribution of vaccines must become more equitable to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID Global Accountability Platform (COVID GAP), a joint research effort of Duke University and the COVID Collaborative, has conducted more than a year of research and policy analysis to better understand the ways in which the healthcare industry health can respond to pandemics like COVID-19.

“Beyond science and beyond technical research, it is becoming increasingly clear that there is a lack of transparency and accountability as one of the main drivers of [the] response that has not been adequate so far, ”said Krishna Udayakumar, head of global innovation for Duke Health and founding director of COVID GAP.

The past two weeks have seen the discovery of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. As of Friday, 43 Omicron cases had been reported in the United States. According to Udayakumar, this cycle of mutations will continue unless the global rollout of the vaccine changes.

“While we leave large parts of the world at risk of infection, we are not safe in the United States,” Udayakumar said.

Rising vaccination rates around the world are expected to stifle the continued transmission and mutation of the vaccine, and COVID GAP seeks to develop a global model that will facilitate unilateral successful vaccine deployment.

“[The model] serves as an external accountability mechanism that increases the ability of public and private sector leaders to do what is necessary to move forward, ”Udayakumar said.

COVID GAP has partnered with the COVAX Initiative of the World Health Organization and other international health organizations to promote the goals of equity in vaccine distribution. They are also working directly with the US government to create policies to better increase the efficiency of vaccine exports.

Although active research is generally not disclosed, the objectives of the research are clear. “We are thinking about the mechanism by which we can make the global response more equitable,” Udayakumar said.

From examining the logistics of a disenfranchised country to move vaccines to underdeveloped regions to motivating members of the public to get vaccinated, the COVID GAP initiative aims to provide answers to questions that prevent the pandemic from ending.

“Not only is a stronger and fairer global response the right thing to do; it also allows us to stay more secure, ”Udayakumar said.