The Malaria Vaccine Funders Group (MalVFG)
Background
The Malaria Vaccine Funders Group (MalVFG) - having a joint vision for a major contribution to a world free from malaria morbidity and mortality through vaccination - has its origins in discussions among representatives from WHO, USAID, the EC and EMVI at a meeting in The Gambia and in subsequent meetings in Washington, Brussels and Geneva during the last decade of the 20th century. In 2001, the discussion was expanded to the newly formed Malaria Vaccine Initiative at PATH (MVI), and several additional members were added to the group. MalVFG was established in order to exchange information and opinions between internationally active funding bodies for malaria vaccine development with the hope that progress can be accelerated . The group's work aims at facilitating the coordination of vaccine research activities by defining and making use of synergies between ongoing and planned programmes/activities, structuring and prioritizing vaccine research efforts, thereby reducing unnecessary overlaps and identifying areas of research needs where support can be assembled in a complementary manner.
The Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR) of the World Health Organization acts as the secretariat of this group; chairing and coordinating agendas and outcomes of each meeting with all group members. Meetings represent the fora for funders to discuss opportunities and challenges that are best addressed jointly, for identification of synergies and for the development of joint activities/measures, if appropriate and feasible.
The MalVFG aims to hold its meetings twice a year: The first meeting being usually associated with the WHO MALVAC Scientific Forum meeting, often held in June, the second in November or December of each year generally linked either with ASTMH or MIM meetings. On a day-to-day basis or when needed members organize consultations or other processes jointly with other members of the Funders Group; the convening is also used as a way to share the results of recent consultations.
The provision of funds by these organizations is not limited to regions or countries; the organizations fulfil donor but not investigator roles; the focus of the group lies in the development of new vaccines and associated technologies; capacity strengthening is supported as required for the development of the new vaccines.
The members of this group are listed below:
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
- The European Commission (EC)
- The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)
- The European Malaria Vaccine Initiative (EMVI)
- The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI)
- The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Extramural Malaria Program
- The Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID) Malaria Vaccine
- Development Program (MVDP)
- The Wellcome Trust
- The World Health Organization (WHO) Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR)