The objective of the project is to implement a mechanism for accelerating introduction of new and underused vaccines of public health importance in the developing world by 2003. Barriers to new vaccine introduction in developing countries include lack of efficacy, burden and cost effectiveness information for developing country settings, the need for technical assistance with introduction, logistics, supply and quality control issues, and lack of funding for vaccines. The AVI project was developed in early 1999 to focus on critical points in the vaccine evaluation and introduction continuum at which WHO activity can make a substantial difference. The project involves activities in each of V&B's teams, and addresses the following areas - efficacy, burden and cost effectiveness, vaccine quality, vaccine supply and financing, and introduction into immunization programmes.

Who has identified the following vaccines as needing support for their introduction because they are either newly developed and have a high public health value or because they have been developed for some time but for a variety of reasons have not been used to their full potential