Top Trends Affecting the Vaccines Market and Their Implications on Access Policy and Public Health Decision-Making

OBJECTIVES: Vaccination has been a transformative tool in society, with an estimated 4-5 million lives saved each year. Vaccine innovation continues to play a significant role in public health, increasing the efficiency of healthcare. Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and technologic advancements, the vaccines pipeline is developing at a breakneck speed. However, this rapid pace of innovation in a period when society is recovering from the pandemic creates new challenges for decision-makers. This research aims to identify the key trends affecting the vaccines market and how they will influence future policy and public health decision-making.

METHODS: First, a literature review was undertaken to gather initial insights on trends. Academic journals, industry reports, and publications from thought leaders were searched to identify common themes. Following this, online surveys with subject matter experts, policymakers, National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) members, payers, and key industry stakeholders across several European markets and the US were conducted to validate and prioritize trends, and evaluate the potential impact on future policy and public health decision-making.

RESULTS: Following the online survey, five key trends were prioritized: 1. The rise of combination vaccines, 2. Emergence of therapeutic vaccines, 3. Increasing vaccine hesitancy, 4. Increasing pressure on preventative budget, 5. Evolving global health threats and changing disease burden. The implications highlighted ranged from price-focused procurement approaches (e.g., joint procurement) to NITAGs recommending narrower population for immunization.

CONCLUSIONS: The vaccines market is rapidly evolving, with industry, policymakers, NITAGs, payers, and the general public being impacted by ongoing developments. As the vaccine landscape evolves, policies, payer decision-making, and public messaging surrounding vaccines will need to adjust to ensure coverage and access to vaccines as well as uptake. Recognizing the unique specificities of vaccines and ensuring flexible policy frameworks will be essential to embracing vaccine innovation and population access.