68 Entries

Up to 75% of shipments exposed to freezing.

WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Triggered the most rapid vaccine development effort in history, with multiple platforms (mRNA, viral vector, protein subunit, inactivated) entering clinical trials within weeks.

U.S. government initiative invested over $18 billion to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine development, manufacturing, and distribution. Funded six vaccine candidates simultaneously, accepting financial risk to compress timelines.

Moderna designed its mRNA-1273 vaccine candidate within two days of receiving the SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequence (January 13, 2020) and began dosing Phase I participants by March 16, 2020 -- 63 days later.

Russia authorized the Gamaleya Institute's Sputnik V adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccine in August 2020, before Phase III trial data were published. A Lancet publication in February 2021 reported 91.6% efficacy, though concerns about data transparency persisted.

The UK authorized the AstraZeneca/Oxford ChAdOx1 adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020. Later linked to rare thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), leading to age restrictions or withdrawal in several countries.

FDA issued Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2) on December 11, 2020. First mRNA vaccine authorized for human use. 95% efficacy in Phase III trial.

FDA issued EUA for Moderna's mRNA-1273 vaccine on December 18, 2020. 94.1% efficacy in Phase III trial.

The COVAX Facility, co-led by Gavi, CEPI, and WHO, was established to ensure equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines. Aimed to deliver 2 billion doses to participating countries by end of 2021.

The Africa Regional Certification Commission certified the WHO African Region as free of wild poliovirus, after Nigeria (the last affected country) went four years without a case. Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus remained a challenge.

ACIP recommended Vaxelis for routine use in the infant immunization series, making it available as an alternative to separate DTaP, IPV, Hib, and hepatitis B injections.

FDA issued EUA for the Janssen/J&J single-dose adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccine on February 27, 2021. Later associated with rare TTS events, leading to a brief pause and eventual withdrawal from the U.S. market in 2023.

Post-authorization surveillance identified an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, predominantly in males aged 16-30 after the second dose. Rates estimated at 1-10 per 100,000 in the highest-risk group.

Rare cases of vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT/TTS) were identified following AstraZeneca and J&J adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccines. Several countries restricted or discontinued these vaccines for younger age groups.

President Biden issued executive orders requiring COVID-19 vaccination for federal employees, military personnel, and federal contractors. OSHA issued an emergency temporary standard for large employers, which was blocked by the Supreme Court in January 2022.

The COVAX facility delivered its first COVID-19 vaccine doses to Ghana in February 2021. By end of 2021, COVAX had shipped over 900 million doses to 144 countries, though far short of its 2 billion dose target.

India and South Africa proposed a temporary waiver of TRIPS intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines at the WTO. The U.S. expressed support in May 2021. A limited agreement was reached in June 2022 after extensive negotiations.

FDA granted full approval (not just EUA) to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, marketed as Comirnaty, for individuals aged 16 and older on August 23, 2021.

FDA granted full approval to Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, marketed as Spikevax, for individuals aged 18 and older on January 31, 2022.

FDA authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11 in October 2021, using a lower dose (10 micrograms vs. 30 for adults).

Novavax completed Phase III trials of its protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine (NVX-CoV2373), showing approximately 90% efficacy. Offered a non-mRNA, non-viral-vector alternative. WHO EUL granted in December 2021; FDA EUA in July 2022.

WHO recommended the RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) malaria vaccine for children in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions with moderate-to-high P. falciparum transmission -- the first malaria vaccine recommendation in history.

As evidence of waning COVID-19 vaccine immunity emerged, debates intensified over booster doses. WHO called for a moratorium on boosters until more of the global population received primary series, while wealthy nations began administering third doses.

The U.S. Supreme Court blocked OSHA's emergency temporary standard requiring COVID-19 vaccination or testing for employees at large businesses (100+ workers), ruling 6-3 that OSHA exceeded its statutory authority.

Japan restored its proactive recommendation for HPV vaccination after a nine-year suspension (2013-2022). During the suspension, vaccination rates had fallen from over 70% to under 1%.

FDA authorized COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 6 months through 4 years (Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech), completing age-group coverage for the U.S. population.

A global mpox outbreak prompted emergency deployment of the Jynneos (MVA-BN) smallpox/mpox vaccine. The U.S. declared a public health emergency and authorized intradermal administration to stretch limited supplies.

FDA issued EUA for the Novavax protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine in July 2022, providing a traditional vaccine platform alternative for individuals who preferred not to receive mRNA or viral vector vaccines.

FDA authorized updated bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccines (targeting both original and Omicron BA.4/BA.5 strains) from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, marking the first variant-specific COVID-19 vaccine update.

Global COVID-19 vaccine administration surpassed 13 billion doses across more than 190 countries, representing the largest and fastest mass vaccination campaign in human history.

Vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was detected in wastewater in Rockland County, New York, and one unvaccinated adult was paralyzed. The detection highlighted risks of low vaccination coverage even in high-income countries.

AstraZeneca withdrew its COVID-19 vaccine (Vaxzevria) from multiple markets following reduced demand and the availability of mRNA alternatives. The company later acknowledged in court documents that the vaccine could cause TTS in rare cases.

FDA licensed the first RSV vaccines for adults 60 and older: GSK's Arexvy (May 2023) and Pfizer's Abrysvo (May 2023). Abrysvo was also approved for maternal immunization to protect newborns. After decades of failed attempts following the 1966 trial disaster, RSV vaccines finally reached market.

Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.

FDA approved nirsevimab (Beyfortus), a long-acting monoclonal antibody for RSV prevention in infants, representing a new approach to protecting newborns through passive immunization rather than traditional vaccination.

WHO recommended the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India, offering a second malaria vaccine option with higher efficacy (up to 75%) and greater manufacturing capacity than RTS,S.

Johnson and Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine was no longer available in the U.S. after June 2023, following declining demand and the TTS safety signal. The CDC had already given a preferential recommendation for mRNA vaccines over J&J.

FDA authorized updated monovalent COVID-19 vaccines targeting the XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant, moving toward an annual update model similar to seasonal influenza vaccines.

FDA licensed Ixchiq (Valneva), the first chikungunya vaccine approved anywhere in the world, for adults 18 and older at increased risk of exposure.

WHO updated its COVID-19 vaccination guidance, shifting from universal boosters to a risk-based approach prioritizing high-risk groups (elderly, immunocompromised, healthcare workers) for additional doses.

Takeda's Qdenga (TAK-003), a live attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine, received expanded approvals globally. Unlike Dengvaxia, Qdenga does not require pre-vaccination screening for prior dengue infection.

FDA approved Abrysvo for use in pregnant individuals at 32-36 weeks gestation to protect newborns from RSV through maternal antibody transfer -- the first RSV vaccine approved for maternal immunization.

The U.S. COVID-19 public health emergency officially ended on May 11, 2023, after more than three years. The WHO ended its Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 5, 2023.

FDA licensed Penbraya (Sanofi), a hexavalent vaccine combining DTaP, IPV, Hib, and hepatitis B in a single injection for infants, further reducing the number of shots in the primary immunization series.

Following detection of H5N1 avian influenza in U.S. dairy cattle and sporadic human cases, the U.S. government accelerated development and stockpiling of H5N1 pandemic preparedness vaccines using both egg-based and mRNA platforms.

FDA authorized updated COVID-19 vaccines targeting the JN.1 lineage for the 2024-2025 season, continuing the annual update model. Both Pfizer and Moderna produced monovalent formulations.

Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech advanced combination COVID-19/influenza mRNA vaccine candidates into Phase III clinical trials, potentially enabling a single annual shot for both respiratory viruses.

Wild poliovirus type 1 remained endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with fewer than 20 cases reported globally. Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) continued to cause outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas.

WHO reported that measles cases continued to surge globally, with pandemic-era disruptions to routine immunization leaving millions of children unvaccinated. Multiple countries experienced large outbreaks.

Building on COVID-19 mRNA vaccine technology, personalized mRNA cancer vaccines entered advanced clinical trials. Moderna's individualized neoantigen therapy (mRNA-4157/V940) showed promising results in melanoma when combined with pembrolizumab.

Japan approved the world's first self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (ARCT-154, developed by CSL/Arcturus), representing a next-generation mRNA platform that requires lower doses by producing more antigen from less mRNA.

Multiple next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidates entered clinical trials targeting conserved regions of the coronavirus to provide broader, more durable protection against current and future variants, including pan-coronavirus and nasal spray formulations.

A more severe clade I mpox outbreak emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo and spread to neighboring countries, prompting WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in August 2024.

AstraZeneca acknowledged in UK court documents that its COVID-19 vaccine could cause thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) in very rare cases. The company had already withdrawn the vaccine from most markets.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services by the Senate.

Under new HHS leadership, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices underwent structural changes including new member appointments and revised procedures for vaccine recommendation deliberations.

Florida's Surgeon General issued guidance questioning the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and recommending against their use for certain populations, diverging from CDC and FDA positions. The guidance generated significant debate among public health officials.

Multiple large-scale studies from the U.S., Europe, and Asia published long-term safety data on mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, providing 3-4 years of follow-up data on myocarditis outcomes, pregnancy outcomes, and overall safety profiles.

WHO conducted a mid-term review of the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), assessing progress toward goals of zero-dose reduction, outbreak prevention, and equitable vaccine access following pandemic-era disruptions.

FDA continued the annual COVID-19 vaccine update cycle, selecting strain composition for the 2025-2026 season based on circulating variant surveillance data.

RSV prevention programs expanded with both maternal vaccination (Abrysvo) and infant monoclonal antibody (nirsevimab) strategies being implemented in the second full season, with early data showing significant reductions in RSV hospitalizations.

The U.S. expanded its H5N1 pandemic preparedness vaccine stockpile following continued spread of avian influenza in dairy cattle. Both traditional egg-based and mRNA-based H5N1 vaccine candidates were manufactured.

Post-pandemic research on vaccine hesitancy expanded beyond individual attitudes to examine institutional trust, misinformation ecosystems, and the impact of political polarization on vaccination decisions across multiple countries.

The novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), genetically modified to be more stable and less likely to revert to virulence than traditional OPV2, continued to be deployed in outbreak response across Africa and Asia under WHO Emergency Use Listing.

Multiple pan-coronavirus vaccine candidates targeting conserved epitopes across coronavirus families advanced through clinical trials, aiming to provide broad protection against current and future coronavirus threats.

WHO and UNICEF reported that global routine childhood immunization coverage continued recovering from pandemic-era disruptions, though millions of children remained un- or under-vaccinated.

Multiple pharmaceutical companies advanced combination vaccines targeting COVID-19, influenza, and RSV in a single injection through late-stage clinical trials, potentially simplifying annual respiratory virus immunization.

Organizational changes at the CDC under new HHS leadership affected vaccine-related programs, including modifications to the National Immunization Program structure and vaccine safety monitoring operations.