Sex and gender in COVID-19 vaccines: data, policy, and communication
Chair
Shirin Heidari (GENDRO)
Presenters
Tracey Goodman (WHO)
Lavanya Vijayasingham (UNU-IIGH)
Moderator
Jean Munro (GAVI)
Panelists
Apoorva Mandavilli (Journalist, The New York Times)
Prof Noni MacDonald (Dalhousie University, Canada)
Prof Saad Omer (Yale University, USA)
Amidst the unprecedented scale and speed of vaccine R&D, and the mammoth task of ‘leaving no one behind’ in the global deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, there is a need to ensure that critical sex- and gender dimensions are not ‘deprioritized’ in the evidence-generation, policy decision-making, and communication initiatives.
Stronger considerations of sex and gender factors in these areas can contribute to better science, and innovation, prevent avoidable harm, build public understanding and trust in a timely manner, and ultimately improve immunization coverage.
Some key areas that require attention and action include:
· persistent overlook of sex-and gender dimensions in clinical trials and other vaccine related research
· nuanced analysis of post-market surveillance and pharmacovigilance data that can inform sex-based difference in frequency or severity of adverse events
· the lack of data in specific populations such as in pregnant and lactating women in the initial phases of vaccine roll-out in some countries
· sex and gender dimensions on vaccine confidence, acceptability, and uptake
· transparent and accurate science reporting to clearly communicate the relevant sex and gender dimensions to lay audience
Want to know more? Check out this additional reading:
Presentation 1:
Presentation 2: