Seth Berkley on vaccines, COVID, and equity

In this episode of The Lancet Voice, Gavin Cleaver interviews Dr. Seth Berkley, former CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, about his new book, "Fair Doses." They discuss the revolutionary impact of vaccines on public health, the challenges of equitable vaccine distribution, and the economic factors influencing vaccine accessibility in developing countries. Dr. Berkley emphasizes the importance of reaching the last 10% of hard-to-reach populations to prevent disease reservoirs and the need for global cooperation to combat vaccine nationalism. The conversation also covers the difficulties COVAX faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of misinformation, and the role of scientific innovation, such as mRNA technology, in shaping the future of vaccine development and global health security. Dr. Berkley stresses the importance of prioritizing vaccine research and preparing for future outbreaks, highlighting that infectious diseases can have a greater impact than wars.