Sabin Vaccine Institute
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| Founder(s) | H.R. Shepherd, Heloisa Sabin, Robert M. Chanock, and Philip K. Russell |
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| Type | NGO |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Key people | Peter Hotez, Ciro de Quadros |
| Focus | Infectious disease, Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Method | Advocacy, Vaccine Research and Development |
| Website | http://sabin.org/ |
The Sabin Vaccine Institute ("Sabin") is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to reducing needless human suffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment. Sabin advocates for the control of infectious diseases such as HPV, pneumococcal disease, pertussis, rotavirus, rubella, and typhoid and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) including human hookworm infection, ascariasis, trichuriasis, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), and trachoma.
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[edit] History
The Sabin Vaccine Institute was founded in 1993 by Dr. H.R. Shepherd, Mrs. Heloisa Sabin, Dr. Robert M. Chanock, and Dr. Philip K. Russell and named in honor of one of medicine’s most pre-eminent scientific figures, Dr. Albert B. Sabin, best known for developing the oral live virus polio vaccine. The Institute continues Dr. Sabin’s vision by providing greater access to vaccines and essential treatments for hundreds of millions of people stuck in a cycle of pain, poverty and despair through its three main programs – Sabin Vaccine Development, the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, and Vaccine Advocacy and Education.
[edit] Programs
Through three distinct yet complementary programs, the Institute continues Dr. Sabin’s lifelong efforts to develop preventive measures for diseases that place heavy burdens on the world’s poorest countries:
- Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, an advocacy and resource mobilization program dedicated to eliminating the most common disabling, disfiguring and deadly neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), was launched[1] at the 2006 Clinton Global Initiative. Through a network of partnering international agencies, scientists and advocates, the Global Network aims to raise the awareness, political will, and funding necessary to control and eliminate the seven most common NTDs that blind, disable, disfigure and stigmatize 1.4 billion of the world’s poorest people.
- Sabin Vaccine Development aims to develop sustainable and cost-effective vaccines to prevent several parasitic and neglected tropical diseases, including hookworm, schistosomiasis, and malaria.[2] Through a collaborative product development partnership with The George Washington University and other international academic institutions and organizations, the program’s 10 year research and development experience has produced a well-rounded, low-cost model that serves as a blue print for vaccine research and development and ongoing efforts to fight public health threats that adversely impact more than one billion people worldwide.
- Vaccine Advocacy and Education works with leading health experts and organizations to promote global awareness of infectious diseases and the immunizations needed to combat their debilitating effects. The program focuses on providing decision-makers with the information and resources needed to introduce and sustainably fund safe and effective immunization programs against pneumococcal disease, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), rotavirus, human papillomavirus (HPV), rubella, and other infectious diseases. Initiatives of the program include the Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE), the Sustainable Immunization Financing(SIF) program, and the Coalition against Typhoid (CaT) :
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- The Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE) was founded in 2006 to raise awareness of pneumococcal disease and advocate for its prevention through the use of vaccines.[1]
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- The Sustainable Immunization Financing (SIF) program aims to assist governments in building internal capacity to increase their share of funding for vaccines. Active in 15 developing countries throughout Africa and Asia, SIF experts and staff work to ensure that key decision-makers have the information and resources they need to introduce and sustainably fund safe and effective immunization programs.
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- The Coalition against Typhoid (CaT)[2] is a global forum of health and immunization experts working to expedite and sustain evidence-informed decisions at the global, regional and country levels regarding the use of typhoid vaccination to prevent childhood enteric fever.
[edit] The Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal
The Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal is awarded annually by the Sabin Vaccine Institute in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of vaccinology. The award commemorates the pioneering work in this field by the late Dr. Albert B. Sabin, discoverer of the oral polio vaccine.
