Shot of Resilience: A Critical Analysis of Manufacturing Vulnerabilities in Vaccine Production

By Batalis, Steph; Puglisi, Anna B.

From the document: "From existing diseases to new and emerging threats, a secure vaccine supply protects a broad range of U.S. interests including public health, economic stability, and biosecurity. Routine vaccinations--from measles and influenza to polio and shingles--keep the American public healthy while increasing life expectancy and decreasing hospitalizations for preventable diseases. Healthy workers contribute to a stable economy by working more productively for longer, and American-made vaccines further advance economic interests by contributing to the growing U.S. bioeconomy. Vaccines are also key to biosecurity, ensuring that our military personnel and communities are protected in the event of a biological attack. Despite the necessity of a resilient vaccine supply, this report identifies two vulnerabilities that threaten the American public's access to vaccines: limited domestic manufacturing and a lack of manufacturing redundancy. A reliance on foreign biomanufacturing means that the United States cannot control vaccine production levels during a public health emergency. Nonredundant manufacturing further increases the risk of vaccine shortages if a vaccine's sole manufacturing facility is disrupted."

Georgetown University. Walsh School Of Foreign Service. Center For Security And Emerging Technology. 2023. 29p.