Fair Doses: Towards A Future of Vaccine Equity and Innovation with Dr. Seth Berkley

In this episode Ben Plumley catches up with Dr. Seth Berkley, founder of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, former CEO of GAVI and amongst other responsibilities, now a senior advisor at Brown University's School of Public Health's Pandemic Center. Seth has recently published a new book “Fair Doses: An Insider's Story of the Pandemic and the Global Fight for Vaccine Equity” and he and Ben discuss the book’s topics of vaccine equity, misinformation, and the rapid innovations in vaccine development, particularly the success and future potential of mRNA vaccines. Dr. Berkley highlights the challenges posed by misinformation and the political landscape, as well as the importance of global collaboration in addressing pandemics. They also explore his defining role in Covax's efforts to distribute COVID vaccines, the need for local manufacturing, and the impacts of nationalistic policies on global health. Dr. Berkley stresses the critical role of ongoing innovation and funding in preparing for future health crises and ensuring equitable access to health technologies. And he pulls no punches on the current US administration’s failures in supporting global health research and partnerships. https://www.ucpress.edu/books/fair-doses/hardcover 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 01:05 Current State of Misinformation and Disinformation 03:56 Challenges in Public Health Communication 09:19 Reflections on COVID-19 and Vaccine Equity 12:44 Global Health and Future Pandemics 16:41 Vaccine Nationalism and Local Manufacturing 23:38 Preparedness for Future Health Threats 31:01 The Future of Clinical Research and Innovation 36:03 Seth Berkeley's Current Work and Future Plans 38:13 Conclusion and Closing Remarks Join the Conversation! How do you see the future of global health unfolding? Share your thoughts in the comments! Read Emily Bass’ Substack: https://substack.com/@emilysbass Check Out Ben’s Substack: https://substack.com/@benplumley1 Subscribe & Stay Updated: Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. Watch on YouTube & subscribe for more in-depth global health.