Vaccine research, innovation group launches at UW School of Pharmacy

Researchers at the University of Waterloo are looking for ways to get vaccines to underserved areas. CTV’s Spencer Turcotte has more on that initiative.

Improving access to vaccines across Canada is the goal of a new research effort based out of the University of Waterloo.

The School of Pharmacy launched a new research collaborative on Friday, thanks to a $300,000 investment from the biopharma company GSK Canada.

“There are many groups that are underserved in terms of vaccines,” professor Nancy Waite explained.

The funding will help address that very problem.

“We know there is a huge barrier to immunization, often with individuals in underserved communities or individuals who are older,” said Michelle Horn, the country medical director at GSK.

The Pharmacy Innovation and Immunization Research Collaborative (PIIRC) will not only focus on vaccine access, but delivery and education too. It is something pharmacy students say comes at a vital time.

“It’s important now, with certain outbreaks of infectious disease, to support these programs,” said student Aaron Lau. “The best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago. The best time for a vaccine is now.”

“In recent years, the scope of practice for pharmacists has expanded to allow us to administer more vaccines,” said Jonathan Fang, another UW pharmacy student.

The new collaborative wants to leverage that.

“We know there are pharmacies in the majority of communities, 90 to 95 per cent of individuals in Canada live within five kilometres of a pharmacy,” said Waite.

Delivery, however, is only half the battle.

The researchers will tackle vaccine misinformation and vaccine hesitancy, while also looking for easier ways people can track what shots they already received.

While infectious diseases continue to pose a threat, the hope is their work will help the entire country be better prepared for future outbreaks.