The New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center and Division of Epidemiology have been selected to participate in a major multinational study evaluating the effectiveness of a pneumococcal vaccine currently licensed in Europe. The study fulfills a post-authorization requirement of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and brings together leading public health institutions from Europe, the Americas, and Israel.
NYSDOH was chosen for this collaboration due to its nationally recognized laboratory and epidemiological expertise in pneumococcal disease, including advanced surveillance capabilities, strong laboratory infrastructure, and longstanding experience supporting vaccine-preventable disease monitoring. In November, as part of this initiative, Dr. Kara Mitchell and Dr. Bridget Anderson traveled to participated in the inaugural meeting of the research consortium. The project will assess the real-world effectiveness of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease among children under five years of age.
This prestigious international partnership will enhance understanding of pneumococcal disease epidemiology in young children and strengthen both national and state public health surveillance systems. Participation in the study underscores New York’s leadership in global vaccine effectiveness research and contributes to immunization policy and protection of children worldwide.