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The Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition
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ISSN: 1606-0997 EISSN: 1606-0997
Vol. 22, No. 3, 2004, pp. 322-330
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Bioline Code: hn04040
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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The Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, Vol. 22, No. 3, 2004, pp. 322-330
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The Importance of Engaging Policy-makers at the Outset to Guide Research on and Introduction of Vaccines: The Use of Policy-maker Surveys
DeRoeck, Denise
Abstract
Face-to-face surveys of policy-makers and other influential leaders are a useful tool to identify, at an
early stage, (a) major issues regarding the introduction of a new vaccine, (b) persons and groups in a
country who play a major decision-making or influential role in the introduction of vaccines, (c) potential
obstacles to the introduction of vaccines, and (d) data-needs of policy-makers to overcome these
obstacles. By surveying the opinions and beliefs of those who will make or influence decisions on
whether to introduce a new vaccine, these studies can help ensure that research activities respond to
the needs of policy-makers in countries endemic for the target diseases. These surveys can also inform
vaccine-introduction strategies by identifying financially and politically feasible means of distributing,
targeting, and financing the vaccines. This paper describes the methodology used in conducting such
surveys and discusses methodological issues. It also presents lessons learnt from two policy-maker surveys
carried out in several Asian countries in regard to new-generation vaccines against cholera,
typhoid fever, and shigellosis; and future vaccines against dengue fever/dengue haemorrhagic fever.
Keywords
Vaccines; Immunization programmes; Health surveys; Cholera; Dysentery; Bacillary; Typhoid fever; Asia
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