Houston-Based Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi Discusses Global Vaccine Equality at the Clinton Global Initiative Meeting

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WHAT: Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi participated in the 2022 Clinton Global Initiative meeting, the first since 2016. Dr. Bottazzi is co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital and associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. She appeared on a panel called “Communities Leading the Way on Public Health: How We Can Center Local Health Infrastructure in Vaccine Development and Global Health Investments”, moderated by Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the Clinton Foundation. The panel addressed several topics, including the importance of a strong local health care workforce, investment in local manufacturing, research and development, and production of medicines and vaccines. Additionally, Dr. Bottazzi discussed how the public and private sectors, local and global actors, and academia and practitioners work together to reduce reliance on imports of vaccines and medicine and strengthen localized manufacturing of vaccines.

Dr. Bottazzi shared her experience with her co-director at Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine, Dr. Peter Hotez, and their team developing the technology used to create patent-free, accessible and affordable COVID-19 vaccines. In India, the vaccines are currently produced under the name Corbevax. In Indonesia, emergency use authorization is pending and following approval the vaccines will be produced under the name IndoVac. Both Drs. Bottazzi and Hotez are nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for their work developing Corbevax and contributing to global vaccine equality.

Kennedy Odede, Co-Founder & CEO, Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) and Priti Krishtel, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, I-MAK (Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge) also participated on the panel.

President Bill Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative in 2005 with the mission to bring together established and emerging global leaders to take action and address the world’s most pressing challenges.

WHO: Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital and associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine

WHEN: Tuesday, September 20 in New York City at the New York Hilton Midtown

INTERVIEWS: Please contact tchteam@dpwpr.com to coordinate an interview with Dr. Bottazzi. 

VISUALS: To watch the panel, please visit: https://boxcast.tv/view-embed/communities-leading-the-way-on-public-health-how-we-can-center-local-health-infrastructure-in-vaccine-development-and-global-health-investments-tigsimja5x9xobkk0x1i

MORE INFO: For more information regarding the Clinton Global Initiative’s 2022 Meeting, please visit: https://www.clintonfoundation.org/programs/general/clinton-global-initiative/join-the-clinton-global-initiative