Global Vaccine Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for vaccine innovation, with both the development of several new vaccines and the advancement of underlying technology platforms that will further accelerate the vaccines pipeline. The policy and legal environments have had to rapidly adapt to these macro-level changes, presenting challenges at both the domestic and international levels during a sustained public health emergency. This talk explores a selection of the most pressing challenges including, among others, international trade barriers and the global vaccine supply chain, intellectual property and technology transfer issues, differing approaches to vaccine injury and compensation laws, and vaccine purchase and contracting with governmental entities. Attendees will benefit from a comprehensive overview of these timely legal and policy issues, while also exploring current trends that are equally applicable across the entire health sector.

Nicholas J. Diamond leads the Global Health Practice at Crowell & Moring International, where he advises both public and private health sector stakeholders across five continents. His experience includes advising a total of 10 global vaccine manufacturers across the Americas, Asia, and Europe, as well as 5 global vaccine manufacturers specifically on their COVID-19 vaccine programs.

Nick’s writing has been published in law reviews, peer-reviewed journals, and major media outlets. His writing has also been discussed or featured in major media outlets (e.g., The Washington Post, Slate, Forbes). He has given invited talks in various academic and industry fora, as well as frequently appeared on U.S. news programs (e.g., Bloomberg, MSNBC) as a commentator. He also serves as an adjunct professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center and as an associate scholar in the Center for Global Health at the University of Pennsylvania. He has previously taught at The George Washington University and Drexel University, as well as served as an adjunct fellow in the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Public Health Initiatives. Nick will be an adjunct at the University of Houston Law Center in spring 2022.

He holds related affiliations as a member of the Executive Committee of the Framework Convention on Global Health Alliance (a Geneva-based NGO), an assistant editor of Wolters Kluwer’s Kluwer Arbitration Blog, and a contributor to Oxford University Press’ Investment Claims.

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One institution and an EEO/AA institution.