At the 19th Vaccine Congress in Kyoto, Dr. Robert Chen, Project Lead of the Safety Platform for Emergency Vaccines (SPEAC), presented a poster reflecting on the project’s first five years. The poster offered an important opportunity to look back at what has been achieved, and to share lessons learned with the broader vaccine science community.
Strengthening the Foundations of Vaccine Safety
Since its launch in 2019, SPEAC has worked to provide the scientific tools, guidance, and shared resources needed to ensure that vaccine safety monitoring is robust, harmonized, and globally accessible. The project was created to accelerate preparedness for public health emergencies and to strengthen confidence in vaccines more broadly.
Over the past five years, SPEAC has:
- Advanced standardized case definitions for adverse events of special interest (AESI), enabling consistent monitoring and reporting across clinical trials and real-world use.
- Expanded and maintained a robust AESI library, ensuring that safety monitoring reflects emerging science and priority areas for public health.
- Developed companion guides and digital tools to support researchers, trial sponsors, and regulatory bodies in applying these definitions effectively.
- Provided training and technical support, building capacity among investigators, DSMBs, and public health professionals worldwide.
- Facilitated global collaboration, connecting experts across regions to align methods and share best practices.
Sharing Progress with the Scientific Community
The Vaccine Congress poster summarized these milestones while also reflecting on SPEAC’s role as a trusted partner in strengthening vaccine safety infrastructure. The poster highlighted not only technical outputs, but also the impact of bringing diverse stakeholders together to work toward common standards.
Looking Ahead
As the vaccine landscape evolves, SPEAC remains committed to advancing safety science. The next phase of the project will continue to expand tools, update AESI definitions as science progresses, and provide training to ensure that safety monitoring remains both rigorous and responsive to global needs.
