Strengthening Global Vaccine Confidence: IDA at the World Vaccine Congress Europe 2025

October 2025, Amsterdam RAI, Netherlands

On 14-16 October 2025, the Infectious Disease Alliance (IDA) had the pleasure of participating in the World Vaccine Congress Europe 2025, as a proud supporting partner. It is one of the largest global gatherings of vaccine scientists, policymakers, and public health leaders. Representing IDA were Lisa Hefele, Praise Saint-John, Iris Klaasse, and Rizky Andreasari.

The congress brought together more than 2,000 professionals from across academia, industry, and policy sectors to exchange ideas and explore innovative solutions to current and future challenges in vaccine development, global health preparedness, and public trust.

At IDA, we are deeply committed to advancing equitable and evidence-based immunization efforts. The World Vaccine Congress provided an exceptional platform to connect with global experts, discuss practical strategies to address vaccine hesitancy, and reinforce the importance of collaboration between scientific innovation and public communication.

🔹 Highlights from the Congress

1. Beyond Borders: Europe’s Strategic Role in Powering Vaccine Innovation

The opening keynote, moderated by Dr. Jayasree Iyer, Chief Executive Officer of the Access to Medicines Foundation, explored how Europe can lead the next era of vaccine innovation. Panelists included Dr. Marco Cavaleri (EMA), Dr. Wolfgang Philipp (European Commission), Prof. Mary DeSilva (UK DHSC), Sibilia Quilici (Vaccines Europe), and Prof. Hanna Nohynek (WHO SAGE Chair).

Key questions addressed included:

• How can Europe’s ecosystem of innovation hubs and public-private partnerships accelerate breakthrough vaccines?

• What incentives can empower emerging biotechs and SMEs to become future vaccine leaders?

• How can regulatory frameworks evolve to support rapid innovation while maintaining gold-standard safety and efficacy?

• In a globalized world, how do we balance Europe’s innovation priorities with equitable worldwide vaccine access?

  
  

This session underscored the need for sustained collaboration between regulatory bodies, innovators, and civil society to ensure that new vaccines reach those who need them most, safely and fairly.

2. Rebuilding Public Literacy and Trust in an Era of Polarisation and Political Uncertainty

Vaccine confidence and public trust emerged as one of the most critical topics throughout the congress. The session brought together leading experts including Robb Butler (WHO Europe), Rajinder Suri (DCVMN), Seth Ginsberg (Global Healthy Living Foundation), and Elissa Weitzman (Harvard University/Boston Children’s Hospital), who explored strategies to counter misinformation and rebuild trust in science.

Discussions focused on:

• The global ripple effect of shifting vaccine policies and narratives in the U.S.

• Evidence-based strategies to improve vaccine literacy in polarized environments.

• Tailoring communication to local cultural and socioeconomic contexts.

• The emerging role of AI and digital platforms in addressing biosecurity and misinformation.

  
  

These insights strongly resonate with IDA’s mission,  to strengthen vaccine confidence, promote accurate health information, and ensure equitable access to immunization worldwide.

🧬 Emerging Science and Innovation

The congress also offered a glimpse into the future of vaccine science, featuring cutting-edge research in:

• Cancer vaccine platforms and needle-free delivery technologies

• New developments in Mpox, tuberculosis, HMPV, and nasal spray RSV vaccines

• The role of artificial intelligence in vaccine design and predictive modeling

  
  

Such advancements reaffirm the need for effective policy-science interfaces, where innovation is paired with communication, trust, and accessibility, a principle central to IDA’s work.

🌍 Looking Ahead

IDA extends sincere appreciation to the Terrapinn organizing committee for an inspiring and impactful event. The World Vaccine Congress continues to be a crucial space for bridging science, policy, and public understanding — a synergy that is essential for a healthier and more resilient world.

We look forward to continuing these important conversations at #WVC2026, which will take place in Washington, D.C., USA on March - April 2026.

📅 Register here and use IDA20 for a 20% discount: World Vaccine Congress 2026

See you next year!