NASEM releases draft framework for allocating a COVID-19 vaccine, seeks public comment

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today released for public comment a discussion draft of a preliminary framework to assist policymakers in planning for equitable allocation of a vaccine against COVID-19. The committee that developed the draft framework was formed in July in response to a request from the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The committee defined the foundational principles, primary goal and criteria for determining an equitable allocation framework. For the initial period when vaccine demand exceeds supply, the committee recommends a four-phased approach guided by evidence to achieve the primary goal of maximizing societal benefit by reducing morbidity and mortality caused by the transmission of COVID-19. As the supply of vaccine increases, the framework says it will be incrementally phased in, so that some people or groups of people will receive it earlier than others. The discussion draft outlines the phases and rationale for prioritizing each group included in each phase.

The public comment period will be open from noon ET Sept. 1 until 11:59 p.m. ET Sept. 4. Commenters will be able to download and review the discussion draft before submitting a comment through a form on the NASEM website. The committee’s final report is expected early this fall.