The interview features Seth Berkley—a leading voice on vaccines and former head of Gavi and co-founder of COVAX—discussing vaccine access, future pandemics, and key lessons from Covid-19.

Berkley assesses the COVID-19 response, highlighting successes and failures and urging stronger pandemic preparedness for the future.

He argues for continued investment in mRNA vaccines and related technologies, cautioning against pulling back from promising tools due to political concerns or safety fears.

Preparedness and surveillance are crucial in peacetime, with calls for stronger systems to detect outbreaks early and notes on underinvestment and staff cuts in U.S. health agencies and WHO.

Zero-dose immunization is a priority, targeting the roughly 10% of children without vaccines—often in urban slums or displaced populations—to reduce child mortality and bolster pandemic readiness.

Notable projects include malaria and cancer vaccine research, new delivery methods (patches, oral/nasal vaccines), and the African vaccine manufacturing accelerator to spur local production.

The outlook is forward-looking: pandemics are evolutionary events, and preparation must be ongoing, with global cooperation and investment essential for security and saving lives.

Vaccine hesitancy has historical roots, tracing back to the smallpox era, with early misconceptions depicted in woodcut imagery.

He presents a 'devil’s choice' for global health work: choosing between routine health services and pandemic prevention when resources are limited.

Discussion covers global health architecture and Africa vaccine manufacturing capacity, the roles of CEPI and Gavi, and how vaccine economics have evolved—from high costs to more affordable options.

His insights draw on a recent essay arguing that supporting global health is essential to global security, warning that neglecting pandemic prevention destabilizes overall stability.

Berkley closes by stressing the humanitarian and security case for sustained vaccine investment and peacetime preparation, advocating continued scientific advancement and equitable access.