Dr. Nadine Tarcha, Pfizer’s Gulf Medical Director, joins Maria Botros on this week’s podcast episode to discuss the importance of vaccines and how Pfizer works with health authorities to implement immunization strategies.
Immunization week is a strong reminder about the impact vaccines have had globally, says Dr. Nadine
Dr. Nadine: In Pfizer, we are always committed to protecting lives through science
Till date, vaccines are the strongest tool to protect people from certain diseases, says Dr. Nadine
Dr. Nadine: Immunization strategies are science-based, data driven, timely, and inclusive of the whole population
Maternal immunization is also a key area of focus for Pfizer, says Dr. Nadine
Immunization week is a strong reminder about the impact vaccines have had globally, says Dr. Nadine
Dr. Nadine: In Pfizer, we are always committed to protecting lives through science
Till date, vaccines are the strongest tool to protect people from certain diseases, says Dr. Nadine
Dr. Nadine: Immunization strategies are science-based, data driven, timely, and inclusive of the whole population
Maternal immunization is also a key area of focus for Pfizer, says Dr. Nadine
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NewsTranscript
00:00So during this World Immunization Week, all of us, we need to pause and reconsider the impact that vaccines have had on our lives.
00:09Not only us, but on the wider community.
00:12How vaccines, they were able to save billions, billions of people, and how they were able to protect billions of lives.
00:30All right. We are back with Tell Me Why with yours truly, Maria Botros.
00:36Here in the studio, joining me is Dr. Nadine Tarsha, who is Pfizer's Gulf Medical Director.
00:41And we're going to be talking about World Immunization Week.
00:44Dr. Nadine, before we get started, how are you?
00:47All is well. Thank you.
00:48Thank you for hosting us, for giving us this opportunity to have this discussion about the importance of immunization, as you said, during the World Immunization Week.
00:58Yes, absolutely. And we are in World Immunization Week, which falls on the last week of April.
01:04So tell me, why is it important? And how is Pfizer, you know, contributing to the cause?
01:09Yes. So this is a great way that we start this discussion.
01:13And it is always meaningful that we go back to the purpose, the why, why we are discussing about immunization.
01:20And World Immunization Week is a strong reminder about the impact that vaccines have had globally.
01:29So how vaccines were able to save millions and billions of lives.
01:33And if we focus a bit about Pfizer, so in Pfizer, we are always committed to protect lives through what?
01:40Through science, through immunization, because still today, the vaccine, they are, and they are the strongest tool to protect against certain diseases.
01:51Absolutely.
01:52And if we narrow it a bit more in the Gulf, so in the Gulf clusters, where the public health care are top priorities,
01:59where really all of the health authorities across this Gulf cluster, they focus on protecting lives.
02:06So in these clusters, as Pfizer, we work hand in hand with all of the health authorities to do what?
02:14We support them when they want to implement their immunization strategies.
02:18And these immunization strategies, they are science-based, data-driven.
02:23Usually they are timely and they are inclusive for the whole population.
02:27So having this discussion during the World Immunization Week,
02:31highlighting on the efforts that Pfizer globally is doing locally,
02:35how we are partnering with the local health authority is really crucial.
02:39So what are some of the most pressing immunization, let's say, opportunities and challenges in the Gulf today,
02:45in your opinion and from Pfizer's perspective?
02:49This is a thoughtful question.
02:50And if we focus again about the Gulf cluster,
02:53tremendous efforts and progress have been made when we talk about the childhood vaccination.
02:59And this is a strong pillar and foundation where we are able to build on.
03:03But in an area where we still need to expand more,
03:06where we need to have more protection for the lives of mothers and children and infants, actually,
03:12it is the maternal immunization.
03:14Right.
03:14And for us to be successful in this world of maternal immunization,
03:19we need to work on several pillars.
03:21The first one is public awareness.
03:23The public, they need to be aware about the value and the positive outcome
03:28when it comes to maternal immunization.
03:30The second pillar is that we need to make sure that the healthcare professional
03:34are really well equipped with the right tools to have this discussion with the pregnant woman.
03:42And last but not least is to make sure that this discussion is not an occasional discussion,
03:47but it is part of the prenatal check of the routine discussion between the healthcare professional
03:53and the pregnant woman.
03:54So if we addressed all of these three pillars,
03:57we will be sure that we are walking towards the correct direction,
04:02that the progress for the vaccination is moving in the meaningful way
04:07to ensure that we are moving toward a preventive care and a preventive strategy.
04:12Yes, I love that you mentioned preventative strategy because this is something that a lot of
04:17health professionals, let's say, and medical practitioners and the health industry
04:23is trying to move towards preventative rather than reactive.
04:26We don't wait until something happens.
04:28We want to prevent it from the get-go.
04:30I love that you mentioned maternal immunization, which we're going to get into down the line,
04:34but I just wanted you to elaborate on Pfizer's efforts of providing these vaccinations
04:38to all age groups and different demographics.
04:42Again, when we talk about the vaccination, we need to consider it as a long life journey.
04:48So it is not only one part, it is a lifelong journey.
04:52And if we focus about the Pfizer vaccine portfolio, so we are able to provide this protection
04:58through the different stages of life at infancy, childhood, and adulthood.
05:04So at Pfizer, what is our role?
05:06Our role is one to educate the healthcare professional about the different vaccines at the different
05:11stages of life.
05:13We drive local research.
05:15We generate local data that will highlight further on the burden of certain diseases across
05:20the Gulf cluster.
05:22And the third part, which is the very crucial part, is that we collaborate and we partner closely
05:27with the health authorities to ensure that the vaccines are given at the right time, when
05:33needed, and where needed the most.
05:35So whether we talk about a protection against pneumococcal, meningococcal, or RSV, our aim is
05:42to ensure that we are providing a protection across the different life stages, from infancy,
05:49childhood, and into adulthood.
05:51Amazing.
05:52Okay.
05:52Now let's move more towards maternal immunization.
05:56I want you to first define what that means, because you mentioned a key aspect, which is education.
06:02I think a lot of people are still unaware and uneducated, and it's important that medical
06:07professionals, obviously, as you said, are well-versed and well-informed so that they
06:11can actually share that information with patients.
06:14So maybe just tell us what maternal immunization is, and why is it a key focus for Pfizer?
06:20This is a very important question.
06:21And let's go a bit into the details of what is maternal immunization.
06:25Maternal immunization is the ability of the mother to protect the infant through the early
06:30stages of life.
06:32And indeed, maternal immunization is an area of focus for Pfizer.
06:36Why is that?
06:37Because at Pfizer, when we select an area we are going to work on into the global R&D clinical
06:44trial, we are reassured that science is going to create a positive impact.
06:50And if we talk again about the maternal immunization through the ability of the mom to create a protection
06:56for the infant in the early stages of life, this is really a positive impact for the science.
07:04Okay.
07:05Let's take an example about RSV.
07:07With the ability of the mom to protect the infant against RSV again through the early stages
07:12of life, then this is a significant step forward.
07:16And this is a reflection of our commitment that we are moving towards a preventive care and
07:21the strategy.
07:23Let me give you a further example about how science also did help to prove that we have
07:28the ability to protect the infant in the early stages of life.
07:32A recent study that was done as a collaboration between Pfizer-Golf and one of the health
07:37authority, this study did highlight on the importance of prevention and how the maternal
07:43immunization will have the ability to protect the infant and reduce the burden of the infection.
07:50In this case, it was the RSV.
07:53So again, this maternal immunization, the concept of maternal immunization has one purpose, which
07:59is to decrease the burden of an infection and improve the outcome for the newborn child.
08:05Okay.
08:06That's actually very interesting to know.
08:07And we did have a doctor on the show who spoke about this and the importance of that.
08:11And I think the key in that is the lack of education.
08:14I feel like this is something that is also the focus.
08:19And I'm happy that you're with us today because this is part of raising awareness and this
08:22is part of educating the public.
08:24Now, you did mention within that answer that you worked with Gulf health authorities.
08:30So how is Pfizer collaborating with them to actually put that into effect?
08:35Thank you for the question.
08:36And indeed, throughout the years, across the Gulf clusters, we were able to establish very
08:42strong collaboration with all of the health authorities.
08:46And this strong collaboration and partnership, they were really supportive of us, support us
08:51to do what?
08:52One, we are able to understand further the local unmet need, the local disease burden.
08:58We are able to generate local data, local science to do collaborative research with the health
09:04authorities.
09:05And I'll give you another example as well.
09:07So another study that was done related to RSV.
09:10And through this collaboration with the health authority, we were able to map the local disease
09:16burden of RSV.
09:17And we were able to prove that the introduction of the maternal immunization is going to improve
09:24the outcome and, again, is going to protect the infant in the early stages of life.
09:29So when we build this strong collaboration throughout years, when we build this strong partnership
09:35with the health authorities, we are able to use local data, local science, and to move
09:41into actions, to move into these preventive strategies that you have mentioned in the
09:45beginning.
09:46So all of the decisions are science-based.
09:49They are data-driven in order, again, to ensure that we are improving the outcome.
09:54I love that, that it's data-driven and it's specific to that region.
09:58I mean, to the region in question.
10:00Very fascinating.
10:02Okay.
10:02So, I mean, we've answered everything so far and you've been great and you've been very
10:08informative.
10:09But is there any last remarks or advice that you have for people on World Immunization
10:14Week?
10:15So at the end of this very interesting discussion, I want to highlight a few messages that you
10:20will take with us as key takeaways.
10:22So during this World Immunization Week, all of us, we need to pause and reconsider the impact
10:30that vaccines have had on our lives.
10:32Not only us, but on the wider community.
10:35How vaccines, they were able to save billions, billions of people and how they were able to
10:40protect billions of lives.
10:42So we need to be reconsidering that vaccines, they do remain one of the strongest weapon to
10:50protect against certain diseases.
10:53And what us as individuals, we need to do?
10:55We need to remain educated.
10:57We have talked about the education and the role of the education.
11:01We need to remain knowledgeable and we need to remain up to date with all of the vaccines
11:05that are recommended by our local health authorities.
11:09Although it seems simple, but it is really a meaningful way to protect ourselves, to protect
11:15our beloved ones and to protect the wider community.
11:18So as the last few words during this week, reflect how we were able to reach here, reflect
11:25on the science that was the leading reason for us to be here through the vaccination and
11:30immunization.
11:31And we will need to reinforce our collective effort to ensure that we are building a healthier
11:37future.
11:37Thank you very much.
11:39Thank you so much, Dr. Nadine.
11:40It's been such a pleasure.
11:42And I think this is the first step, which is educating the public.
11:46And hopefully we will fulfill all the other steps that you just mentioned.
11:49Thank you so much for joining us.
11:50Thank you so much for your time.
11:52I really enjoyed the discussion.