Merck and Sanofi Pasteur Data on Attitudes Toward Early-Childhood Combination Vaccinations

Dr. Michelle Goveia, MD, Executive Director, Global Medical and Scientific Affairs at Merck Vaccines and Dr. Monica Mercer, MD, Senior Director, Scientific and Medical Affairs at Sanofi Pasteur, discuss new data presented at the IDWeek 2020 virtual meeting on physician and parental attitudes about the use of early-childhood combination vaccines and the potential implications for timely completion of the CDC recommended Child and Adolescent immunization schedule.

Michelle Goveia, MD, MPH is an Executive Director in the Global Medical and Scientific Affairs department at Merck Vaccines. She joined Merck in 2002 supporting the clinical development and regulatory interactions for numerous vaccines including rotavirus, hepatitis A, and varicella-containing vaccines. She is currently responsible for leading the efforts to increase global access to Merck’s pediatric and hepatitis vaccines worldwide, which include managing vaccine-related scientific data and recommendations for rotavirus, MMR, varicella, hepatitis A and B, Hib, and a hexavalent combination vaccine. Prior to joining Merck, she was an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stationed at the California State Health Department. While there she worked with environmental and occupation health issues, including investigation of a new disease among renal patients, was involved in surveillance activities after the World Trade Center events and in the anthrax investigations in New York City and Washington DC. Dr. Goveia received her B.S. Honors degree from the University of Michigan, medical and public health degrees from the George Washington University in Washington, DC and is pediatric board-certified. Her interest in pediatric environmental health has led her to work with the White House and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Monica Mercer, MD is a Senior Director of Scientific and Medical affairs for Sanofi Pasteur. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Microbiology, Pathology and Immunology from the University of Johannesburg, School of Health Sciences, South Africa, and her medical degree from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Wits University School of Medicine. Her post-graduate training included a residency in Family Medicine at the Johannesburg Academic Hospital where she worked as a hospitalist in pediatrics and internal medicine, and conducted trials in infectious diseases, with an emphasis on TB and HIV. Recognizing that healthcare providers (HCPs) lack a fundamental understanding of the field of immunology and its application to clinical practice, Monica with the Immunology department of University of Cape Town have developed an international online educational program “Immunopaedia” for medical students, residents, and HCPs. Monica joined Sanofi Pasteur in 2015 in the department of US Medical Affairs as a regional medical expert for vaccines.