Available From UC Press

Seth Berkley, MD, is an infectious disease epidemiologist currently advising vaccine, biotechnology, and technology companies, and is Adjunct Professor and Senior Adviser to the Pandemic Center at Brown University. He served as CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance from 2011 to 2023; cofounded COVAX; and founded and served as CEO of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
 

"Fair Doses is an unflinching insider account of how science, politics, and human nature collided in the battle to vaccinate the world. It exposes how vaccine nationalism, bureaucratic gridlock, political indifference, profit-driven markets, and misinformation cost millions of lives. But it also tells how a small, committed team nonetheless managed to deliver two billion lifesaving vaccines to people in the most vulnerable, hardest-to-reach corners of the world."—Atul Gawande, surgeon, former Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID, and author of Being Mortal

"Fair Doses is an insightful account of the global effort to deliver vaccines at a time of unprecedented crisis. Dr. Seth Berkley takes readers inside the high-stakes decisions, political wrangling, and scientific and technological breakthroughs that shaped the world's pandemic response and saved millions of lives. His unique perspective makes this book essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how global health works—and how it must change to prepare for the future."—The Right Honourable Sir Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

"In Fair Doses, Dr. Berkley gives a gripping account of the value and impact of vaccines, especially in poor countries. Particularly impressive and insightful is the fast-paced account of the COVID-19 pandemic and the COVAX facility developed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to help provide affordable and equitable access for all to COVID-19 vaccines. Designed to ensure that poor countries would not be at the back of the queue for lifesaving vaccines, COVAX struggled to fulfill its own mandate. The book sets out the human and physical obstacles that stood in COVAX's way. From fear to political calculations and miscalculations, profit motives, and health system challenges, Dr. Berkley's account shows us how the best intentions can be undermined. Beyond pandemics, this book is a compelling personal account of a dedicated public health professional's journey through science and the financial, philanthropic, and operational logistics needed to translate scientific discoveries into saved human lives. Dr. Berkley is an inspiring scientist, strong administrator, and empathetic professional who believes all lives are equal and should be equally saved."—Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, former Managing Director of the World Bank, former Minister of Finance of Nigeria, and author of Reforming the Unreformable

"Dr. Seth Berkley may well have done as much lifesaving as any physician in history. He has been at the center of the global vaccine effort for decades. Organizational innovation is often as important as scientific progress if lives are to be saved, and here Dr. Berkley has been extraordinary. Anyone looking to work in global health or even to find examples of positive global cooperation should read this wonderful book."—Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus of Harvard University, former United States Secretary of the Treasury, former Director of the National Economic Council, and former Chief Economist of the World Bank

"Louis Armstrong once sang, 'Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.' That could be the anthem for public health after COVID. It certainly is part of the story of Fair Doses. But such 'troubles' did not stop those like Dr. Seth Berkley—this good and wise man—who labored hard and fought against shortsighted interests to raise massive amounts of money to buy vaccines for those who could not afford them. Millions live today not knowing to whom to be grateful. We all owe two kinds of gratitude to Dr. Berkley and his colleagues. One debt is for masterminding one of the largest distributions of lifesaving vaccines in history. And the second debt is for writing about it, leaving us a precious gift—both a historical archive and a road map for the future. My family and I are among those who know that, thanks to our own fair doses, we survived COVID with an overwhelming urge to celebrate the living and all the good people who made it possible."—Larry Brilliant, CEO of Evity Technologies, inaugural Executive Director of Google.org, and author of Sometimes Brilliant

"Fair Doses takes readers on the extraordinary journey of vaccines in a world where science and global health intersect with politics, power, and humanity. The heart of this narrative is the historic global effort to ensure vaccine equity through COVAX, told as an inspiring and cautionary tale of what can be achieved when the world comes together—and what is compromised when it doesn’t."—Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin, Executive Director of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program and former Minister of Health of Ethiopia

"Fair Doses tells the incredible story of bringing the world together to deliver lifesaving vaccines. The World Economic Forum is proud to have played a role in launching Gavi, CEPI, and COVAX and supporting their efforts to prevent disease and improve health across the world. Saving tens of millions of lives, these partnerships represent the spirit of Davos in bringing innovation to bear on the world's most difficult problems."—Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and former Chairman of the Board of the World Economic Forum
 
"Science gets its power from its use, not just its existence. Civilization gets its ultimate power by achieving equity. Dr. Seth Berkley combines both. Gavi used science to form a coalition of government agencies, global institutions, private companies, and many others to seek a civilized use of vaccines as measured by equity, including during the pandemic. This is the story of moral and creative common sense at its best."—William H. Foege, former Director of the United States CDC, former head of the CDC's Smallpox Eradication Program, former Executive Director of the Carter Center, and author of House on Fire
 
"From the icy sidewalks of Davos to the heart of global vaccine distribution efforts, Fair Doses offers a unique perspective on the challenges faced and hurdles overcome during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most transformative events of modern history. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights that range over his long and illustrious career, Dr. Seth Berkley reveals the complexities of vaccine development and the urgent need for equitable access. A testament to Dr. Berkley's dedication and achievements, this book is a compelling call to action for a healthier and more just world."—Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and cofounder of COVAX
 
"Infectious diseases continue to plague humankind, and women, children, and the poorest among us bear the largest burden. Vaccines are one of the most important tools to reduce this burden. Fair Doses tells the history of how vaccines became the most widely distributed and most equitable (although not yet ubiquitous) health intervention. It also memorializes the story of COVAX's attempts to equitably deliver vaccines during a pandemic. Knowing what worked—and what didn't—during the COVID-19 pandemic is a precursor to developing better prevention and preparedness at the community level. Learning best practices will help to keep our economies, communities, hospitals, and schools open during the inevitable next pandemic."—Henrietta H. Fore, former Executive Director of UNICEF and former Administrator of USAID