Research and innovation is a vital component of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, providing the necessary evidence and tools to guide the final steps to a lasting polio-free world and beyond. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative coordinates and supports an extensive programme of research and product innovation and development from a wide range of core scientific disciplines.

The research programme has two broad objectives:

• to identify, develop and evaluate new tools and tailored approaches to assess and sensitise to ensure the impact of eradication efforts is maximised
• to inform long-term policy for the post-eradication era.

Current research areas include :

• Optimizing oral polio vaccine efficacy
• Developing affordable inactivated polio vaccine
• Managing risks associated with vaccine-derived polioviruses and vaccineassociated paralytic polio (including OPV cessation)
• Antivirals
• Polio diagnostics
• Surveillance research