Lecture on Pediatric Vaccine -- Pricing and Stockpiling Issues

We are delighted to announce that next Friday, April 2, 2010, we will be hosting Professor Sheldon H. Jacobson, Professor and Director, Simulation and Optimization Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana. Dr. Jacobson will be speaking on, An Analysis of Pediatric Vaccine Pricing and Stockpiling Issues. Support for his presentation is provided by the John F. Smith Memorial Fund and INFORMS through its speakers bureau.

I have heard Dr. Jacobson speak (last time was at the INORMS Conference in Puerto Rico) and he is a fantastic speaker plus his research is always on timely topics and it attracts a lot of media attention because he has very creative approaches to identifying problems and solving them.

Biography: Sheldon H. Jacobson is a Professor and Director of the Simulation and Optimization Laboratory in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois. He has a B.Sc. and M.Sc. (both in Mathematics) from McGill University, and a M.S. and Ph.D. (both in Operations Research) from Cornell University. His methodological research interests include the stochastic analysis and design of heuristics for intractable discrete optimization problems, and the analysis of stochastic dynamic assignment problems. His applied research interests address problems in the areas of homeland security (aviation security) and health-care delivery systems (public health: immunization and obesity). His research has been recognized with several awards, including the Aviation Security Research Award by Aviation Security International, the International Air Transport Association, and the Airports Council International (in 2002), a Guggenheim Fellowship (in 2003), and the Institute of Industrial Engineers Outstanding Paper Award (in 2009). His research has been published in a wide spectrum of journals, and he has received research funding from several government agencies and industrial.

PRESENTATION TITLE: An Analysis of Pediatric Vaccine Pricing and Stockpiling Issues

Abstract: The United States Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule outlines a comprehensive schedule of vaccines and vaccination periods to protect each newborn infant from several diseases that once plagued children. This presentation covers two important issues related to pediatric vaccines and immunization: pricing of new combination vaccines and pediatric vaccine stockpiling. Results are reported on using integer programming models to analyze the price and market value of two partially overlapping pentavalent combination vaccines for pediatric immunization. Results are also reported on using a stochastic inventory model to assess the impact of pediatric vaccine stockpile levels on immunization coverage. The implications of these issues on pandemic influenza vaccine manufacturing and distribution are also discussed.

Date: Friday, April 2, 2010
Time: 11:00AM - Noon
Place: Isenberg School of Management Room 112
UMass Amherst

The announcement for this talk can be found at:
http://supernet.som.umass.edu/informs/speakernew.html