Launched in 2007, the former-named REIVAC (National network in vaccinology clinical investigation), gathers clinicians, biologists and university researchers who are strongly involved in research on vaccinology.
Why does I-REIVAC have a strong interest in vaccinology research?
The members of I-REIVAC are convinced that vaccination is one of the most efficient way to fight infectious diseases and that the development of new vaccinations is necessary. They also think knowledge in vaccinology needs to be improved to bring back people's confidence. The improvement of knowledge requires the development of vaccination clinical research and the training of nursing staff and people.
Since it was created, the network has been aiming at promoting vaccination clinical research in France. It was first composed of four Clinical Investigation Centers (CIC) (CICs of Cochin and Bichat in Paris, in Clermont-Ferrand and in Montpellier) which constituted the network managing board. The network then grew to include 18 centers including 7 CICs, 2 Clinical Research Centers (CRC), 1 immunology clinical research unit, 3 infectious disease services, 1 epidemiology and prevention service and 2 labelled laboratories in immunology for the extraction of PBMC, situated at Cochin and in St-Etienne.
In 2014, REIVAC was labelled as an excellence network within the F-CRIN call for project financed by the Grand Emprunt (national loan scheme) to become I-REIVAC. Under such circumstances and in order to keep on promoting clinical research in vaccinology in France but also on a European and international level, the network set up additional objectives and an ambitious scientific program which should enable to develop European-wide large-scale university tests and pre-clinical tests in partnership with industries or biotechs.