On 12 and 13th of November, the id.DRIVE Steering Committee convened in Leuven, Belgium, for its annual in-person meeting. Over two productive days, all partners came together to reflect on the past season, evaluate the progress of the ongoing studies, and shape the future of the id.DRIVE partnership.
The meeting opened with a comprehensive review of the 2024–2025 season, highlighting site-specific achievements, lessons learned, and overall performance. Partners then shared updates on the ongoing 2025–2026 season, including recruitment progress across sites and early insights from the field.
A series of scientific and operational deep dives followed. The consortium reviewed recent results and next steps for the surveillance study and the COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness study, and exchanged on the progress and lessons learned from the RSV vaccine effectiveness study. Looking ahead to the 2026–2027 season, discussions focused on planned updates to the eCRF, decisions on key variables, and adjustments to the monitoring plan.
Another major topic on the agenda was site selection and feasibility for the 2026–2027 season, with partners sharing updates on progress and outlining the roadmap for the coming months. The Steering Committee also explored opportunities for expanding id.DRIVE activities beyond Europe, so one of the meeting highlights was the presentation of the Canadian feasibility assessment — an encouraging first step in the consortium’s broader international expansion.
We were also delighted to welcome two distinguished guest experts.
- Prof. Harish Nair shared key scientific considerations for RSV vaccine effectiveness and respiratory disease burden studies.
- Dr. Nick Andrews presented on future-oriented study design considerations for combination vaccine effectiveness studies.
The meeting closed with an update on governance, ongoing consortium developments, and opportunities to extend id.DRIVE to new populations, settings, and registries.
Of course, no id.DRIVE gathering would be complete without the informal moments that make collaboration stronger. Lively discussions continued over coffee breaks and dinners—because good ideas often spark outside the meeting room.
The Steering Committee in Leuven once again demonstrated the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to generating high-quality evidence for respiratory vaccine effectiveness. Planning for 2026–2027 is already underway… because at id.DRIVE, we like to stay one step ahead.