Groen licht voor historisch malariavaccin
October 7, 2021 - De Wereldgezondheidsorganisatie heeft ’s werelds eerste malariavaccin goedgekeurd en spoort Afrikaanse landen aan om alle kinderen te vaccineren om de verspreiding van de parasitaire infectie in te dammen.
WHO said its decision was based largely on results from ongoing research in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that tracked more than 800,000 children who have received the vaccine since 2019.
The vaccine, known as Mosquirix, was developed by GlaxoSmithKline in 1987. While it’s the first to be authorised, it does face challenges: The vaccine is only about 30 percent effective, it requires up to four doses, and its protection fades after several months.
Still, scientists say the vaccine could have a major impact against malaria in Africa, home to most of the world’s more than 200 million cases and 400,000 deaths per year.