The days of high mortality and morbidity associated with malaria may soon be a thing of the past if feelers from the World Health Organization (WHO) are proven right.
The WHO announced that a malaria vaccine RTS,S/AS01(RTS,S), developed by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK) and PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in collaboration with some African research centers.
In clinical trials,RTS,S showed promise against Plasmodium Falciparum strain of malaria, which is most prevalent in Africa and accounts for the highest malaria mortality rates globally. However, it is inefficient against the Plasmodium Vivax strain of malaria which is the most common strain of malaria in countries outside Africa. Policy makers have suggested that be vaccine be used as an adjunct to already proven malaria preventive, diagnostic and treatment interventions.
This breakthrough is really significant as it is the first malaria vaccine to gain a positive scientific option by the European Medicines Agency.
Pilot trials are scheduled to commence in selected African countries in 2018.
Would you take this vaccine?
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