Last Monday, the WHO recommended a second malaria vaccine (R21) that will protect children, among whom this disease causes half a million deaths each year. This announcement comes just two years after the use of the first – and so far only – malaria vaccine (RTS,S) was recommended, with which it has a similar efficacy and is 66 percent in the 12 months after the three recommended initial doses (seasonal vaccination). A fourth dose a year after the third allows immunity to be maintained, according to the trials carried out. Experts from the organization pointed out that a second malaria vaccine will provide a solution to the limited availability of RTS,S, whose supply could not satisfy a global demand considered unprecedented. The scientific data of the new vaccine have been analyzed by the group of experts that advises the WHO on immunization issues, who have determined that this product is safe and effective in preventing malaria in children.
2023-10-13 03:00:00
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