Why It’s Important: The Potential Benefits of Combining Vaccines.
The administration of oral polio vaccines in droplet form has significantly reduced polio cases, with a decrease of over 99 percent in recent years. However, these drops contain live viruses, which can be detected in the excrement of vaccinated children and can spread, causing new infections in areas with poor sanitation. The new vaccine resolves this issue.
According to Dr. James Campbell, a pediatric infectious disease expert at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, vaccine-derived polio cases now surpass wild polio cases, making the Gavi approval of the new vaccine an important step in combating polio worldwide. It will provide access to a product that pediatricians in the United States and Europe have long utilized.
The new vaccine is also expected to prevent infections more effectively due to its logistical simplicity. As it will be combined with an existing vaccine that is already distributed to children, countries adopting it are less likely to experience a resurgence of polio once oral vaccines are phased out.
Background: Remaining Polio Cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Polio, officially known as poliomyelitis, is a highly contagious viral disease primarily transmitted through fecal matter in areas with poor sanitation. The virus multiplies in the intestine and affects the nervous system, causing paralysis. Even one case of polio can lead to a global resurgence.
While the United States has used an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) instead of oral drops, Gavi has been assisting lower-income countries in procuring IPV for the past decade. However, the new hexavalent vaccine, incorporating polio protection along with hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, provides an improved solution.
Although the addition of polio protection to the existing five-component vaccine increases its cost, public health officials argue that it remains economically advantageous. The reduction in overall vaccine doses will help reduce expenses associated with syringes, serum refrigerators, and healthcare worker appointments.
What’s Next: A Global Rollout on the Horizon.
Countries served by Gavi will now have the opportunity to apply for funding for the new vaccine, which may be available as early as 2024. It is administered in three doses during the first few months of life, and a booster shot is given before the age of two. UNICEF estimates that the global demand for the new vaccine could reach 100 million annual doses by 2030.
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