The R21 malaria vaccine has been approved by Ghana, making it the first country to do so. Scientists who developed the vaccine claim that it could be a “world-changer” in the fight against the disease due to its effectiveness. The final trial data on the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness was assessed by Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority, leading to its approval for use in children between the ages of five months and three years old. The trial data was obtained from Burkina Faso and showed an 80% effectiveness rate after three initial doses and a booster dose given a year later. Other African countries and the World Health Organization are also analyzing the data.
Further trial pending large scale use.
According to a report by the BBC, before a large scale deployment is considered, 5,000 children are scheduled to undergo an additional trial. Although these trials were initially expected to be conducted at the end of last year, they have not yet been formally published. Nevertheless, they have been shared with certain government bodies in Africa and scientists.
Oxford researcher speaks on R1.
According to an interview with the BBC, Prof Adrian Hill, the director of the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, has stated that African countries have expressed a desire to make their own decisions after being left behind in the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines during the pandemic.
The R21 vaccine is expected to have a significant impact on reducing malaria-related deaths in children in the coming years, and contribute to the ultimate goal of eradicating and eliminating malaria altogether.
The Serum Institute of India is planning to produce 100-200 million doses of the vaccine annually and is constructing a vaccine factory in Accra, Ghana. Each dose of R21 is projected to cost a few dollars.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute, has acknowledged the challenges of developing a vaccine to address the extensive disease burden of malaria. He has also noted that Ghana’s approval of the vaccine represents a significant milestone in the global fight against malaria.
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