Posted on Oct 3, 2023
A 'dream' come true: Now there are 2 vaccines to slash the frightful toll of malaria
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https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/10/03/ [login to see] /a-dream-come-true-now-there-are-2-vaccines-to-slash-the-frightful-toll-of-malari
"As a malaria researcher," says WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, "I used to dream of the day when we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two."
They're the first vaccines designed to work against a human parasite.
The first, called RTS,S, was unveiled almost two years ago. The second one, recommended by the World Health Organization this week, is called R21/Matrix-M and is intended for children between 5 and 36 months, who are among the most vulnerable to the disease.
"A vaccine recruits the human immune system to fight the parasite as soon as it enters the body," says Dyann Wirth, chair of the WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Group. "A vaccinated person is poised to fight off the infection at its earliest stage."
"As a malaria researcher," says WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, "I used to dream of the day when we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two."
They're the first vaccines designed to work against a human parasite.
The first, called RTS,S, was unveiled almost two years ago. The second one, recommended by the World Health Organization this week, is called R21/Matrix-M and is intended for children between 5 and 36 months, who are among the most vulnerable to the disease.
"A vaccine recruits the human immune system to fight the parasite as soon as it enters the body," says Dyann Wirth, chair of the WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Group. "A vaccinated person is poised to fight off the infection at its earliest stage."
A 'dream' come true: Now there are 2 vaccines to slash the frightful toll of malaria
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
...""The estimates are that by adding the vaccine to the current tools that are in place," says Dr. Mary Hamel, senior technical officer with WHO, "tens of thousands of children's lives will be saved every year. So quite substantial."
The idea is that if the number of cases can be lowered, that'll reduce the amount of disease that mosquitoes can transmit. So not only will vaccinated kids receive protection, but even the unvaccinated will have a lower risk of being bitten by a mosquito carrying the parasite.
"It's very important to combine the existing tools," says Tinto, "including vaccine[s], drugs and bednet[s]."
The Serum Institute of India, who will be manufacturing the new vaccine, says a hundred million doses will likely be available to countries by the middle of next year.
"We hope that the objective of the WHO of eliminating malaria by the year 2030," says Tinto, whose twins have now recovered, "will be close if we are able to deploy this vaccine very quickly in Africa."
...""The estimates are that by adding the vaccine to the current tools that are in place," says Dr. Mary Hamel, senior technical officer with WHO, "tens of thousands of children's lives will be saved every year. So quite substantial."
The idea is that if the number of cases can be lowered, that'll reduce the amount of disease that mosquitoes can transmit. So not only will vaccinated kids receive protection, but even the unvaccinated will have a lower risk of being bitten by a mosquito carrying the parasite.
"It's very important to combine the existing tools," says Tinto, "including vaccine[s], drugs and bednet[s]."
The Serum Institute of India, who will be manufacturing the new vaccine, says a hundred million doses will likely be available to countries by the middle of next year.
"We hope that the objective of the WHO of eliminating malaria by the year 2030," says Tinto, whose twins have now recovered, "will be close if we are able to deploy this vaccine very quickly in Africa."
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