Taskforce formed to help speed licensure, vaccine distribution following RTS,S trials

GNA/Peace FM examines the recent creation of a local and international taskforce to help shorten the window of time between the completion of the clinical trial of the RTS,S malaria vaccine - currently being tested across Africa - and licensure and vaccine distribution. According to the news service, scientists recently launched a Phase III trial of the RTS,S vaccine in Kintampo, Ghana, which will include 1,200 children, between the ages of 6-12 weeks and 5-17 months. An additional 14,800 children spread across "[e]leven sites in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, Malawi, Mozambique and Burkina Faso [will also take] part in the phase three studies."

By 2011, researchers hope to have sufficient data to present to regulatory bodies. The research is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through the Malaria Vaccine Initiative, and RTS,S was developed by GlaxoSmithKline in collaboration with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

"If the trial proves that the experimental vaccine works, and that it can be given along with vaccines in the Expanded Programme on Immunization, then it might become part of routine vaccines given to children in Africa," according to GNA/Peace FM (9/4).


Kaiser Health NewsThis article was reprinted from khn.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service, is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Comments

  1. danny danny United States says:

    Will it be safe for adult travellers to Africa to use instead of taking Larium?

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Post

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.

You might also like...
Collaborative study offers hope for syphilis vaccine development