Polio vaccine and five other diseases approved by Gavi

Why is this important: The combination of vaccines could offer longevity.

Oral polio vaccines, given in droplet form, have reduced polio cases by more than 99% in recent decades. But because the drops contain live viruses – detectable in the faeces of children who receive the vaccine – the virus can spread and cause new infections in countries with poor sanitation. The new vaccine will not have this problem.

“More children today, in 2023, are crippled by circulating vaccine-derived polio than by wild polio,” said Dr. James Campbella pediatric infectious disease expert at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who studies vaccine development.

He called Gavi’s approval a “significant step” in the fight against the virus globally, as it will give children in low- and middle-income countries access to a product that pediatricians in the United States United and Europe have been offering for a long time.

The shot should also help prevent infections due to its logistical ease. Since the polio vaccine will be wrapped in a combination product that is already distributed to children, scientists say countries that use it will be less likely to see a resurgence of polio once oral vaccines are reduced.

Background: Polio still has strongholds in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Poliomyelitis, officially known as poliomyelitis, is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted mainly through feces in places with poor sanitation. The virus multiplies in the intestine and invades the nervous system, causing paralysis. Even only one existing case is problematicexperts say, as it could lead to a global resurgence.

The United States has long used an inactivated polio vaccine, or IPV, instead of oral drops, and Gavi has been helping low-income countries buy it for 10 years. But the new six-in-one vaccine, called hexavalent, will also protect children against hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae, tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough.

Adding polio protection to the existing five-component vaccine will increase its cost, but public health officials say the move is still cost-effective. Fewer vaccine doses overall will help reduce small expenses that add up, including syringes, serum coolers and appointments with health workers.

And after: A global rollout is on the horizon.

Countries served by Gavi will now be able to apply for funding for the vaccine, which could be available as early as 2024. It is given in three doses in the first months of life – plus a subsequent booster before age 2 – and the UNICEF has estimated that the global market for the new vaccine could reach 100 million annual doses by 2030.