The world's first Malaria vaccine is partially effective and could protect small children from the life- threatening disease according to scientists who have completed the final trials.
The vaccine has been in development for 20 years and has cost more than $500m so far. Hopes that it would save the lives of most of the 500,000 children under five who die from malaria each year have long been scaled back, but experts say that even a partially effective vaccine is an important breakthrough.
The latest results published in the Lancelet Medical journal show that vaccine worksbetter in children from the age of 5months than it does in younger babies. This is a blow because it cannot be added to the routine infant vaccination schedule alongside the combined diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough jab. The protection the vaccines gives wanes over time which means a later booster shot is needed.
In the trials, children were given three shots of malaria vaccines plus a booster, which is a formidable schedule for some settings in the developing world. Those given the three shots between the ages of 5-17 months have suffered 36% fewer episodes of clinical malaria by the time they were 4 years old than those not immunized- this was down from the 50% fewer episodes in the first year after vaccination.
Please read more on www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/24/malaria-vaccine-breakthrough-partially-effective-scientists-children
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