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Greetings colleagues, As 2007 comes to a close, the new year looks especially promising in terms of global commitments to reducing the burden of rotavirus mortality. The GAVI Alliance recently announced the first countries that will receive support to introduce rotavirus vaccines, an important beginning to balancing the scales between rich and poor countries. While this financing is currently only available to countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe, our partners in Africa and Asia are generating critical evidence that will inform the future of access to rotavirus vaccines among all of the world’s children. We are grateful, as always, for the immeasurable contributions of our international colleagues. The future looks bright, and we look forward to working with you to achieve further progress in 2008! Sincerely, John R. Wecker, PhD Director, PATH Rotavirus Vaccine Program |
December 2007 In this Issue GAVI Alliance approves rotavirus vaccine applications in Latin America All sites enrolling participants for PATH/Merck collaboration in Asia and Africa Long-term efficacy data on rotavirus vaccines show continued protection Rotavirus Surveillance News: African Regional Network WHO publishes Global Framework for Immunization Monitoring and Surveillance |
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GAVI Alliance approves rotavirus vaccine applications in Latin America Following up on its November 2006 pledge to subsidize rotavirus vaccines in developing countries, the GAVI Alliance recently approved applications from Bolivia, Guyana, and Honduras. Introduction in these countries as early as next year brings to fruition the primary goal of GAVI’s Accelerated Development and Introduction Plans—PATH’s Rotavirus Vaccine Program and the PneumoADIP housed at Johns Hopkins University—toward dramatically reducing the timeline for access to new vaccines in the poorest parts of the world. Historically, it has taken more than 15 years for new vaccines to reach the developing world. In 2006, that timeline was significantly reduced, with rotavirus vaccines introduced in the US and several countries of the European Union, as well as in Nicaragua—marking the first time ever that a vaccine was introduced in a GAVI-eligible country in the same year that it was approved in the industrialized world. Introduction in Bolivia, Guyana, and Honduras will bolster this important achievement. GAVI also announced support for pneumococcal vaccine introduction in Nicaragua, Ghana, and Honduras, in addition to funding for a significant increase in countries introducing Hib vaccine. Click here to learn more. All sites enrolling participants for PATH/Merck collaboration in Asia and Africa In late September, a site in Nha Trang, Vietnam, began enrolling infants for the clinical trial of RotaTeq®, a collaboration between PATH and Merck & Co., Inc. All sites, which also include facilities in Mali, Kenya, Ghana, and Bangladesh have now completed or will complete enrollment during the next couple of months, with follow-up activities ongoing. PATH is working in partnership with both Merck and GSK to determine the safety and efficacy of new rotavirus vaccines in Africa and Asia, as recommended by the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts. Long-term efficacy data on rotavirus vaccines show continued protection Efficacy profiles of the rotavirus vaccines produced by Merck and GSK were recently boosted by additional data. New RotaTeq® prescribing information reveals that the vaccine reduced hospitalizations and emergency room (ER) visits by 100 percent for serotype G9P1A(8). These data are based on healthcare usage by participants in the manufacturer’s vaccine previously published Phase 3 safety and efficacy trial. An article in The Lancet presents data that show high efficacy for GSK’s Rotarix® administered with routine vaccines. Over two seasons, Rotarix® demonstrated 90 percent efficacy against severe rotavirus among European children and 79 percent against all rotavirus infections. This issue of The Lancet also included a commentary on the relevance of these data for rotavirus vaccine introduction in the developing world and the need for specific studies to determine efficacy among infants in Africa and Asia. Please note that these articles are available to the public, but individual registration on The Lancet website is required. Rotavirus Surveillance News: African Regional Network The latest issue of Rotavirus Surveillance News provides an update on active surveillance activities in seven African countries. Data collected through the network reveal important information that will be relevant for decision-making on rotavirus vaccine introduction. Two regional reference laboratories (based in Ghana and South Africa) support the network and provide routine training. WHO publishes Global Framework for Immunization Monitoring and Surveillance WHO recently released a new comprehensive approach to tackle challenges in immunization monitoring and disease surveillance. The Global Framework for Immunization Monitoring and Surveillance was developed by WHO and the US CDC. It responds to the need for timely and valid epidemiological and program information that is crucial in measuring progress towards immunization goals and controlling vaccine-preventable diseases, including rotavirus. An editorial in the December 2007 issue of the WHO Bulletin outlines the resources and guidance provided through the document, along with the rationale for its development. Rotavirus Vaccine Program website |
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The PATH Rotavirus Vaccine Program is supported by the GAVI Alliance. |
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Questions or comments about the PATH Rotavirus Vaccine Program? Contact us at rvpinfo@path.org.
Masthead photo by Richard Lord.
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