Wednesday, October 27, 2010

New polio vaccine more effective in reducing disease

A new vaccine against the polio virus has helped reduce the number of cases by more than 90%. Research published in The Lancet shows that the new vaccine, already used in Afghanistan, India and Nigeria, is significantly better at protecting children against polio than the current popular vaccine. It has. Scientists behind the work believe the new vaccine could help to finally eradicate the disease.
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11621842

An earlier Rotary Press Release (Dec 2009)
Afghanistan first in world to use new vaccine against polio
Posted by Unknown at 8:59 PM

5 comments:

  1. Trish ParnellOctober 28, 2010 at 3:43 AM

    Exciting news. Feels like the 1950s all over again. Hope this time the task is completed.

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  2. UnknownOctober 28, 2010 at 9:24 AM

    I have received the very valid comment: "It should help the eradication of polio more quickly and therefore the funding requirement for polio may shorten. But in the mean time reaching the most difficult populations that are at risk of polio will continue. Eradication very much depends on reaching those people not getting vaccinated and some of these reasons are cultural rather than anything to do with the medication."

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  3. AnonymousOctober 29, 2010 at 10:10 AM

    This may or may not be the exact same vaccine. What is important is now there is scientific study to prove its effectiveness.
    Posted by Dr Robert S Steinberg

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 29, 2010 at 10:11 AM

    I think it is the same vaccine and it is good there is scientific evidence that it is working. I was District Polio Officer for District 1100 and followed the cases very closely this can be done on www.polioeradication.org where the figures are updated every two weeks and cases of outbreaks anywhere in the world are also reported. I was also in India at around this time last year helping on an NID near Delhi. Many Rotary people do not realise that children in the slum areas where we worked have to be immunised once a month for almost a year before the vaccine is effective. Even this new vaccine if given orally may just run straight through the childs system because of their diet and have to be adminstered many times before it is effective.
    The very good news is that we are winning the fight but must be vigilant as an outbreak could occur almost anywhere as we have seen in the past few months.
    Posted by Allan Berry (off LinkedIn)

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  5. UnknownOctober 29, 2010 at 10:12 AM

    If I remember correctly this vaccine was trialed in Afghanistan last year and then introduced and used in India where it has been very effective in reducing the number of cases of polio this year dramatically. Cases have also fallen in Nigeria but Pakistan with the problems from the disaster of flooding and insurgency is proving more of a challenge. Unfortunately cases cropped up earlier this year in Angola and Tajikistan which had both been polio free for some time. It just goes to show that we must be very vigilant and act quickly with vaccines to stop this dreadful disease from taking hold again. Yes we are nearly there it will be a few years yet but we must not give up the fight.
    Posted by Allan Berry (off LinkedIn)

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