South Africa: South Africa Prepares for Potential New Adult TB Vaccine
[SAnews.gov.za] The Department of Health has welcomed progress towards a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, while confirming preparatory work to ensure timely access for South Africans as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate the epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.
The Department of Health in South Africa has welcomed the development of a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine and is proactively preparing for its potential introduction if successful. This announcement follows promising results from Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials of the M72/AS01E vaccine, which is now in Phase 3 trials across multiple countries.
The Department emphasizes that a vaccine preventing TB disease in adolescents and adults would be a significant advancement for TB control and elimination, both globally and in South Africa.
Currently, the only existing TB vaccine is the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), which is administered to infants and young children and provides limited protection later in life. The new vaccine, if approved, would be the first of its kind in over a century. The Department of Health has received assurances from the Gates Medical Research Institute and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation regarding an agreement with the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer.
This agreement outlines the production and distribution of the TB vaccine, with manufacturing to begin in South Africa and Indonesia, potentially boosting the country's economy.
The Department of Health has confirmed that it will support the production and introduction of the M72/AS01E vaccine in South Africa once the trial results are confirmed and the vaccine is registered by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). This development marks a major step forward in the ongoing efforts to eliminate TB as a public health threat in South Africa by 2030.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
