Malaria vaccine
Although we can tackle malaria with the resources we currently have at our disposal, it is important to support the development of a vaccine because it could protect entire populations against malaria on a large scale. Around the world, the best scientists are working on the development of a vaccine. An effective vaccine against infection by the Plasmodium Falciparum parasite does not exist yet and its development is seriously impeded by a number of factors, such as the parasite's complexity, its ability to mutate during its stay in the human body or the mosquito, and its ability to mislead and evade the human immune system. In October 2002, the prospects for the development of a vaccine improved with the completion of the genetic blueprints of the Anopheles mosquito and the Plasmodium Falciparum parasite. In 2004, the phase II trial of a vaccine in Mozambique showed promising results, indicating that an effective malaria vaccine can be developed. The most recent news dating from 3 November 2009, was the positive results with the trial vaccine RTS,S. Phase II trials in 2008 resulted in a 53% reduction of malaria cases in children aged 5 to 17 months, and a test among children aged 1 to 4 years in Mozambique in August 2009 showed that the vaccine can provide protection for up to 45 months. In the meantime, phase III trials by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative and other partner organizations have started in seven African countries: Burkina Faso, The Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania and will involve a total of 16,000 children. If the vaccine is found to be safe, it can be on the market within 3 to 5 years. This is a fantastic development,
but as long as a vaccine is not available, we will have to continue focusing on the resources we have at our disposal and use them effectively to prevent and treat malaria.
