Trial results show new Oxford vaccine 77 per cent effective against malaria

In what is being hailed as a major scientific breakthrough for the world, a malaria vaccine, developed by the same team behind the Oxford coronavirus jab, has been found to be 77 per cent effective in providing protection against the disease.

The findings have come from the first twelve months of an ongoing trial, involving 450 children aged five to 17 months, launched in Burkina Faso in May 2019.

Professor Adrian Hill, who designed and developed the vaccine, said the latest results “support our high expectations for the potential of this vaccine”.

The vaccine has been hailed as a game-changer “which could really make a difference to episodes of severe malaria and death” added Professor Hill. “It’s getting towards elimination in some parts of the world.”

Malaria No More UK’s director of advocacy Gareth Jenkins, said such an outcome would help ease pressure on those health systems likely to “be on the frontline of future pandemics” and allow them to respond better to any other outbreaks they may face.

He did, however, warn that the recent decision made by the UK government to cut foreign aid is threatening the development of malaria control in the imminent future.

“We need to keep investing in lab research that is vital for new products like vaccines, treatments and diagnostics, as it’s only with those extra interventions that we’re likely to fully eradicate the disease in our life time.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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