The world first ever malaria vaccine has just been approved for use in Africa by the European Medicines Agency, after assessing its safety and effectiveness.
The vaccine, Mosquirix, also called the RTS,S vaccine, developed by GlaxoSmithKline was designed specifically to combat malaria infection in children in Africa and will not be licensed for travellers.
The vaccine works by triggering the immune system to defend against the first stages of infection by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite after it enters the bloodstream following a mosquito bite. Even though the price of the vaccine has not been revealed, GSK has pledged not to make a profit from it.
The World Health Organization is however set to decide in October whether to recommend it for children, among whom trials have yielded mixed results.
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