 "vaccine")
At the moment, there are three pre-approved oral cholera vaccines available. Image: Shutterstock
Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech said on Tuesday that phase three trials of a cholera vaccine it developed had proven it was safe for public use, and announced a global launch amid supply shortages and a growing outbreak.
The company, which developed Hillcol under license from Singapore-based Hillman Laboratories, said it was launching the vaccine with the capacity to produce 200 million doses.
Bharat Biotech said in a release that it plans to meet the global shortage of 40 million doses per year through Hilcol, which can be administered to individuals above one year of age.
The WHO said in June that 249,793 cholera cases and 2,137 deaths were reported in 25 countries in the first six months of the year, while 166,442 cases and 69 deaths will be recorded during the same period in 2023.
The WHO also said that 17 countries have requested 102 million oral cholera vaccine doses by the beginning of 2023, almost double the 51 million doses produced during this period.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection spread through contaminated food or water, and although it often causes mild or no symptoms, severe cases cause acute diarrhea and, if untreated, can lead to death within hours.
According to the World Health Organization, clean water, sanitation and proper hygiene are important to prevent the spread of this disease.
The UN agency previously said there are currently three pre-approved oral cholera vaccines.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
first published: 27 August 2024 | 1:44 pm First