Dog vaccination could save more lives than routine child PrEP in Keralam, says study

Intensifying vaccination of dogs and ensuring that people bitten by dogs receive timely and complete rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) could save far more lives in Keralam than routine pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) vaccination of children, according to a new modelling study on the cost-effectiveness of rabies interventions.

The study , published in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia , estimates that routine childhood PrEP—vaccinating children against rabies before any animal exposure — would prevent only about 10 additional deaths over 10 years, while adding an estimated $10.5 million to $36.5 million to healthcare costs.