South Africa Prepares for Potential New Adult TB Vaccine
South Africa's Department of Health is preparing for the potential introduction of a new TB vaccine, M72/AS01E, currently in Phase 3 trials. This initiative aims to address the global TB epidemic by providing a more effective alternative to the century-old BCG vaccine.
Why it matters
Tuberculosis remains a major public health threat, and a successful new vaccine would represent the first significant medical advancement in TB prevention in over 100 years.
The Department of Health has welcomed progress towards a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, while confirming preparatory work to ensure timely access for South Africans as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate the epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.
This comes after the ongoing trials of the M72/AS01E vaccine showed promise in Phase 1 and Phase 2. The vaccine is now in Phase 3 trials in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and Indonesia.
According to the department, a vaccine that prevents TB disease in adolescents and adults will be a game-changer for TB control and elimination, both globally and in South Africa.
"Once approved, it will be the first TB vaccine introduced in over a century, because currently we have only the Bacille Calmette-Gu rin (BCG) vaccine, which is given to newborn infants and children under 5 years old and offers limited protection later in life.
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