Cheap Cholera
Vaccine Found
A
cheap cholera vaccine is getting closer to international
distribution after proving safe and effective in a large
clinical trial.
According to a recent report in The Lancet, the oral vaccine
reduced cases of cholera by around two thirds. Almost 67,000
people from the cholera-prone region of Kolkata in eastern India
participated in the study.
They received either a placebo or the vaccine, which was
developed from an earlier version already in use in Vietnam.
The modified version complies with World Health Organization
standards, is inexpensive and can be used in children between
one and five years old who are at the highest risk of developing
cholera in endemic settings.
However, researchers said follow-up studies are still necessary
to confirm the long-term benefits of the vaccine.
Panos/ Qasim/Ahaziah
