The Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) vaccine will be given to adults aged 18 years and above after symptoms or infection with smallpox, ampox and related orthopoxviruses are detected. WHO has given permission for vaccination. It will be given as a 2-dose injection, in which both doses will be given at a gap of 4-4 weeks.
Did WHO say this about the vaccine?
The World Health Organisation said on Friday it would administer the first dose of a vaccine against mpox to adults, calling it an important step in fighting the disease in Africa and beyond. The pre-qualification of the vaccine by Bavarian Nordic A/S means donors such as GAVI the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF can buy it but supplies are limited as there is only one manufacturer. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this first pre-qualification of a vaccine against mpox is an important step in our fight against the disease, both in the context of current outbreaks in Africa and for the future.
As per date received from WHO
Data available from WHO shows that a single dose MVA-BN vaccine given before exposure is estimated to be 76 percent effective in protecting people from ampox, while a 2-dose schedule is estimated to be 82 percent effective. “This first prequalification of a vaccine against ampox is an important step in our fight against the disease in Africa, both against current outbreaks and in the future,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. Ghebreyesus stressed the need for increased procurement, donations and rollout to ensure equitable access to vaccines.
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In addition, he said there is also an urgent need for other public health tools to prevent infection, stop transmission and save lives. The WHO prequalification comes after the UN health body declared a global health emergency over the outbreak in Africa last month. Prequalification can facilitate timely and increased access to prevent transmission and help contain the outbreak.
WHO’s assessment is in line with the Bavarian Nordic report
WHO’s assessment for prequalification is based on information submitted by Bavarian Nordic, and has been reviewed by the European Medicines Agency, the regulatory agency of record for this vaccine. MVA-BN is currently not licensed for persons under 18 years of age, but WHO recommends its off-label use in infants, children, adolescents and pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems where the benefits of vaccination outweigh the potential risks. MVA-BN is the only non-replicated Mpox vaccine approved in the US, Switzerland and Singapore (marketed as JYNNEOS), Canada (marketed as IMVAMUNE), and the EU/EAA and UK (marketed as IMVANEX). More than 120 countries have confirmed more than 103,000 cases of Mpox since the start of the global outbreak in 2022. In 2024, various outbreaks in 14 countries in the African Region resulted in 25,237 suspected and confirmed cases and 723 deaths.
Disclaimer: Some of the information given in the news is based on media reports. Before implementing any suggestion, please consult the concerned expert.
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