In a welcome move for regions in Africa being pulverised by mpox, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has granted emergency use listing for Japan’s LC16m8 mpox vaccine, the second mpox shot to receive the designation since the group declared a public health emergency of international concern regarding outbreaks in Africa.
The step paves the way for countries to receive doses and for children, hit hard by the virus in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi, to receive doses.
CIDRAP reports that Japan had stockpiled the vaccine, which was used in 1974 to vaccinate children.
The country had earlier announced the donation of 3.05m doses to the DRC, along with needles used for vaccine administration, the largest to date amid the current outbreaks in Africa.
Filling a gap for children
The WHO’s Technical Advisory Group recommended the vaccine for use in people older than one year as a single dose using a bifurcated (two-pronged) needle, but cautioned that as it is minimally replicating, it is not recommended for pregnant women or for those with immunocompromising conditions, including certain people with HIV.
The currently authorised vaccine, Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos, is indicated for use in people aged 12 and older.
CIDRAP article – WHO grants emergency listing for Japan’s LC16 mpox vaccine (Open access)
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