The World Health Organisation has added the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to its list of prequalified vaccines.
Recall that in October 2023, WHO recommended its use for the prevention of malaria in children following the advice of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group.
The prequalification means larger access to vaccines as a key tool to prevent malaria in children with it being a prerequisite for vaccine procurement by UNICEF and funding support for deployment by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
According to reports, the R21 vaccine is the second malaria vaccine prequalified by WHO, following the RTS, S/AS01 vaccine which obtained prequalification status in July 2022. Both vaccines are shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials, for preventing malaria in children.