As a retired FDA scientist( Chemistry Team Leader) and former GS-14 expert on Anti-Malarial and Anti-Parasitic Products, the news that a vaccine against Malaria had been approved fulfilled my dream and wish in life.
This
discovery was overshadowed by covid-19 vaccines news, but made it as
one of the top ten science news for 2021. At the bottom of the page is
the site discussing in details of the top ten science discoveries for
2021.
My enthusiasm and joys is that this malaria
vaccine can save hundred thousands lives of children as well as adults
every year. It deserves as much publicity as the Covid-19 vaccines that
dominate the news for over two years.
In October, the World Health Organization approved the first vaccine against malaria. The approval was not only a first for that disease, but also for any parasitic disease. The moment was 30 years in the making, as Mosquirix—the brand name of the drug—cost more than $750 million since 1987 to develop and test. Malaria kills nearly a half million individuals a year, including 260,000 children under the age of five. Most of these victims live in sub-Saharan Africa. The new vaccine fights the deadliest of five malaria pathogens and the most prevalent in Africa, and is administered to children under five in a series of four injections. The vaccine is not a silver bullet; it prevents only about 30 percent of severe malaria cases. But one modeling study showed that still could prevent 5.4 million cases and 23,000 deaths in children under five each year. Experts say the vaccine is a valuable tool that should be used in conjunction with existing methods—such as drug combination treatments and insecticide-treated bed nets—to combat the deadly disease.
Here's the link for the top ten science stories for the year, 2021 for your reading pleasure.
Meanwhile here are two videos on the Malaria vaccine Discovery
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