Commonground
Senior Moderator
August 30, 2024
JAMA. Published online August 30, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.15887
In late July, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans to develop a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine to protect people in low- and middle-income countries from the highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus. The initiative comes during continued concern about a public health risk from the rapid spread of the H5N1 virus among animals, the WHO reported.
Argentinian manufacturer Sinergium Biotech is leading the effort. The company’s mRNA vaccine is still being tested for effectiveness against the H5N1 virus. If the vaccine is successful, the technology will be shared with vaccine manufacturers in other low- to middle-income countries to maximize preparedness in case of a human bird flu pandemic.
The initiative is part of WHO’s mRNA Technology Transfer Programme, started in 2021 to help develop and produce mRNA vaccines in lower-resource countries so “when the next pandemic arrives, the world will be better prepared to mount a more effective and more equitable response,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
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Article Information
Published Online: August 30, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.15887
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2823266
JAMA. Published online August 30, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.15887
In late July, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans to develop a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine to protect people in low- and middle-income countries from the highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus. The initiative comes during continued concern about a public health risk from the rapid spread of the H5N1 virus among animals, the WHO reported.
Argentinian manufacturer Sinergium Biotech is leading the effort. The company’s mRNA vaccine is still being tested for effectiveness against the H5N1 virus. If the vaccine is successful, the technology will be shared with vaccine manufacturers in other low- to middle-income countries to maximize preparedness in case of a human bird flu pandemic.
The initiative is part of WHO’s mRNA Technology Transfer Programme, started in 2021 to help develop and produce mRNA vaccines in lower-resource countries so “when the next pandemic arrives, the world will be better prepared to mount a more effective and more equitable response,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Back to top
Article Information
Published Online: August 30, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.15887
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2823266