A new vaccine out of India

Earlier this month, a phase 3 clinical trial of a new vaccine began in India. Phase 3 trials begin around the world all of the time but to me this one is particularly important. This vaccine is from India, for Indians. It was discovered, developed and tested in India, specifically to protect Indian children from rotavirus. Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrheal disease in children worldwide and is responsible for the deaths of more than 527,000 children each year. One third of those deaths are in India. By comparison, around 20 children in the United States die each year from the disease. Rotavirus is easily preventable with a simple, childhood vaccine. However, the vaccine that children in the developed world receive is too expensive – around U.S. $200 – for many families around the world to afford. The solution seems simple: Indian babies need access to an affordable vaccine. But...