Millions of children in the world’s poorest countries could receive vaccination against rotavirus diarrhoeal disease under new offer made by GSK to the GAVI Alliance

GSK today announced that it has made a new offer to supply its rotavirus vaccine, RotarixTM, to the GAVI Alliance at $2.50 per dose, a small fraction of developed world prices. This announcement is part of the company’s efforts to increase access to its medicines and vaccines in the world’s poorest countries. It is estimated that more than half a million children die of rotavirus gastroenteritis each year – the equivalent of a child a minute worldwide – and it is responsible for the hospitalization of millions more. GSK’s offer has been made in response to a UNICEF request for rotavirus vaccines and will now be reviewed by UNICEF.If accepted, large scale vaccination against rotavirus could begin later this year. The offer made to UNICEF was developed in consultation with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The Clinton Health Access Initiative with support...