The world's most advanced malaria vaccine, RTS,S made history in 2004 when results from a trial of 2,000 young children in Mozambique showed that a vaccine could reduce severe malaria by 49percent. Since severe malaria kills up to a million children a year and sickens millions more, even partial protection of this kind could save millions of lives - a major public health victory.
An unusual partnership - linking a vaccine manufacturer, a foundation and African scientists - is working hard to make this vaccine available as soon as humanly possible. Right now RTS,S is in late Phase II trials at seven trial sites in Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania. Next year, RTS,S will begin Phase III trials, the final stage in the clinical development process. If these tests continue to be successful, the vaccine could be available as soon as 2012. Africans are at the forefront of testing this vaccine for Africa. As one of the principal investigators of one of the clinical trial sites, I have witnessed the positive impact of the trial on African scientists, medical professionals and communities. African scientists, working closely with the other partners, participate in the design of the clinical trial protocols, implement the protocols, and manage the day-to-day work of the trial. The investigators build strong working relationships with local communities and the parents of the children enrolled in the trials. We liaise with the Ministries of Health and other relevant local institutions regularly to update them on the progress of the trials. The trials have also improved medical care provided in the communities. Our medical teams carefully monitor the health and progress of each child enrolled in the trial, often visiting them at their homes for check-ups. At each trial site, personnel receive training in the latest diagnostic and treatment procedures, and clinics receive new medical equipment. This benefits not only the children in the trial, but all the families and their children who use the local clinic.
