Time for a Vaccine

Malaria was virtually eradicated in most of North America and Europe using insecticides and environmental management. Widespread and increasing resistance to malaria drugs and insecticides has hampered similar efforts in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

"Together, let us eradicate disease!" President John F. Kennedy 1962 United States Malaria Eradication Stamp, issued in cooperation with the WHO Malaria Eradication Campaign

Effectively implementing traditional malaria control strategies has become more challenging, even in those regions fortunate enough to have the resources to sustain such efforts. Natural and manmade disasters have fueled malaria epidemics and reversed or slowed the impact of successful malaria control efforts in some countries.

Childhood immunization against communicable diseases has been perhaps the greatest public health success story of the past century. Vaccines have been used extensively to control many previously common diseases, making vaccination the most effective as well as cost-effective public health intervention known.

Given the challenge of controlling the mosquito vector and the success of childhood immunization, a malaria vaccine suitable for young children (and women of childbearing age) would be an almost ideal solution.

…More Feasible than Ever