Published date: 
Thursday, 18 April, 2013
Author(s): 
Birkett AJ, Moorthy VS, Loucq C, Chitnis CE, Kaslow DC
Body: 

While recent progress has been made in reducing malaria mortality with other interventions, vaccines are still urgently needed to further reduce the incidence of clinical disease, including during pregnancy, and to provide “herd protection” by blocking parasite transmission. The most clinically advanced candidate, RTS,S, is presently undergoing Phase 3 evaluation in young African children across 13 clinical sites in eight African countries. In the 12-month period following vaccination, RTS,S conferred approximately 50% protection from clinical Plasmodium falciparum disease in children aged 5–17 months, and approximately 30% protection in children aged 6–12 weeks when administered in conjunction with Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) vaccines.