About RVP
NEW! Updated fact sheet on RVP activities and accomplishments
Rotavirus infection is now preventable through the use of oral vaccines. In the US, Latin America, and Europe, new rotavirus vaccines are being added to routine immunization schedules. But bringing new vaccines to the poorest countries in the world has historically taken 15 to 20 years. The PATH Rotavirus Vaccine Program was created to accelerate this process and to make rotavirus vaccines available to children in developing countries as quickly as possible.
Supported through the GAVI Alliance and in close partnership with the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Rotavirus Vaccine Program is harnessing the commitment and resources of the vaccine industry, public health organizations, donors, and governments to demonstrate and replicate a successful model for vaccine introduction—and to make rotavirus vaccines accessible worldwide.
This chart illustrates the time that was required to introduce vaccines against hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type B in developing countries.
A New Approach to Vaccine Introduction
Costs, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient planning, and unpredictable demand often hamper access to vaccines in developing countries. The result: it takes many years, even decades, for vaccines to reach children in developing countries, even after a vaccine is available in wealthy nations.
Vaccines are slow to reach the people who need them most. However, in the case of a rotavirus vaccine, the Rotavirus Vaccine Program is hoping to change historical trends and accelerate the availability of a rotavirus vaccine.
In addition to overcoming a leading cause of death for children under five, we are shaping a new global health model for “introducing” vaccines into immunization programs. The new model focuses on both sides of the vaccine supply-demand equation. The idea is to establish a predictable demand for vaccine in order to achieve a stable supply at a feasible price.
On the demand side, we are helping potential vaccine purchasers at the global, national, and local levels acquire the information they need to assess the potential value of introducing a rotavirus vaccine. This “evidence base” includes surveillance data on disease burden, cost-effectiveness models, and results from clinical trials that demonstrate vaccine safety and efficacy in developing countries.
On the supply side, we are collecting data necessary to forecast demand and overcome demand uncertainty, ultimately setting the stage to allow manufacturers to supply vaccine at an affordable price to a dependable market.
Why haven't people heard about rotavirus?
Although children have long suffered from it, rotavirus was only clinically discovered in 1973. It has taken many years to get a sound estimate on the burden of disease, and only now is a vaccine becoming a reality. Focus group discussions that we have conducted with health care workers and public health officials reveal that, while diarrheal disease remains a significant public health concern, knowledge of rotavirus is very low.
A vaccine represents the most promising method for preventing rotavirus infection. The virus is so contagious and resilient that sanitary interventions to curb other diarrheal diseases, such as providing clean water and promoting proper hygiene, do not significantly reduce its incidence, which is nearly the same in industrialized and developing countries. And because rotavirus usually causes profuse vomiting, administration of oral rehydration therapy (ORT), long the worldwide protocol for diarrheal disease treatment, is often very difficult.
An integrated approach for maximum impact
In addition to limited knowledge about rotavirus, our research found that the promotion of diarrheal disease control interventions, such as ORT, has abated. Building on this valuable insight, we have developed the Enhanced Diarrheal Disease Control Initiative (EDD), an integrated approach to diarrheal disease control aimed at raising awareness about new and improved interventions to control diarrheal disease, including rotavirus vaccines and zinc treatment. EDD also reinforces the importance of existing interventions such as ORT, breastfeeding, and improvements in hygiene and sanitation. Pilot projects in Nicaragua and Cambodia are providing valuable lessons as we move the initiative forward.
Top photo by Richard Lord.