Preventing Dengue

Mexico has given regulatory clearances to the world’s first Dengue vaccine ‘Dengvaxia’, which is developed by Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical giant.

Sanofi has applied for regulatory clearances in 20 nations across Asia and Latin America, although the price of the vaccine is not yet decided. Olivier Charmeil, head of the company’s vaccine division described the vaccine as ‘an innovation of the decade’.

Mexican authorities believe that the vaccine would prevent about 8,000 cases of hospitalization and 104 deaths every year in Mexico. The vaccine, if successful, could prevent millions of deaths across the world. According to the World Health Organisation, nearly 400 million people are affected by Dengue every year.