On Tuesday the Ministry of Health gave its endorsement for the country to administer its first vaccine for preventing dengue, confirmed Minister Fernando Llorca.
Dengvaxia is the name of the medication, which for now will only be available at the private level while Costa Rican Social Security (CCSS) decides if it will be provided to insured customers.
The vaccine was developed by the French company Sanofi Pasteur and according to the World Health Organization, it was endorsed for use in December in Mexico and is currently in clinical trial.
There are at least five options in the period of development for a vaccine to be registered, Llorca explained. The vaccine has to meet several requirements to demonstrate its utility and show its effectiveness through clinical trials, for example.
Once approved, those interested can buy to prevent the spread of the virus that has affected a total of 17,258 people during 2015 and 7,711 so far in 2016.
Preventive medicine generates antibodies in organisms in such a way that it allows them to have “weapons to defend against [the mosquito] sting,” Llorca said.
He explained that this new vaccine will prevent more serious cases that can even result in death.
Llorca said he doesn’t know the base price with which the drug will be marketed; however, he said that it will be accessible through the “Revolving Fund” mechanism of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Source: ameliarueda.com