Progress towards the development of malaria vaccines.

The misery and suffering caused worldwide by infection with the malaria parasite, especially Plasmodium falciparum, has been well documented. Although no licensed vaccine against malaria currently exists, progress has accelerated in recent years towards the goal of developing one. Although the complexity of the malaria parasite has made the malaria vaccine development process tenuous, advances in science and in the vaccine development process as well as increases in funding are encouraging. These advances, coupled with the results of the recent clinical trial of the vaccine candidate RTS,S, have added new vigor to the idea that a malaria vaccine is not only possible but probable.

Policy challenges in malaria vaccine introduction.

Recently licensed life-saving vaccines have experienced slow introduction and gradual uptake in the developing world. Policy challenges at the national level contribute to the delay in making new vaccines accessible to people in poor countries. The hurdles that delayed the introduction of other vaccines can provide guidance for navigating the policy challenges that face the introduction of a new malaria vaccine. When a malaria vaccine is licensed, national leaders will rely on available data and analyses to draw conclusions about which malaria interventions have the greatest potential for public health impact. Epidemiologic and economic analyses can help facilitate their decision-making. This article draws attention to the importance of research to inform policy decisions and to minimize delays in the introduction of a new malaria vaccine.