Good news for billions of children who will receive IPV

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In The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Shahed Iqbal and colleagues 1 Iqbal S Shi J Seib K et al. Preparation for global introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine: safety evidence from the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 2000–12. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015; (published online Aug 17.)http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00059-6 Google Scholar present their analysis of data from the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the largest database of reported events temporally associated with, but not necessarily causally related to, the delivery of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV). Their results show low numbers of temporally associated events reported with the delivery of more than 250 million IPV doses in the USA and no substantial adverse events, which confirms the safety of IPV. 1 Iqbal S Shi J Seib K et al. Preparation for global introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine: safety evidence from the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 2000–12. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015; (published online Aug 17.)http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00059-6 Google Scholar In view of the unprecedented global adoption of IPV as all countries prepare for the eradication of wild polioviruses and globally coordinated cessation of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), this news is positive. 1 Iqbal S Shi J Seib K et al. Preparation for global introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine: safety evidence from the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 2000–12. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015; (published online Aug 17.)http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00059-6 Google Scholar Although only 65 countries had included IPV in their routine immunisation schedules by December, 2012, 2 Thompson KM Pallansch MA Duintjer Tebbens RJ Wassilak SG Kim J-H Cochi SL Pre-eradication vaccine policy options for poliovirus infection and disease control. Risk Anal. 2013; 33: 516-543 Crossref PubMed Scopus (44) Google Scholar this number has now increased to nearly 90 countries, and during the remainder of 2015, more than 70 countries plan to introduce at least one IPV dose into their immunisation schedules. 3 WHOImmunization Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB), data as of May 1, 2015. http://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/poliomyelitis/endgame_objective2/en/ Google Scholar Preparation for global introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine: safety evidence from the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 2000–12Fairly few adverse events were reported for the more than 250 million IPV doses distributed between 2000 and 2012. Sudden infant death syndrome reports after IPV were consistent with reporting patterns for other vaccines. No new or unexpected vaccine safety problems were identified for fatal, non-fatal serious, and non-serious reports in this assessment of adverse events after IPV. Full-Text PDF Is introduction of IPV “Good news for billions of children”? – Author's replyThe decision to globally coordinate cessation of use of the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), starting with serotype 2 between April 15 and April 30, 2016 (with expected cessation of serotypes 1 and 3 after certification of the world as free of wild polioviruses of those serotypes), represents a crucial step in the effort to end all cases of poliomyelitis.1 After all use of OPV ends, inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) will represent the only option available to protect people from any potential risks of re-introduction of polioviruses. Full-Text PDF Is introduction of IPV “Good news for billions of children”?Mass worldwide vaccination with oral polio vaccine (OPV) has resulted in a steep decrease in polio infections and associated paralysis. Since the world is now close to eradicating polio, vaccine-derived polio constitutes an increasing proportion of overall polio infections. From this perspective, introduction of the more expensive inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) solves a problem as emphasised in the Comment by Kimberley Thompson.1 Full-Text PDF