http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2009/noviembre/vier20/vaccine-against-pneumococcus.html
Havana. November 20, 2009
Cuba to begin initiate clinical trials of vaccine against pneumococcus
Iris de Armas Padrino and Anneris Ivette Leiva
CONCEPCION Campa, member of the Political Bureau and director of the
Finlay Institute, announced yesterday that Cuba is to begin the first clinical
trial of the vaccine against pneumococcus next year.
In a roundtable on advances in Cuban biotechnology at the Global Heath
Investigation Forum, currently taking place in Havana, Dr. Campa stated that
the combined heptavalent vaccine is being developed by that institution and the
Center of Biomolecular Chemistry.
Literature on the subject suggests that pneumococcus is an almost
exclusively human pathogen that causes various infections (pneumonia,
sinusitis, and peritonitis, among others) and severe invasive processes, like
meningitis and septicemia, particularly in the elderly, children, and the
immunocompromised.
Campa highlighted that they have received pre-approval from the World
Health Organization for placing these immunogens at the service of Cuba and
also other nations.
She reiterated the impact on national public health of the 10-plus
vaccines produced over the last 20 years, which have resulted in a decrease of
infant mortality figures.
During the event, Gill Samuels, president of the Council of the Global
Forum Foundation, praised Cuba's emphasis on both healthcare and education.
