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The Conversation
The Conversation
Charles Shey Wiysonge, Regional Adviser, Immunisation, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Stellenbosch University

TB vaccine: WHO expert explains why it's taken 100 years for a scientific breakthrough, and why it's such a big deal

Vaccine Disease World Health Organization HIV

The BCG vaccine for TB has been used for 100 years. It is largely effective for children under five, but less so in older people and can’t be used on patients who have certain medical conditions. Today we’re the closest we’ve ever been to discovering a vaccine that might replace or complement it. Charles Shey Wiysonge, the World Health Organization’s Regional Adviser for Immunisation, discusses the latest developments in the fight against one of the world’s deadliest diseases.

Why has it taken so long?

We do not yet have a new vaccine for TB. But, for the first time, there are several vaccine candidates that are at advanced stages of clinical development.

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