The World Health Organization has approved a new vaccine that scientists argue will be a game-changer in the fight against malaria, which kills half a million people in Africa every year. Trials have shown that the R21/Matrix vaccine, developed by Oxford University together with the Serum Institute of India, reduces malaria by up to 75%. It can be manufactured cheaply and on a mass scale. The Conversation Weekly spoke to chief investigator Adrian Hill, who is also director of the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, about this revolutionary vaccine. Below are edited excerpts from the podcast.
Why is the R21/Matrix vaccine a game-changer?
We’re seeing about 75% efficacy by counting the reduction in numbers of malaria episodes over a year. The best vaccine prior to this was about 50% over a year, and lower than that over three years.
