WHO Approves Bavarian Nordic Mpox Vaccine for Use in Adolescents

The World Health Organization (WHO) has given the green light for the Bavarian Nordic mpox vaccine to be administered to adolescents, a significant step in expanding protection against the viral disease.

The World Health Organization has approved the use of Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 17, considering this age group especially vulnerable to the disease.

This development followed the UN agency’s approval of the vaccine in September, marking it as the first vaccination for mpox in adults. This decision streamlined access to the vaccine for African nations that have been particularly impacted by mpox.

The Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic has announced its plans to conduct a clinical trial aimed at assessing the safety of their vaccine for children aged 2 to 12.

This comes as various regions in Africa strive to control an increase in cases of the disease, known for causing flu-like symptoms and skin lesions.

In August, the World Health Organization announced mpox as a global public health emergency following the spread of a new virus strain from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighboring countries such as Burundi and Rwanda.

Scientists have cautioned that the newly identified strain, known as clade 1b, represents a more hazardous variant.

Nearly 30,000 suspected mpox cases have been documented in Africa this year. Additionally, a few cases have been reported in Europe and Asia.