Rotavirus: India unveils cheap Rotavac diarrhoea vaccine

[muriel_volestrangler]

Scientists in India have unveiled a new low-cost vaccine against a deadly virus that kills about half a million children around the world each year.

Rotavirus causes dehydration and severe diarrhoea and spreads through contaminated hands and surfaces and is rampant in Asia and Africa.

India says clinical trials show the new vaccine, Rotavac, can save the lives of thousands of children annually.

An Indian manufacturer said the vaccine would cost 54 rupees ($1; £0.65).

International pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline and Merck produce similar vaccines but each dose costs around 1,000 rupees.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-22535673

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. This is such good news

I had the virus once and I thought I'd died and went to hell.

India has done some good stuff on not charging an arm and a leg helping the world.