The Ministry of Health is considering approving a vaccine to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease, which can prevent the EV71 virus - the most dangerous strain - and could be injected next year.
The vaccine was tested in phase one and two clinical trials by Taiwan's National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) in 2010-2017, with 425 children aged 2 to 12 months.
The vaccine is being tested in phase three in Vietnam and Taiwan with over 3,000 children. The Pasteur Institute Ho Chi Minh City Clinical Trial Center is the coordinating unit in Vietnam. The National Council of Ethics in Biomedical Research (Ministry of Health) reviewed and approved the application to allow the implementation of the trial in 2019-2021 with children aged from two months to under 6 years old, living in 6 districts of Tien Giang and Dong Thap provinces.
On July 4, Dr. Nguyen Trong Toan, Deputy Director of the Clinical Trial Center of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, said that after the third phase of testing, the Ethics Council accepted and recognized that the vaccine helps protect children against hand, foot and mouth disease caused by EV71 at any severity, with an effectiveness of 96.8%. This result was published in The Lancet ( the world's leading prestigious medical journal).
Based on the effectiveness assessment and following the clinical trial process, the manufacturing unit submits the dossier to the Ministry of Health for approval. At the epidemic prevention meeting at the end of June, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong said that the Drug Administration of Vietnam is considering licensing this vaccine.
"Hopefully, by the end of the year, this vaccine will be approved so that it can be put on the market for injection services, contributing to the fight against hand, foot and mouth disease," said Ms. Lien Huong.
Thus, if approved, this will be the first hand, foot and mouth vaccine in Vietnam. The vaccine uses whole-particle inactivation technology to prevent EV71 virus (Enterovirus 71). This virus strain is the most dangerous because it causes severe hand, foot and mouth disease, with a high risk of death. Other agents often cause milder diseases. In Vietnam, EV71 " re-emerged " in April, after nearly two years of not being detected, and is gradually dominating the cause of severe cases.
Inactivated vaccines are produced by growing pathogens, usually viruses, in suitable environments. Once they are fully grown, heat, chemicals or radiation are used to destroy the genetic material and “kill” the pathogens. This technology is widely used today with many properties that help protect the body against pathogens.
The Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City is also cooperating to conduct phase three clinical trials of another EV71 hand, foot and mouth disease vaccine, with results expected in 2025.
In the first half of the year, the southern provinces recorded more than 9,000 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, lower than the same period last year but increasing since the end of April. The final level pediatric hospitals recorded an increase in the number of severe and critical patients . Many children had to be put on ventilators and dialysis, and some did not survive. The health sector predicts that this year's epidemic will be complicated , due to the dominant EV71 strain .
To date, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease. The Ministry of Health requires localities to improve their capacity to prevent and treat the disease, and ensure equipment, chemicals and medicines.
Signs of hand, foot and mouth disease are sore throat, rash, blisters on the palms, feet, buttocks, knees. In this case, the child should be taken to a medical facility for examination and timely treatment. Sick children should stay home from school for at least 10 days from the onset to avoid infecting other children.
Prevent disease by ensuring three cleans, including eating, living, hand hygiene and clean toys. Wash hands regularly with soap under running water, especially before and after preparing food, feeding, holding children or after changing diapers and cleaning children.
VnExpress.net
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